Sirach 39
Sirach chapter 39 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 If a man throwith a stoon an hiy, it schal falle on his heed; and the gileful wounde of a gyleful man schal departe woundis. 2 And he that diggith a diche, schal falle in to it; and he that settith a stoon to a neiybore, schal offende therynne; and he that settith a snare to a nother man, schal perische ther ynne. 3 If a man makith worst councel, it schal be turned on hym; and he schal not knowe fro whennus it schal come to him. 4 The scornyng and dispisyng of proude men and veniaunce schal sette a spie to hym, as a lioun doith. 5 Thei that deliten in the fal of iust men, schulen perische bi a snare; forsothe sorewe schal waste hem, bifore that thei dien. 6 Ire and woodnesse, euer either ben abhomynable; and a synful man schal holde tho. 8 He that wole be vengid, schal fynde of the Lord veniaunce; and he kepynge schal kepe hise synnes. 9 Foryyue thou to thi neiybore that anoieth thee, and thanne synnes schulen be releessid to thee preiynge. 10 A man kepith ire to man; and sekith he of God medicyn? 11 He hath no merci on a man lijk hym silf; and bisechith he the hiyeste for hise owne synnes? 12 He the while he is fleisch, reserueth ire; and axith he of God merci? who schal preie for hise synnes? 13 Haue thou mynde on the laste thingis, and ceesse thou to be enemy. 14 For whi failyng and deth neiyen not in the comaundementis of God. 15 Haue thou mynde on the drede of the Lord, and be thou not wrooth to the neiybore. 16 Haue thou mynde on the testament of the hiyeste, and dispise thou the ignoraunce of thi neiybore. 17 Absteyne thee fro strijf, and thou schalt abregge synnes. 18 For whi a wrathful man kyndlith strijf; and a synful man schal disturble frendis, and he schal sende in enemyte in the myddis of men hauynge pees. 19 For whi aftir the trees of the wode, so fier schal brenne an hiy; and after the myyte of a man, so his wrathfulnesse schal be, and aftir his catel he schal enhaunse his ire. 20 Hasti stryuyng schal kyndle fier, and hasti chidyng schal schede out blood; and a tunge berynge witnessing schal brynge deth. 21 If thou blowist, as fier it schal brenne an hiy; and if thou spetist theron, it schal be quenchid; euer either comen forth of the mouth. 22 A preuy bacbiter, and a double tungid man is cursid; for he disturblide many men hauynge pees. 23 The thridde tunge hath stirid many men, and hath scaterid hem fro folc in to folc. 24 It hath distried wallid citees of riche men, and hath myned doun the housis of grete men. 25 It hath kit doun the vertues of puplis, and hath vnknit strong folkis. 26 The thridde tunge hath cast out weddid wymmen, and hath priued hem of her trauelis. 27 He that biholdith the thridde tunge, schal not haue rest; nether schal haue a frend, in whom he schal reste. 28 The wounde of betyng makith wannesse; but the wounde of tunge schal make lesse the boonys. 29 Many men fellen doun bi the scharpnesse of swerd; but not so as thei that perischiden bi her tunge. 30 He is blessid that is kyuerid fro a wickid tunge; and he that passide not in the wrathfulnesse therof, and he that drow not the yok therof, and was not boundun in the bondis therof. 31 For whi the yok therof is an irun yok, and the boond therof is a brasun boond. 32 The deth therof is the worste deth; and helle is more profitable than it. 33 The perseueraunce therof schal not dwelle, but it schal holde the weies of vniust men; in his flawme it schal not brenne iust men. 34 Thei that forsaken God, schulen falle in to it; and it schal brenne greetli in hem, and it schal not be quenchid; and as a lioun it schal be sent in to hem, and as a parde it schal hirte hem. 35 Bisette thin eeris with thornes, and nyle thou here a wickid tunge; and make thou doris to thi mouth, and lockis to thin eeris.
