Ecclesiastes · Chapter 27

[ edit] For myſeiſte manye treſpaſeden; and he þat ſecheþ to be maad riche, turneþ awei his eȝe. As in þe myddel of a ioynyng of ſtones a paele, or a ſtake, ficchid is, ſo bitwen þe myddel of biyng and ſilling he ſhall ben anguyſht wiþ ſynnes. He ſhal ben to-treden wiþ giltende gilte. If not in þe drede of þe Lord þou ſhul holde þee biſili, anoon ſhal ben turned vpſodoun þin hous. As in þe ſmyting of a cyue ſhal abide ſtille pouder, ſo þe poreneſſe of a man in þe þenking of hym. Þe veſſelis of þe krockere preueþ þe furneis; and riȝtwis men temptacioun of tribulacioun. As þe erþe werching of a tree ſhewiþ þe frute of hym, ſo a wrd of þenking þe herte of a man.

Biforn a wrd ne preiſe þou a man; þat forſoþe tempting is of men. If þou folewe riȝtwiſneſſe, þou ſhalt taken it; and þou ſhalt cloþen it as an aube of wrſhipe, and þou ſhalt dwelle wiþ it, and it ſhal defende þee in to euer mor, and in þe dai of knouleching þou ſhalt finde faſtnyng. Foules to þe lic to þem comen togidere; and treuþe to þem þat werchen it ſhal turne aȝeen. A leoun to hunting waitiþ euermor; ſo ſynnes to men werchende wickidneſſe. An hoeli man in wiſdam woneþ, as þe ſunne; for þe fool as þe moone is chaungid. In þe myddel of mys felende men kep a wrd to tyme; in þe myddel forſoþe of men þenkende þe lawe of God be þou beſi.

Þe telling of ſynneres hateſum; and þe laȝhing of þem in þe giltis of ſynne. Þe myche ſwering ſpeche ſhal ſette ſtonding of heer, for fer, to þe hed; and þe irreuerence of it is ſtopping of eres. Sheding out of blod in iangling of proude men; and þe curſing of þem greuous heering. Who nakeneþ priuytes, leeſeþ þe feiþ of a frend; and he findeþ not a frend to his inwit. Looue a neȝhebore, and be þou ioyned in feiþ wiþ hym. Þat if þou ſhul nakene þe hidde þingus of hym, þou ſchalt not purſue aftir hym. As a man forſoþe þat leeſeþ his frend, ſo þat leeſeþ þe frenſhipe of his neȝhebore. And as he þat leteþ a brid out of his hond, ſo þou þat haſt forſake þi neȝhebore, and þou ſhalt not taken hym.

Þou ſhalt not folewe hym, for ferr he is awei; forſoþe he fleyȝ out as a capret fro þe grene, for woundid is þe ſoule of hym. Þou ſhalt not moun mor ouer hym binde togidere; but of þe curſid is acording togidere. To nakenen forſoþe þe priuytes of a frend, is þe diſpeiring of þe vnfeiþful ſoule. Þe twynclere wiþ þe eȝe forgeþ wicke þingus; and no man hym ſhal caſten awei. In þe ſiȝte of þin eȝen he ſhal defoule þi mouþ, and vp on þi wrdus he ſhal wndre; at þe laſte he ſhal peruerte his mouþ, and in þi wrdis he ſhal ȝyue ſclaundre. Manye þingus I haue herd, and I haue not euened to hym; and þe Lord ſhal hate hym.

Who in to heiȝ ſendeþ a ſton, vp his hed it ſhal falle; and þe wounde of þe treccherous ſhal deuyde woundis. And þat delueþ a dich, ſhal falle in to it; and þat ſetteþ a ſton to a neȝhebore, ſhal ſtumble in it; and þat ſetteþ a grene to anoþer, ſhal perſhe in it. To þe doynge moſt wicke counſeil, vpon hym it ſhal be turned aȝeen; and he ſhal not knowe whennes it ſhal come to hym. Illuſioun, or ſcorne, and repref of proude men and veniaunce as a leoun ſchal aſpie to hym. In a grene þei ſhul perſhen, þat deliten þe falling of riȝtwis men; ſorewe forſoþe ſhal waſte þem, er þei dien. Wraþe and wodneſſe, eiþer ben wariable; and þe man ſynnere, wiþholdere ſhal be of þem.