Sirach 30

¹ Sotheli ther is a stille man, not hauynge wit of speche; and ther is a stille man, knowynge the sesoun of couenable tyme. ² A wijs man schal be stille til to tyme; but a ioli man and vnprudent man schulen not kepe tyme. ³ He that vsith many wordis, hirtith his soule; and he that takith power to hym silf vniustli, schal be hatid. ⁴ Ther is goyng forth in yuels to a man vnlernyd; and ther is fyndyng in to peiryng. ⁵ Ther is a yifte, which is not profitable; and ther is a yifte, whos yeldyng is double. ⁶ Ther is makyng lesse for glorie; and ther is a man, which schal reise the heed fro mekenesse. ⁷ Ther is a man, that ayen bieth many synnes for litil prijs, and restorith tho in seuenfold. ⁸ A wijs man in wordis makith hym silf amyable; but the graces of foolis schulen be sched out. ⁹ The yifte of an vnwijs man schal not be profitable to thee; for hise iyen ben seuenfold. ¹⁰ He schal yyue litle thingis, and he schal vpbreide many thingis; and the openyng of his mouth is enflawming. ¹¹ To dai a man leeneth, and to morewe he axith; and siche a man is hateful. ¹² A frend schal not be to a fool, and grace schal not be to hise goodis. ¹³ For thei that eten his breed, ben of fals tunge; hou ofte and hou many men schulen scorne hym? ¹⁴ For he departith not bi euene wit that, that was worthi to be had; in lijk maner and that, that was not worthi to be had. ¹⁵ The falling of a fals tunge is as he that fallith in the pawment; so the fallis of yuele men schulen come hastili. ¹⁶ A man with out grace is as a veyn fable; and it schal be customable in the mouth of vnlerned men. ¹⁷ A parable schal be repreued of the mouth of a fool; for he seith not it in his tyme. Ther is a man, that is forbodun to do synne, for pouert; and he schal be prickid in his reste. ¹⁸ Ther is a man, that schal leese his soule for schame; and for the vnprudence of a persoone he schal leese it. ¹⁹ Forsothe he schal leese hym silf for the takyng of a persoone. ²⁰ Ther is a man, that for schame biheetith to a frend; and he hath gete hym enemy with out cause. ²¹ Leesyng is a wickid schenschip in a man; and it schal be customabli in the mouth of vnlerned men. ²² Betere is a theef than the customablenesse of a man, a leesyngmongere; forsothe bothe thei schulen enherite perdicioun. ²³ The maneres of men leesyngmongeris ben with outen onour; and her schenschype is with hem with out ceessyng. ²⁴ A wijs man in wordis schal brynge forth hym silf; and a prudent man schal pleese grete men. ²⁵ He that worchith his lond, shal make hiy the heep of fruytis; and he that worchith riytfulnesse, schal be enhaunsid. Sotheli he that plesith grete men, schal ascape wickidnesse.