Proverbs 4

¹ Lord, bitake thou not me fro my desire to the synnere; thei thouyten ayens me, forsake thou not me, lest perauenture thei ben enhaunsid. ² The heed of the cumpas of hem; the trauel of her lippis schal hile hem. ³ Colis schulen falle on hem, thou schalt caste hem doun in to fier; in wretchidnessis thei schulen not stonde. ⁴ A man a greet ianglere schal not be dressid in erthe; yuels schulen take an vniust man in perisching. ⁵ I haue knowe, that the Lord schal make dom of a nedi man; and the veniaunce of pore men. ⁶ Netheles iust men schulen knouleche to thi name; and riytful men schulen dwelle with thi cheer. ⁸ The title of the hundrid and fourtithe salm. The salm of Dauith. Lord, Y criede to thee, here thou me; yyue thou tent to my vois, whanne Y schal crye to thee. 9 Mi preier be dressid as encense in thi siyt; the reisyng of myn hondis be as the euentid sacrifice. 10 Lord, sette thou a keping to my mouth; and a dore of stonding aboute to my lippis. 11 Bowe thou not myn herte in to wordis of malice; to excuse excusingis in synne. With men worchinge wickidnesse; and Y schal not comyne with the chosun men of hem. 12 A iust man schal repreue me in mersi, and schal blame me; but the oile of a synner make not fat myn heed. For whi and yit my preier is in the wel plesaunt thingis of hem; 13 for the domesmen of hem ioyned to the stoon weren sopun vp. Here thei my wordis, 14 for tho weren myyti. As fatnesse is brokun out on the erthe; oure bonys ben scatered niy helle. Lord, Lord, 15 for myn iyen ben to thee, Y hopide in thee; take thou not awei my soule. 16 Kepe thou me fro the snare which thei ordeyneden to me; and fro the sclaundris of hem that worchen wickidnesse. Synneris schulen falle in the nett therof; 17 Y am aloone til Y passe. 19 The title of the hundrid and oon and fourtithe salm. The lernyng of Dauid; his preier, whanne he was in the denne. ²⁰ With my vois Y criede to the Lord; with my vois Y preiede hertli to the Lord. ²¹ I schede out my preier in his siyt; and Y pronounce my tribulacioun bifor him. ²² While my spirit failith of me; and thou hast knowe my pathis. In this weie in which Y yede; proude men hidden a snare to me. ²³ I bihelde to the riyt side, and Y siy; and noon was that knew me. Fliyt perischide fro me; and noon is that sekith my soule. ²⁴ Lord, Y criede to thee, Y seide, Thou art myn hope; my part in the lond of lyueris. ²⁵ Yyue thou tent to my biseching; for Y am maad low ful greetli. Delyuere thou me fro hem that pursuen me; for thei ben coumfortid on me. ²⁶ Lede my soule out of keping to knouleche to thi name; iust men abiden me, til thou yelde to me.