Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of feasting [with] strife.
Betere is a drie mussel with ioye, than an hous ful of sacrifices with chidyng.
2 A wise servant shall rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.
A wijs seruaunt schal be lord of fonned sones; and he schal departe eritage among britheren.
3 The fining-pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but Jehovah trieth the hearts.
As siluer is preued bi fier, and gold is preued bi a chymnei, so the Lord preueth hertis.
4 The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips; the liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
An yuel man obeieth to a wickid tunge; and a fals man obeieth to false lippis.
5 Whoso mocketh a poor [man] reproacheth his Maker; he that is glad at calamity shall not be held innocent.
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 the glory of children are their fathers.
The coroun of elde men is the sones of sones; and the glorie of sones is the fadris of hem.
7 Excellent speech becometh not a vile [man]; how much less do lying lips a noble!
Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince.
8 A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of the possessor: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.
A preciouse stoon moost acceptable is the abiding of hym that sekith; whidur euere he turneth hym silf, he vndurstondith prudentli.
9 He that covereth transgression seeketh love; but he that bringeth a matter up again separateth very friends.
He that helith trespas, sekith frenschipis; he that rehersith bi an hiy word, departith hem, that ben knyt togidere in pees.
10 A reproof entereth more deeply into him that hath understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool.
A blamyng profitith more at a prudent man, than an hundryd woundis at a fool.
11 An evil [man] seeketh only rebellion; but a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
Euere an yuel man sekith stryues; forsothe a cruel aungel schal be sent ayens hym.
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a fool in his folly.
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 rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
Yuel schal not go a wei fro the hous of hym, that yeldith yuels for goodis.
14 The beginning of contention is [as] when one letteth out water; therefore leave off strife before it become vehement.
He that leeueth watir, is heed of stryues; and bifor that he suffrith wrong, he forsakith dom.
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are abomination to Jehovah.
Bothe he that iustifieth a wickid man, and he that condempneth a iust man, euer ethir is abhomynable at God.
16 To what purpose is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he] hath no sense?
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 The friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
He that is a frend, loueth in al tyme; and a brother is preuyd in angwischis.
18 A senseless man striketh hands, becoming surety for his neighbour.
A fonned man schal make ioie with hondis, whanne he hath bihiyt for his frend.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth a quarrel; he that maketh high his gate seeketh destruction.
He that bithenkith discordis, loueth chidingis; and he that enhaunsith his mouth, sekith fallyng.
20 He that hath a perverse heart findeth no good; and he that shifteth about with his tongue falleth into evil.
He that is of weiward herte, schal not fynde good; and he that turneth the tunge, schal falle in to yuel.
21 He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow, and the father of a vile [man] hath no joy.
A fool is borun in his schenschipe; but nether the fadir schal be glad in a fool.
22 A joyful heart promoteth healing; but a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
A ioiful soule makith likinge age; a sorewful spirit makith drie boonys.
23 A wicked [man] taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of judgment.
A wickid man takith yiftis fro the bosum, to mys turne the pathis of doom.
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in 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 grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
A fonned sone is the ire of the fadir, and the sorewe of the modir that gendride hym.
26 To punish a righteous [man] is not good, nor to strike nobles because of [their] uprightness.
It is not good to brynge in harm to a iust man; nether to smyte the prince that demeth riytfuli.
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words; and a man of understanding is of a cool spirit.
He that mesurith his wordis, is wijs and prudent; and a lerud man is of preciouse spirit.
28 Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is reckoned wise, [and] he that shutteth his lips, intelligent.
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.
