Ecclesiastes · Chapter 5

[ edit] Wile þou not taken heed to wickide poſſeſſiouns, and ne ſeye þou, Þer is to me ſuffiſaunt lif; no þing forſoþe it ſhal profiten in þe tyme of veniaunce, and of opreſſing, or deþ. Ne folewe þou in þi ſtrengþe þe coueiting of þin herte, and ne ſey þou, What maner myȝte I, or who me ſhal ſubiecten for my deedis? God forſoþe veniende ſhal venien. Ne ſey þou, I ſynnede, and what to me falleþ ſorewy? Forſoþe þe heiȝeſte is a pacient ȝeldere. Of þe forȝyueneſſe of ſynnes, wile þou not be wiþoute drede, ne ley þou to ſynne vp on ſynne. And ſey þou not, Þe merci of God is gret; of þe multitude of my ſynnes he ſhal han mercy.

Mercy forſoþe and wraþe fro hym ſoone neȝheþ, and in to ſynneres beholdeþ þe wraþe of hym. Ne tarie þou to be conuertid to þe Lord, and ne putte þou it of fro dai in to day. Sodeynli forſoþe ſhal come þe wraþe of hym, and in time of veniaunce he ſhal diſtroȝe þee. Wile þou not ben anguyſht in vnriȝt richeſſes; forſoþe þei ſhul not profiten in þe dai of deþ and of veniaunces. Ne þrowe þou þee out in to eche wynd, and go þou not in to eche wei; ſo forſoþe a ſynnere is proued in double tunge. Be þou ſtedefaſt in þe weie of þe Lord, and in þe treuþe of þi wit and kunnyng; and parfitli folewe þee þe wrd of pes and of riȝtwiſneſſe.

Be þou debonere to here þe wrd of God, þat þou vnderſtonde, and wiþ wyſdam þou ſchalt bringe forþ a ſoþ anſwere. If þer is to þee vnderſtonding, anſwere to þi neȝhebore; elles forſoþe þin hond be vp on þi mouþ, leſt þou be take in an vndiſciplined wrd, and þou be confoundid. Wrſhipe and glorie in þe wrd of þe weel felende; þe tunge forſoþe of þe vnprudent is þe turnyng vp ſo doun of hym. Be þou not clepid a twiſil tunge, or a priue bacbiter, in þi lif, and be þou not take in þi tunge, and confoundid. Forſoþe vp on a þeef is confuſioun, and peyne taking, and werſt repref vp on þe twiſel tunge. To þe priue grucchere forſoþe hate, and enemyte, and ſtrif.

Iuſtefie þou lic maner þe litle and þe grete.