Sirach 12

¹ He that dredith the Lord, onourith fadir and modir; and he schal serue in werk, and word, ² and al pacience to hem that gendriden hym as to lordis. ³ Onoure thi fadir, that the blessyng of God come to thee; and his blessing dwellith in the laste. ⁴ The blessyng of the fadir makith stidfast the housis of sones; but the cursyng of the modir drawith out the foundementis. ⁵ Haue thou not glorie in the dispisyng of thi fadir; for it is not glorie to thee, but confusioun. ⁶ For whi the glorie of a man is of the onour of his fadir; and the schenschip of the sone is a fadir with out onour. ⁷ Sone, resseyue the elde of thi fadir, and make thou not hym sori in his lijf; ⁸ and if he failith in wit, yyue thou foryyuenesse, and dispise thou not hym in thi vertu; for whi the almes of the fadir schal not be foryetyng. ⁹ For whi good schal be restorid to thee for the synne of the modir, ¹⁰ and bildyng schal be maad to thee in riytfulnesse; and it schal remembre of thee in dai of tribulacioun, and thi synnes schulen be releessid, as iys in clerenesse of the sunne. ¹¹ He is of ful yuel fame, that forsakith the fadir; and he that wraththith the modir, is cursid of God. ¹² Sone, performe thi werkis in myldenesse, and thou schalt be loued ouer the glorie of men. ¹³ In as myche as thou art greet, make thee meke in alle thingis, and thou schalt fynde grace bifore God; for whi the power of God aloon is greet, ¹⁴ and he is onourid of meke men. ¹⁵ Seke thou not hiyere thingis than thou, and enquere thou not strongere thingis than thou; but euere thenke thou tho thingis, whiche God comaundide to thee; and be thou not curiouse in ful many werkis of hym. ¹⁶ For it is not nedeful to thee to se with thin iyen tho thingis, that ben hid. ¹⁷ In superflu thingis nyle thou seke manyfold; and be thou not curiouse in many werkis of hym; ¹⁸ for whi ful many thingis aboue the wit of men ben schewid to thee.