Ecclesiastes · Chapter 26

[ edit] Bliſſid is þe man of a good womman; þe noumbre forſoþe of þe ȝeres of hym double. A ſtrong womman delytiþ hir man; and þe ȝeres of þe liyf of hym ſhe ſhal fulfille in pes. A good part a good womman; in good part of men dredende God, ſhe ſhal be ȝoue to a man for goode deedis. Of riche forſoþe and pore þe goode herte; in alle tyme þe chere of þem gladſum. Of þre þingus dradde myn herte, and in þe ferþe my face was aferd. Þe dyuyſeoun of þe cite, and þe gederyng togidere of þe puple, and leſing chaleng; vp on deþ alle þingus heuye. Sorewe of herte, and weiling, a ielous womman. In a ielous womman ſcourge of tunge, to alle comunende.

As a ȝok of oxen þat is moued, ſo and a ſhreude womman; who holdiþ hir, as he caȝte a ſcorpioun. A drunkelew womman gret wraþe and ſtrif; and þe filþeed of hir ſhal not be couered. Þe fornycacioun of a womman in þe hauncing out of eȝen; and in þe eȝelidis of hir ſhe ſhal be knowen. In a doȝtir not turnende awey hirſelf faſtne warde; leſt, ocaſioun founde, ſhe myſuſe hirſelf. Fro alle irreuerence of þe eȝen of hir waar; and ne wndre þou, if ſhe diſpiſe þee. As a weie goere at a welle þreſtende þe mouþ ſhal opene, and of alle next water ſhal drinke; and aȝen eche pale ſhal ſitte, and aȝen alle arewe ſhal opene quyuere, to þe tyme þat ſhe faile.

Þe grace of a biſi womman ſhal deliten hir man; and þe boenes of hym ſhe ſhal fatten. Þe diſcipline of hir is þe ȝifte of God. A wel felende womman and a ſtille is not þe chaunging of þe taȝt ſoule. Grace vpon grace an hoeli womman, and a ſhamefaſt. Eche forſoþe peiſing is not wrþi a contenent ſoule. As þe ſunne riſende in þe world in þe heȝeſt þingus of God, ſo þe fairneſſe of a good womman in to þe enournyng of hir hous. A ſhynende lanterne vpon an hoeli candilſticke, and þe fairneſſe of þe face vpon þe ſtable age. Goldene pileris vpon ſilueren feet, and faſt feet upon þe plauntes, or ſoulis, of a ſtable womman.

Euere laſtende foundemens vp on a ſad ſton, and þe maundemens of God in þe herte of an hoeli womman. In two þingus myn herte is maad ſorewful, and in þe þridde wraþing to me cam. A man fiȝtere failende bi myſeiſe, and a man wel felende diſpiſid. And þat ouergoþ fro riȝtwiſneſſe to ſynne, God greiþede hym to a two bitende ſwerd. Two ſpices harde and perilous to me ſemeden; hard is delyuered þe chaffarere fro his necgligence, and þe tauerner ſhal not be iuſtified fro ſynnes of lippis.