Ecclesiastes · Chapter 29

[ edit] Who doþ mercy, leeneþ to his neȝhebore; and he þat is more wrþ in hond, kepeþ þe heſtis. Leene to þi neȝhebore in tyme of his neede; and eft ȝeld to a neȝhebore in his tyme. Conferme a wrd, and feiþfulli do wiþ it; and in alle tyme þou ſhalt finde þat is needful to þee. Manye as finding eymeden vſure, and ȝeeuen gref to þem þat helpeden to þem. To þe time þat þei taken, þei kiſſen þe hondis of þe ȝyuere; and in beheſtis þei meken þer voys. And in tyme of ȝelding he ſhal aſke delaȝing, and he ſhal ſpeke wrdis of noyȝe, and of grucchingus, and þe tyme he ſhal pleten.

If forſoþe he ſhul moun ȝeelde, he ſhal be enemy; vnneþe of þe hoele he ſhal ȝelde þe half, and he ſhal counte it as finding. Ellys forſoþe he ſhal bigile hym his monee, and ſhal han hym enemy wilfully. And repreues and curſis he ſhal ȝelde to hym; and for wrſhipe and benefet he ſhal ȝelde to hym wrong. Manye, not bicauſe of ſhreudeneſſe, lenten not, but to be bigilid wilfulli, þei dradden. Neuer þe latere ouer þe meke in inwit be þou ſtrengere; and for almes deede drawe þou not hym. For þe heſte tac to þe pore; and for þe myſeiſe of hym ne lefe þou hym voide. Lees monee for broþir and frend, and hide þou not it vnder a ſton, in to perdicioun.

Put þi treſor in þe heſtes of þe heȝeſte; and it ſhal profite to þee more þan gold. Cloſe almes deede in þe boſum of þe pore; and þat for þee ſhal ful out preȝen fro alle euel. Þe almes deede of a man as a litil ſac wiþ hym; and þe grace of a man as þe eȝe appil it ſhal kepen. And afterward it ſhal aȝeen riſen, and ȝelde to þem ȝelding, to eche in to þe hed of hem. Ouer þe ſheld of þe myȝti, and ouer ſpere aȝen þin enemy it ſhal fiȝte. A good man makeþ feiþ to his neȝhebore; and he þat haþ loſt, confuſioun ſhal leue to hym. Þe grace of þe borȝ ne forgete þou; forſoþe he ȝaf for þee his ſoule. Þe ſynnere and þe vnclene þe aȝeen bihotere fleeþ.

Goode wrdis of þe aȝeen bihotere þe ſynnere wijteþ to hym; and þe vnkinde in þe wit forſakeþ þe delyuerende hym. A man aȝeen bihoteþ of his neȝhebore; and whan he haþ loſt reuerence, he ſhal be forſaken of hym. Moſt ſhreude aȝeen bihoting ſpilde manye loouende men, and togidere ſterede þem as þe flodis of þe ſe. Cumpaſende it made myȝti men to gon out; and wandreden in aliene folkis. Þe ſynnere ouer paſſende þe maundement of þe Lord ſhal fallen into ſhreude biheſte; and he þat forſeþ manye þingus to do, ſhall fallen in to dom. Recouere þi neȝhebore after þi vertue; and tac heed to þee, þat þou infalle not.

Þe bigynnyng of þe lif of man watir, and bred, and cloþing, and hous defendende filþehed. Betere is þe liflode of þe pore vnder þe roof of ſtoodes, þan plenteuous ſhynende metes in pilgrymaging wiþoute hous. Þe leſte þing for grete pleſe to þee; þe repref of pilgrimaging þou ſhalt not heren. A ſhreude lif, of herberewing fro hous in to hous; and wher he ſhal ben herberewid, he ſhal not feiþfulli don, ne openen þe mouþ. He ſhal herberewen, and feeden, and ȝyue drinke þe vnkinde; and to þeſe bittere þingus he ſhal heren. Go, geſt, and enourne þe bord; and þo þingis þat in þin hond þou haſt, feed oþer.

Go out fro þe face of wrſhipe of my frendis, for nede of myn hous; to herberewe to me, broþir þou art maad. Greuous þeſe þingus to a man hauende wit; vndernymyng of þe hous, and repref of þe leenere.