Ecclesiastes · Chapter 12

[ edit] Iff þou ſhul wel do, wite þou to whom þou ſhalt wel do; and þer ſhal be myche grace in þi goodys. Wel do to þe riȝtwis, and þou ſhalt finde gret ȝelding; and if not of hym, certes of þe Lord. It is not weel to hym þat is beſi in eueles, and to þe not ȝyuende almes deede; for and þe heiȝeſt to hate haþ ſyneres, and haþ merci to penaunce doeres. Ȝif to þe merciful, and vndertake or reſſeyue þou not þe ſynnere; and to vnpitouſe and ſynneres he ſhal ȝelde veniaunce, kepende þem in þe day of veniaunce. Ȝif to þe goode, and reſceyue þou not þe ſynnere. Weel do to þe meeke, and ȝyue þou not to þe vnpitous; forfende to ȝyuen to hym loeues, leſt in hem he be myȝtiere þan þou.

For double eueles þou ſhalt fynde in alle goodus, what euere þou ſhalt do to hym; for and þe heiȝeſte to hate haþ ſynneres, and to þe vnpitous he ſhal ȝelde veniaunce. A frend ſhal not be knowen in goodis, and an enemy ſhal not ben hid in eueles. In þe goodes of a man þe enemys of hym; and in þe ſorewe and in þe malice of hym þe frend is knowen. Ne trowe þou to þin enemy vnto wiþoute ende; forſoþe as bras ruſteþ out þe ſhreudeneſſe of hym. And if meekid he go crookid, þroȝ awei þi wil, and keep þee fro hym.

Set not hym biſide þee, and ſitte he not at þi riȝt half, leſt turned he ſtonde in þi place; leſt perauenture turned in to þi place he inwardli ſeche þi chaiȝer, and in þe laſte þou knowe my wrdes, and in mi wrdis þou be prickid. Who ſhal lechen to þe enchauntere ſmyten of þe eddere, and to alle þat neȝhen to beſtes, and þat folewiþ wiþ þe wicke man, and is aboute wrappid in his ſynnes? Oon hour wiþ þee he ſhal abide ſtille; if forſoþe þou bowe doun, he ſhal not vnderbern. In his lippis þe enemy putteþ in ſwetneſſes, and in his herte he ſpieþ, þat he turne þee vp ſo doun in to þe dich. In þin eȝen þe enemy wepiþ; and if he ſhul fynde tyme, he ſhal not be fulfild wiþ blod.

If þer ſhul falle to þee eueles, þou ſhalt finde hym þere raþere, or former. In þin eȝen þe enemy ſhal wepen, and as helpende he ſhal vnderdelue þi plantes. His hed he ſhal moue, and flappe for ioȝe wiþ þe hond; and many þingus grucchendeli whiſtrende ſhal wiþ chaunge his chere.