Wisdom 1

¹ It is betere to be repreued of a wijs man, than to be disseyued bi the flateryng of foolis; ² for as the sown of thornes brennynge vndur a pot, so is the leiyyng of a fool. But also this is vanyte. ³ Fals chalenge disturblith a wijs man, and it schal leese the strengthe of his herte. ⁴ Forsothe the ende of preyer is betere than the bigynnyng. A pacient man is betere than a proud man. ⁵ Be thou not swift to be wrooth; for ire restith in the bosum of a fool. ⁶ Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned. ⁷ Forsothe wisdom with richessis is more profitable, and profitith more to men seynge the sunne. ⁸ For as wisdom defendith, so money defendith; but lernyng and wisdom hath this more, that tho yyuen lijf to `her weldere. ⁹ Biholde thou the werkis of God, that no man may amende hym, whom God hath dispisid. ¹⁰ In a good day vse thou goodis, and bifore eschewe thou an yuel day; for God made so this dai as that dai, that a man fynde not iust playnyngis ayens hym. ¹¹ Also Y siy these thingis in the daies of my natyuyte; a iust man perischith in his riytfulnesse, and a wickid man lyueth myche tyme in his malice. ¹² Nyle thou be iust myche, nether vndurstonde thou more than is nedeful; lest thou be astonyed. ¹³ Do thou not wickidli myche, and nyle thou be a fool; lest thou die in a tyme not thin. ¹⁴ It is good, that thou susteyne a iust man; but also withdrawe thou not thin hond from hym; for he that dredith God, is not necligent of ony thing. ¹⁵ Wisdom hath coumfortid a wise man, ouer ten pryncis of a citee. ¹⁶ Forsothe no iust man is in erthe, that doith good, and synneth not.