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