Ecclesiastes · Chapter 20

[ edit] Hou good is to vndernymyn, þan to wraþen, and to not forbeden þe knoulechere in oriſoun. Þe luſt of þe gelding deflourede þe ȝunge womman, or birefte hir meydenhed, ſo he þat doþ bi fors wicke dom. Hou good is, þe chaſtiſid to ſchewe penaunce; ſo forſoþe þou ſhalt fleen awei wilful ſynne. Þer is a ſtille man, þat is found wis; and þer is an hateful, þat is gredy to ſpeken. Þer is forſoþe a ſtille man, not hauende wit of ſpeche; and þer is a ſtille man, witende tyme of couenable tyme. A wys man ſhal be ſtille vnto tyme; þe reccheles forſoþe and þe vnprudent ſhul not kepe time. Who vſeþ manye wrdis, hurteþ his ſoule; and who takeþ to hym power wrongfulli, ſhal ben hatid.

Þer is goyng forþ in euelis to a man vndiſciplyned; and þer is finding in to harm. Þer is ȝouen þing, þat is not profitable; and þer is ȝoue þing, whos ȝelding is double. Þer is laſſing for glorie; and þer is, þat fro mecneſſe ſhal rere þe hed. Þere is, þat manye þingis aȝeen bie for litil pris, and reſtorende þem in to ſeuen fold. A wys man in wrdis makeþ hym ſelf loouable; þe graces forſoþe of foolis ſhul ben held out. Þe ȝifte of þe vnwiſe ſhall not be profitable to þee; þe eȝen forſoþe of hym ben ſeuennfold. Fewe þingus he ſhal ȝyue, and many þingus he ſhal vpbreiden; and þe openyng of þe mouþ of hym is enflaumyng.

To day leeneþ a man, and to moru he aſkeþ it bi ple; and hateful is ſuch a maner man. To a fool ſhal not ben a frend, and þer ſhal not be grace to þe goodis of hym. Who forſoþe eten þe bred of hym, ben of fals tunge; hou ofte ſiþes and hou fele ſhul þei ſcorne hym? Ne forſoþe þat were to ben had, wiþ euene riȝt wit he delede; lic maner and þat, þat were not to ben had. Þe ſlidyng of þe falſe tunge as he þat is falling in þe pament; ſo þe fallingus of euele men haſtili ſhal come. An vnkinde man as a veyn fable; and it ſhal be ofte in þe mouþ of þe vndiſciplyned. Of þe mouþ of þe fool ſhal ben repreued a parable; forſoþe he ſeiþ it not in his tyme.

Þer is, þat is forbedun for myſeiſete to ſynnen; and in his reſte ſhal be prickid. And þer is, þat ſhal leeſe hys ſoule for confuſioun; and of vnprudence of perſone he ſhal leeſen it. Forſoþe bi excepcioun of perſone he ſhal leeſe hymſelf. Þer is, þat for confuſioun bihotiþ to a frend; and haþ woonnen hym an enemy wilfully. Wicke repref in a man a leſyng; and in þe mouþ of þe vndiſciplyned it ſhal be beſily. Betere is a þef þan þe beſyneſſe of a man liere; forſoþe boþe ſhuln eritagen perdicioun. Maneres of men lieres wiþoute wrſhipe; and þe confuſioun of hem wiþ þem wiþoute ceſing. A wys man in wrdis ſhal bringe forþ hymſelf; and a prudent man ſhal pleſen to grete men.

Who wercheþ his lond, ſhal myche heȝen þe hep of frutes; and who wercheþ riȝtwiſneſſe, he ſhal myche ben enhauncid. Who forſoþe pleſeþ to grete men, ſhal fleen awei, or aſcape, wickidneſſe. Preſentes and ȝiftes ful out blenden þe eȝen of domyſmen; and as a doumb in þe mouþ he turneþ awei þe chaſtiſingus of hem. Hid wiſdam, and treſor vnſeen, what profit in eiþir? Betere is, þat hiliþ his vnwiſdam, þan a man þat hidiþ his wiſdam.