Ecclesiastes · Chapter 4

[ edit] Sone, þe almeſſe deede of þe pore man ne begile þou, and ouerturne þou not þin eȝen fro þe pore. Þe hungrende ſoule ne diſpiſe þou, and terre þou not out to wraþe þe pore in his myſeiſe. Þe herte of þe helpeles ne tormente þou, and drawe þou not a long ȝifte to þe man put in ſtreit. Þe preȝing of þe troblid ne caſte þou awei, and turne þou not awei þi face fro þe nedi. Fro þe helpeles ne turne þou awei eȝen for wraþe, and leeue þou not, or ȝif þou not cauſe, to men ſechende to curſe bihynde to þee. Forſoþe of þe man curſende to þee in bitterneſſe of ſoule, ful out herd ſhal be þe preȝeere of hym; forſoþe he ſhall here hym, þat made hym.

To þe congregacioun of pore men mac þou þee homli to ſpeken, and to þe preſt meeke þou þi ſoule, and to þe mad gret meeke þou þin hed. Bowe doun to þe pore þin ere wiþoute dreryneſſe, and ȝeld þi dette, and anſwere peſibli in debonerneſſe. Delyuere hym þat wrong ſuffreþ fro þe hond of þe proude man, and egreli, or heuyly, bere þou not in þi ſoule. In demende be þou to þe fadirles childer merciful as a fadir, and for a man, or huſbonde, to þe moder of hem; and þou ſhal be as an obeiſaunt ſone of þe heiȝeſt, and he ſhal han merci of þee more þan a moder.

Wiſdam to his ſonus inbreþede lif, and receyueþ þe men out ſechende him, and he ſhal go beforn in þe weie of riȝtwiſneſſe; and he þat looueþ it, looueþ lif, and þat waken to it, ſhul clippe togidere þe gladneſſe, or peſibleneſſe, of it. Who holden it, ſhuln eritagen lif; and whider it ſhal gon in, God ſhal bliſſen. Who ſeruen to it, obeſhende ſhul ben to þe hoeli man; and hem þat loouen it, God looueþ. Who hereþ it, demeþ folkis of kinde; and who biholdeþ it, ſhal abide ſtille troſtende. If he ſchal ȝyue feiþ to it, he ſhal abide ſtille, and eritagen it; and þe creatures of hem ſhul be in faſtnyng togidere. For in temptacioun it goþ wiþ hym, and in þe firſt þyngus it chees hym.

Drede, and ferd, and prouyng it ſhal bringe in vp on hym, and ſchal tormenten hym in tribulacioun of his techyng, to þe tyme þat it tempte hym in his þoȝtis, and he leeue to his ſoule. And it ſhal faſtne hym, and a riȝt euene weie bringe to hym, and gladen hym; and nakenen his hidde þingus to hym, and treſoren vp on hym kunnyng, and vnderſtonding of riȝtwiſneſſe. If forſoþe he ſchal ful erre, it ſhal forſaken hym, and it ſhall taken hym in þe hond of his enemy. Sone, waite tyme, and ſhone awei fro euel. For þi ſoule, or liyf, be þou not confoundid to ſeyn ſoþ; þer is forſoþe confuſioun bringende to ſynne, and þer is confuſioun bringende to glorie and grace.

Ne take þou to face aȝen þi face, ne aȝen þi ſoule leſing. Ne ſhame þou þi neȝhebore in his falling, ne aȝeen holde þou a woord in time of helþe. Hide þou not þi wiſdam in þe fairnes of hit; in þe tunge forſoþe wiſdam is knowen, and wit, and kunnyng, and techyng, in þe wrd of þe weel feelende; and faſtnynge in þe werkis of riȝtwiſneſſe. Aȝenſey þou not to þe wrd of treuþe any maner; and of leſing of þi myſlernyng be þou confoundid. Be þou not confoundid to knoulechen þi ſynnes; and ne ſochete þou þee to eche man for ſynne. Wile þou not wiþſtonde aȝen þe face of þe myȝti, ne enforce þou aȝen þe ſtroc of þe flood.

For riȝtwiſneſſe fiȝt for þi ſoule, and vnto deþ ſtrif for riȝtwiſneſſe; and God ſhal outfiȝten, or ouer come, for þee þin enemys. Wile þou not be ſwift in þi tunge, and vnprofitable and ſloȝ in þi werkis. Wile þou not ben as a leoun in þin hous, turnende awei þin homli men, and opreſſende to men ſoget to þee. Be not þin hond put forþ to taken, and to ȝyuen drawen togidere.