Sirach 33
Sirach chapter 33 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 As ournyng, ether pargetyng, ful of grauel in a cleer wal, so and a ferdful herte in the thouyt of a fool schal not drede in ony tyme; so and he that dwellith euere in the heestis of God. 2 He that prickith the iye, schal leede out teeris; and he that prickith the herte, bryngith forth wit. 3 He that castith a stoon to briddis, schal caste doun tho; so and he that doith wrong to a frend, departith frenschipe. 4 Thouy thou bryngist forth a swerd to a frend, dispeire thou not; for ther is going ayen to the frend. 5 If he openeth a soreuful mouth, drede thou not; for whi ther is acordyng, outakun dispisynge, and schenschipe, and pride, and schewyng of preuyte, and a tretcherouse wounde; in alle these thingis a frend schal fle awei. 6 Haue thou feith with a frend in his pouert, that thou be glad also in hise goodis. 7 In the tyme of his tribulacioun dwelle thou feithful to hym, that also thou be euene eir in the eritage of hym. 8 Heete and smook of fier is maad hiy bifore the fier of a chymenei; so and cursyngis, and dispisyngis, and manaassis, comen bifore blood. 9 I schal not be aschamed for to grete a frend, and Y schal not hide me fro his face; thouy yuels comen to me bi hym, Y schal suffre. 10 Ech man that schal here, schal kepe warli hym silf fro hym. 11 Who schal yyue keping to my mouth, and a certeyn ceelyng on my lippis, that Y falle not bi tho, and that my tunge leese not me? 13 Lord, fadir, and lordli gouernour of my lijf, forsake thou me not in the thouyt and counsel of hem; nether suffre thou me to falle in that schenschipe. 14 Who settith aboue in my thouyt beetyngis, and in myn hert the techyng of wisdom, that in the vnkunnyngis of hem he spare not me, and that the trespassis of hem appere not? 15 Lest myn vnkunnyngis encreesse, and my trespassis be multiplied, and my synnes be plenteuouse; and lest Y falle in the siyt of myn aduersaries, and myn enemy haue ioie. 16 Lord, fadir, and God of my lijf, forsake thou not me in the thouyt of hem. 17 Yyue thou not to me enhaunsyng of myn iyen; and turne thou awei fro me al schrewid desijr. 18 Do thou awei fro me the coueitisis of the wombe, and the coueitisis of letcherie take me not; and yyue thou not `me to a soule vnreuerent and vndiscreet. 19 Sones, here ye the techyng of mouth; and he that kepith it, schal not perische bi hise lippis, nether schal be 20 sclaundrid in worste werkis A synnere and proude man schal be takun in his vanite; and a cursid man schal be sclaundrid in tho. 21 Thy mouth be not customable to swering; for whi many fallyngis ben ther ynne. 22 Forsothe the nemyng of God be not customable in thi mouth, and be thou not meddlid to the names of seyntis; for thou schalt not be giltles of hem. 23 For as a seruaunt that is axid bisili, schal not wante wannesse; so ech man swerynge and nemynge schal not be purgid of synne in al. 24 A man swerynge myche schal be fillid with wickidnesse; and veniaunce schal not go awei fro his hous. 25 And if he disseyueth a brother, his trespas schal be aboue hym; and if he feyneth, he schal trespasse doubli. 26 And if he swerith in veyn, he schal not be iustified; for whi his hous schal be fillid with worst yelding. 27 Also ayenward another speche is in to deth; be it not found in the eritage of Jacob. 28 For whi alle these thingis schulen be don awei fro merciful men; and thei schulen not delite in trespassis. 29 Thi mouth be not customable to vnreuerent speche; for whi a word of synne is in it. 30 Haue thou mynde on thi fadir and modir; for thou stondist in the myddis of grete men. 31 Lest perauenture God foryete thee in the siyt of hem; and lest thou maad a fool bi thi customablenesse, suffre schenschipe, and haddist leuere to be not borun, and curse the dai of thi birthe. 32 A man customable in the wordis of schenschipe, in alle daies schal not be tauyt. 33 Twei kyndis ben plenteuouse in synnes, and the thridde bringith ire and perdicioun.
