Ecclesiastes · Chapter 10

[ edit] A wis domeſman ſhal demen his puple; and þe princehod of þe wel felende, or witti, ſhal ben ſtable. Aftir þe domeſman of þe puple, ſo and þe ſeruauntis of hym; and whiche maner is þe gouernour of þe cyte, ſuche and þe dwelleris in it. An vnwis king ſhal leeſen his puple; and cites ſhul ben enhabitid bi þe wit of prudent men. In þe hond of God þe power of þe erþe, and abhominable alle wickidneſſes of þe Jentiles; and a profitable gouernour in tyme he ſhal reren vp on it. In þe hond of God is þe power of man; and vp on þe face of þe ſcribe, or man of lawe, he ſhal putte vp on his wrſhipe. Of alle þe wrong of þi neȝhebore haue þou not mynde; and no þing do þou in þe werkes of wrong.

Hateful biforn God and men is pride; and cursful alle wickidneſſis of Jentiles. Rewme fro folc in to folc is born ouer, for vnriȝtwiſneſſes, and wrongus, and ſtriues, and dyuers treccheries. Forſoþe þan þe auerous man no þing is more ful of hydous gilte. What pridiſt þou, erþe and aſken? No þing is more wicke, þan to loouen moone; þis forſoþe haþ his ſoule ſillable, or able to be ſold, for in his lif he þreȝ awei his inward þingus. Of eche myȝtihed ſhort lif; lengere infyrmyte greeueþ þe leche. Short ſickneſſe þe leche kutteþ of; ſo and a king to dai is, and to moru ſhal die. Whan forſoþe a man ſhal dien, he ſhal eritagen ſerpentes, and beſtes, and wermes.

Þe bygynnyng of þe pride of man to go bacward fro God; for fro hym þat made hym his herte wente awey. For þe bygynnyng of alle ſynne is pride; who ſchal holde it, ſhal be fulfild wiþ curſis, and it ſhal turne hym vp ſo doun in to þe ende. Þerfore þe Lord diſpiſid þe couentis of euele men, and deſtroȝede þem in to þe ende. Þe ſetes of proude dukes God diſtroȝede; and made mylde men to ſitte for hem. Þe rootis of proude folkis God driede; and plauntide meke men of þo folkis. Þe londis of Jentiles þe Lord turnede awei; and deſtroȝede þem vn to þe foundement. He made drie of þem, and ſcaterede þem; and made to ceſen þe mynde of hem fro þe erþe.

God loſt þe mynde of proude men; and lafte þe mynde of meke men in wit. Þere is not ſhapen to men pride; ne wraþefulneſſe to þe nacioun of wymmen. Þe ſed of men ſhal be wrſhipid, þat þat dredeþ God; þat ſed forſoþe ſhall ben put out of wrſhipe, þat paſſeþ þe maundemens of þe Lord. In þe myddel off breþern þe gouernour of þem in wrſhipe; and þat dreden God, ſhul ben in þe eȝen of hym. Þe glorie of wrſhepid riche men and of pore is þe drede of God. Wile þou not diſpiſen þe riȝtwis pore man; and not magnefien þe riche ſynful man. Gret is a iuge, and þe myȝti is in wrſhipe; and he is not more þan he þat dredeþ God.

To þe ſeruaunt wel felende ſhul ſeruen fre men; and a man prudent and lerned ſhal not grucchen chaſtiſid, and þe vnkunnende ſhal not be wrſhipid. Wile þou not enhaunce þee in þi werk to be do; and wile þou not diſpeire in þe time of anguyſh. Betere is þat wercheþ, and aboundeþ in alle þingis, þan þat glorieþ, and nedeþ bred. Sone, in debonerneſſe kep þi ſoule; and ȝif to it wrſhepe, aftir his diſſert. Þe ſynnende in to his ſoule, who ſhal iuſtifien? and who ſhal worſchip þe puttere his ſoule out of wrſhipe? Þe pore glorieþ bi diſciplyne and his drede; and þer is a man þat is wrſhipid for his ſubſtaunce.

Who forſoþe glorieþ in poreneſſe, hou myche more in ſubſtaunce? and who glorie in ſubſtaunce, poreneſſe ſhame he.