Proverbs 26

¹ The herte of man is enhaunsid, bifor that it be brokun; and it is maad meke, bifore that it be glorified. ² He that answerith bifore that he herith, shewith hym silf to be a fool; and worthi of schenschipe. ³ The spirit of a man susteyneth his feblenesse; but who may susteyne a spirit liyt to be wrooth? ⁴ The herte of a prudent man schal holde stidfastli kunnyng; and the eere of wise men sekith techyng. ⁵ The yift of a man alargith his weie; and makith space to hym bifore princes. ⁶ A iust man is the first accusere of hym silf; his frend cometh, and schal serche hym. ⁷ Lot ceessith ayenseiyngis; and demeth also among miyti men. ⁸ A brother that is helpid of a brothir, is as a stidfast citee; and domes ben as the barris of citees. ⁹ A mannus wombe schal be fillid of the fruit of his mouth; and the seedis of hise lippis schulen fille hym. ¹⁰ Deth and lijf ben in the werkis of tunge; thei that louen it, schulen ete the fruytis therof. ¹¹ He that fyndith a good womman, fyndith a good thing; and of the Lord he schal drawe vp myrthe. He that puttith a wey a good womman, puttith awei a good thing; but he that holdith auowtresse, is a fool and vnwijs. ¹² A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli. ¹³ A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a brothir. ¹⁵ Betere is a pore man, that goith in his simplenesse, than a riche man bitynge hise lippis, and vnwijs. ¹⁶ Where is not kunnyng of the soule, is not good; and he that is hasti, in feet hirtith. ¹⁷ The foli of a man disseyueth hise steppis; and he brenneth in his soule ayens God. ¹⁸ Richessis encreessen ful many freendis; forsothe also thei ben departid fro a pore man, whiche he hadde. ¹⁹ A fals witnesse schal not be vnpunyschid; and he that spekith leesingis, schal not ascape. ²⁰ Many men onouren the persoone of a myyti man; and ben frendis of hym that deelith yiftis. ²¹ The britheren of a pore man haten hym; ferthermore and the freendis yeden awei fer fro hym. He that sueth wordis oonli, schal haue no thing; ²² but he that holdith stabli the mynde, loueth his soule, and the kepere of prudence schal fynde goodis. ²³ A fals witnesse schal not be vnpunyschid; and he that spekith leesyngis, schal perische. ²⁴ Delices bicomen not a fool; nether `it bicometh a seruaunt to be lord of princes. ²⁵ The teching of a man is knowun bi pacience; and his glorie is to passe ouere wickid thingis. ²⁶ As the gnasting of a lioun, so and the ire of the king; and as deewe on eerbe, so and the gladnesse of the kyng. ²⁷ The sorewe of the fadir is a fonned sone; and roofes droppynge contynueli is a womman ful of chiding. ²⁸ Housis and richessis ben youun of fadir and modir; but a prudent wijf is youun propirli of the Lord.