Proverbs 17
1 Better is a morsel with pleasure in peace, than a house [full] of many good things and unjust sacrifices, with strife.
Betere is a drie mussel with ioye, than an hous ful of sacrifices with chidyng.
2 A wise servant shall have rule over foolish masters, and shall divide portions among brethren.
A wijs seruaunt schal be lord of fonned sones; and he schal departe eritage among britheren.
3 As silver and gold are tried in a furnace, so are choice hearts with the Lord.
As siluer is preued bi fier, and gold is preued bi a chymnei, so the Lord preueth hertis.
4 A bad man hearkens to the tongue of transgressors: but a righteous man attends not to false lips.
An yuel man obeieth to a wickid tunge; and a fals man obeieth to false lippis.
5 He that laughs at the poor provokes him that made him; and he that rejoices at the destruction of another shall not be held guiltless: but he that has compassion shall find mercy.
He that dispisith a pore man, repreueth his maker; and he that is glad in the fallyng of another man, schal not be vnpunyschid.
6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and their fathers are the glory of children. The faithful has the whole world full of wealth; but the faithless not even a farthing.
The coroun of elde men is the sones of sones; and the glorie of sones is the fadris of hem.
7 Faithful lips will not suit a fool; nor lying lips a just man.
Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince.
8 Instruction is to them that use it a gracious reward; and whithersoever it may turn, it shall prosper.
A preciouse stoon moost acceptable is the abiding of hym that sekith; whidur euere he turneth hym silf, he vndurstondith prudentli.
9 He that conceals injuries seeks love; but he that hates to hide [them] separates friends and kindred.
He that helith trespas, sekith frenschipis; he that rehersith bi an hiy word, departith hem, that ben knyt togidere in pees.
10 A threat breaks down the heart of a wise man; but a fool, though scourged, understands not.
A blamyng profitith more at a prudent man, than an hundryd woundis at a fool.
11 Every bad man stirs up strifes: but the Lord will send out against him an unmerciful messenger.
Euere an yuel man sekith stryues; forsothe a cruel aungel schal be sent ayens hym.
12 Care may befall a man of understanding; but fools will meditate evils.
It spedith more to meete a femal bere, whanne the whelpis ben rauyschid, than a fool tristynge to hym silf in his foli.
13 Whoso rewards evil for good, evil shall not be removed from his house.
Yuel schal not go a wei fro the hous of hym, that yeldith yuels for goodis.
14 Rightful rule gives power to words; but sedition and strife precede poverty.
He that leeueth watir, is heed of stryues; and bifor that he suffrith wrong, he forsakith dom.
15 He that pronounces the unjust just, and the just unjust, is unclean and abominable with God.
Bothe he that iustifieth a wickid man, and he that condempneth a iust man, euer ethir is abhomynable at God.
16 Why has the fool wealth? for a senseless man will not be able to purchase wisdom. He that exalts his own house seeks ruin; and he that turns aside from instruction shall fall into mischief.
What profitith it to a fool to haue richessis, sithen he mai not bie wisdom? He that makith his hous hiy, sekith falling; and he that eschewith to lerne, schal falle in to yuels.
17 Have thou a friend for every time, and let brethren be useful in distress; for on this account are they born.
He that is a frend, loueth in al tyme; and a brother is preuyd in angwischis.
18 A foolish man applauds and rejoices over himself, [as he] also that becomes surety would make himself responsible for his own friends.
A fonned man schal make ioie with hondis, whanne he hath bihiyt for his frend.
19 A lover of sin rejoices in strifes;
He that bithenkith discordis, loueth chidingis; and he that enhaunsith his mouth, sekith fallyng.
20 and the hard-hearted man comes not in for good. A man of a changeful tongue will fall into mischiefs;
He that is of weiward herte, schal not fynde good; and he that turneth the tunge, schal falle in to yuel.
21 and the heart of a fool is grief to its possessor. A father rejoices not over an uninstructed son; but a wise son gladdens his mother.
A fool is borun in his schenschipe; but nether the fadir schal be glad in a fool.
22 A glad heart promotes health; but the bones of a sorrowful man dry up.
A ioiful soule makith likinge age; a sorewful spirit makith drie boonys.
23 The ways of a man who unjustly receives gifts in [his] bosom do not prosper; and an ungodly man perverts the ways of righteousness.
A wickid man takith yiftis fro the bosum, to mys turne the pathis of doom.
24 The countenance of a wise man is sensible; but the eyes of a fool [go] to the ends of the earth.
Wisdom schyneth in the face of a prudent man; the iyen of foolis ben in the endis of erthe.
25 A foolish son [is a cause of] anger to his father, and grief to her that bore him.
A fonned sone is the ire of the fadir, and the sorewe of the modir that gendride hym.
26 [It is] not right to punish a righteous man, nor [is it] holy to plot against righteous princes.
It is not good to brynge in harm to a iust man; nether to smyte the prince that demeth riytfuli.
27 He that forbears to utter a hard word is discreet, and a patient man is wise.
He that mesurith his wordis, is wijs and prudent; and a lerud man is of preciouse spirit.
28 Wisdom shall be imputed to a fool who asks after wisdom: and he who holds his peace shall seem to be sensible.
Also a foole, if he is stille, schal be gessid a wijs man; and, if he pressith togidre hise lippis, he `schal be gessid an vndurstondynge man.
