Proverbs 31
1 The words of Lemuel, king of Massa: the teaching which he had from his mother.
The wordis of Lamuel, the king; the visioun bi which his modir tauyte hym.
2 What am I to say to you, O Lemuel, my oldest son? and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my oaths?
What my derlyng? what the derlyng of my wombe? what the derlyng of my desiris?
3 Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.
Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to take wine, or for rulers to say, Where is strong drink?
A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.
5 For fear that through drinking they may come to have no respect for the law, wrongly judging the cause of those who are in trouble.
Lest perauenture thei drynke, and foryete domes, and chaunge the cause of the sones of a pore man.
6 Give strong drink to him who is near to destruction, and wine to him whose soul is bitter:
Yyue ye sidur to hem that morenen, and wyn to hem that ben of bitter soule.
7 Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone.
Drinke thei, and foryete thei her nedinesse; and thenke thei no more on her sorewe.
8 Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death.
Opene thi mouth for a doumb man,
9 Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need.
and opene thi mouth for the causes of alle sones that passen forth. Deme thou that that is iust, and deme thou a nedi man and a pore man.
10 Who may make discovery of a woman of virtue? For her price is much higher than jewels.
Who schal fynde a stronge womman? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis.
11 The heart of her husband has faith in her, and he will have profit in full measure.
The herte of hir hosebond tristith in hir; and sche schal not haue nede to spuylis.
12 She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Sche schal yelde to hym good, and not yuel, in alle the daies of hir lijf.
13 She gets wool and linen, working at the business of her hands.
Sche souyte wolle and flex; and wrouyte bi the counsel of hir hondis.
14 She is like the trading-ships, getting food from far away.
Sche is maad as the schip of a marchaunt, that berith his breed fro fer.
15 She gets up while it is still night, and gives meat to her family, and their food to her servant-girls.
And sche roos bi nyyt, and yaf prey to hir meyneals, and metis to hir handmaidis.
16 After looking at a field with care, she gets it for a price, planting a vine-garden with the profit of her work.
Sche bihelde a feeld, and bouyte it; of the fruyt of hir hondis sche plauntide a vyner.
17 She puts a band of strength round her, and makes her arms strong.
Sche girde hir leendis with strengthe, and made strong hir arm.
18 She sees that her marketing is of profit to her: her light does not go out by night.
Sche taastide, and siy, that hir marchaundie was good; hir lanterne schal not be quenchid in the niyt.
19 She puts her hands to the cloth-working rod, and her fingers take the wheel.
Sche putte hir hondis to stronge thingis, and hir fyngris token the spyndil.
20 Her hands are stretched out to the poor; yes, she is open-handed to those who are in need.
Sche openyde hir hond to a nedi man, and stretchide forth hir hondis to a pore man.
21 She has no fear of the snow for her family, for all those in her house are clothed in red.
Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis.
22 She makes for herself cushions of needlework; her clothing is fair linen and purple.
Sche made to hir a ray cloth; bijs and purpur is the cloth of hir.
23 Her husband is a man of note in the public place, when he takes his seat among the responsible men of the land.
Hir hosebonde is noble in the yatis, whanne he sittith with the senatours of erthe.
24 She makes linen robes and gets a price for them, and traders take her cloth bands for a price.
Sche made lynnun cloth, and selde; and yaf a girdil to a Chananei.
25 Strength and self-respect are her clothing; she is facing the future with a smile.
Strengthe and fairnesse is the clothing of hir; and sche schal leiye in the laste dai.
26 Her mouth is open to give out wisdom, and the law of mercy is on her tongue.
Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge.
27 She gives attention to the ways of her family, she does not take her food without working for it.
Sche bihelde the pathis of hir hous; and sche eet not breed idili.
28 Her children get up and give her honour, and her husband gives her praise, saying,
Hir sones risiden, and prechiden hir moost blessid; hir hosebonde roos, and preiside hir.
29 Unnumbered women have done well, but you are better than all of them.
Many douytris gaderiden richessis; thou passidist alle.
30 Fair looks are a deceit, and a beautiful form is of no value; but a woman who has the fear of the Lord is to be praised.
Fairnesse is disseiuable grace, and veyn; thilke womman, that dredith the Lord, schal be preisid.
31 Give her credit for what her hands have made: let her be praised by her works in the public place.
Yyue ye to hir of the fruyt of hir hondis; and hir werkis preise hir in the yatis.
