Proverbiorum 31
1 Verba Lamuelis regis. Visio, qua erudivit eum mater sua.
The wordis of Lamuel, the king; the visioun bi which his modir tauyte hym.
2 Quid dilecte mi, quid dilecte uteri mei, quid dilecte votorum meorum?
What my derlyng? what the derlyng of my wombe? what the derlyng of my desiris?
3 Ne dederis mulieribus substantiam tuam, et divitias tuas ad delendos reges.
Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
4 Noli regibus, o Lamuel, noli regibus dare vinum: quia nullum secretum est ubi regnat ebrietas.
A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.
5 Et ne forte bibant, et obliviscantur iudiciorum, et mutent causam filiorum pauperis.
Lest perauenture thei drynke, and foryete domes, and chaunge the cause of the sones of a pore man.
6 Date siceram mœrentibus, et vinum his, qui amaro sunt animo:
Yyue ye sidur to hem that morenen, and wyn to hem that ben of bitter soule.
7 bibant, et obliviscantur egestatis suæ, et doloris sui non recordentur amplius.
Drinke thei, and foryete thei her nedinesse; and thenke thei no more on her sorewe.
8 Aperi os tuum muto, et causis omnium filiorum qui pertranseunt:
Opene thi mouth for a doumb man,
9 aperi os tuum, decerne quod iustum est, et iudica inopem et pauperem.
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 Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? procul, et de ultimis finibus pretium eius.
Who schal fynde a stronge womman? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis.
11 Confidit in ea cor viri sui, et spoliis non indigebit.
The herte of hir hosebond tristith in hir; and sche schal not haue nede to spuylis.
12 Reddet ei bonum, et non malum, omnibus diebus vitæ suæ.
Sche schal yelde to hym good, and not yuel, in alle the daies of hir lijf.
13 Quæsivit lanam et linum, et operata est consilia manuum suarum.
Sche souyte wolle and flex; and wrouyte bi the counsel of hir hondis.
14 Facta est quasi navis institoris, de longe portans panem suum.
Sche is maad as the schip of a marchaunt, that berith his breed fro fer.
15 Et de nocte surrexit, deditque prædam domesticis suis, et cibaria ancillis suis.
And sche roos bi nyyt, and yaf prey to hir meyneals, and metis to hir handmaidis.
16 Consideravit agrum, et emit eum: de fructu manuum suarum plantavit vineam.
Sche bihelde a feeld, and bouyte it; of the fruyt of hir hondis sche plauntide a vyner.
17 Accinxit fortitudine lumbos suos, et roboravit brachium suum.
Sche girde hir leendis with strengthe, and made strong hir arm.
18 Gustavit, et vidit quia bona est negotiatio eius: non extinguetur in nocte lucerna eius.
Sche taastide, and siy, that hir marchaundie was good; hir lanterne schal not be quenchid in the niyt.
19 Manum suam misit ad fortia, et digiti eius apprehenderunt fusum.
Sche putte hir hondis to stronge thingis, and hir fyngris token the spyndil.
20 Manum suam aperuit inopi, et palmas suas extendit ad pauperem.
Sche openyde hir hond to a nedi man, and stretchide forth hir hondis to a pore man.
21 Non timebit domui suæ a frigoribus nivis: omnes enim domestici eius vestiti sunt duplicibus.
Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis.
22 Stragulatam vestem fecit sibi: byssus, et purpura indumentum eius.
Sche made to hir a ray cloth; bijs and purpur is the cloth of hir.
23 Nobilis in portis vir eius, quando sederit cum senatoribus terræ.
Hir hosebonde is noble in the yatis, whanne he sittith with the senatours of erthe.
24 Sindonem fecit, et vendidit, et cingulum tradidit Chananæo.
Sche made lynnun cloth, and selde; and yaf a girdil to a Chananei.
25 Fortitudo et decor indumentum eius, et ridebit in die novissimo.
Strengthe and fairnesse is the clothing of hir; and sche schal leiye in the laste dai.
26 Os suum aperuit sapientiæ, et lex clementiæ in lingua eius.
Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge.
27 Consideravit semitas domus suæ, et panem otiosa non comedit.
Sche bihelde the pathis of hir hous; and sche eet not breed idili.
28 Surrexerunt filii eius, et beatissimam prædicaverunt: vir eius, et laudavit eam.
Hir sones risiden, and prechiden hir moost blessid; hir hosebonde roos, and preiside hir.
29 Multæ filiæ congregaverunt divitias: tu supergressa es universas.
Many douytris gaderiden richessis; thou passidist alle.
30 Fallax gratia, et vana est pulchritudo: mulier timens Dominum ipsa laudabitur.
Fairnesse is disseiuable grace, and veyn; thilke womman, that dredith the Lord, schal be preisid.
31 Date ei de fructu manuum suarum: et laudent eam in portis opera eius.
Yyue ye to hir of the fruyt of hir hondis; and hir werkis preise hir in the yatis.
