Ecclesiastes · Chapter 22

[ edit] In a cleȝy ſton ſhal ben ſtoned þe ſlowe; and alle ſhuln ſpeke of þe grete diſpiſing of hym. Of þe drit of oxen ſtoned is þe ſlowe; and eche þat toucheþ hym, ſhal ſhaken out hondes. Þe confuſioun of þe fader is of þe vndiſciplyned ſone; forſoþe a fool doȝtir in gret mynuſhing ſhal be. A prudent doȝtir eritage to hir huſbonde; for ſhe þat confoundiþ, in repref is mad of þe getere. Þe fader and man ſhe fool hardi confoundeþ, and of þe vnpitous man ſhe ſhal not be laſſid; of eiþer forſoþe ſhe ſhal be vnwrſhipid. Melodie in weiling vnkouenable telling; ſcourges and doctrine in alle tyme wiſdam. Who techeþ a fool, as þat glueþ togidere a ſherd.

He þat telleþ a wrd to þe not herende, as þat rereþ a ſlepende man fro an heuy ſlep. Wiþ þe ſlepende he ſpekeþ, þat telleþ to þe fool wiſdam; and in þe ende of þe telling he ſhal ſey, Who is þis? Ouer þe deade weepe þou, forſoþe þe liȝt of hym failede; and ouer þe fool weepe þou, forſoþe he failede wit. A litil weep vp on þe deade, for he reſtede. Forſoþe of þe moſt wicke moſt wicke lif, on þe deþ of a fool. Þe weiling of þe deade ſeuene daȝes; of þe fooll forſoþe and of þe vnpitous alle þe daȝes of þe lif of hem. Wiþ a fool ne ſpeke þou myche, and wiþ a mys felende go þou not awey. Kep þee fro hym, þat þou haue not greef; and þou ſhalt not ben defoulid in þe ſynne of hym.

Boowe awei fro hym, and þou ſhalt finde reſte; and þou ſhalt not be maad ſorewi ſloȝ in þe folie of hym. Ouer leed what ſhal ben heuy? and what oþir name to hym þan a fool? Liȝtere is to bern grauel, and ſalt, and a gobet of iren, þan an inprudent man, and a fool, and vnpitous. As ioynyng of tres, bounde togidere to þe foundement of þe bilding, ſhal not ben vnlooſid, ſo and þe herte faſtned togidere in þe þenking of counſeil. Þe þenking of þe wel felende in alle tyme, or drede, ſhal not be beſhrewid. As chaf in heȝe þingus, and morter wiþoute due coſt, ſett aȝen þe face of þe wynd, ſhul not abide; ſo and þe dredeful herte in þe þenking of a fool aȝen þe bure of drede aȝen ſtont not.

As grauely enournyng in a briȝt wal, ſo and þe tremblende herte in þe þenking of a fool, alle time he ſhal not dreden; ſo and þat in þe heſtis of God abit ſtille euermor. Þe prickende þe eȝe leteþ out teres; and þat prickeþ þe herte, bringeþ forþ wit. Þrowende a ſton in to foules, ſchal þrowe hem doun; ſo and þat putteþ reprof to a frend, looſeþ frenſhipe. To þe frend and if þou bringe forþ a ſwerd, þou ſhalt not diſpeiren; þer is forſoþe aȝeengoyng to a frend. If he ſhul opene a drery mouþ, ne drede þou; þer is forſoþe acording, out take putting to of vice, and diſpit, and pride, and openyng of priuyte, and treccherous veniaunce; in alle þeſe þingus ſhal flee awei a frend.

Feiþ welde þou wiþ a frend in þe poreneſſe of hym, þat and in þe goodis of hym þou glade. In tyme of tribulacioun of hym abid ſtille to hym feiþful, þat and in þe eritage of hym þou be togidere eir. Biforn fir of þe chymnee, moiſte iſſue, and þe ſmoke of fyr, is enhauncid; ſo and befor blod curſis, and wrongis, and þretes. A frend to ſaluten I ſhal not be confoundid, and fro þe face of hym I ſhal not hiden me; and if eueles ſchulen comen to me bi hym, I ſhal ſuffre. Eche þat ſhal heren, ſhal ſhonen hymſelf fro hym. Who ſhal ȝyue to my mouþ warde, and vpon my lippis a certeyn marke, þat I falle not fro þem, and my tunge leeſe me?