Proverbs 18
1 Whoever has a will to withdraw from a friend, seeks occasions; he shall be reproached at all times.
He that wole go a wei fro a frend, sekith occasiouns; in al tyme he schal be dispisable.
2 The foolish do not accept words of prudence, unless you say what is already turning in his heart.
A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; `no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
3 The impious, when he has arrived within the depths of sin, thinks little of it. But ill repute and disgrace follow him.
A wickid man, whanne he cometh in to depthe of synnes, dispisith; but sclaundre and schenschipe sueth hym.
4 Words from the mouth of a man are deep waters. And the fountain of wisdom is a torrent overflowing.
Deep watir is the wordis of the mouth of a man; and a stronde fletinge ouer is the welle of wisdom.
5 It is not good to accept the character of the impious, so as to turn away from true judgment.
It is not good to take the persoone of a wickid man in doom, that thou bowe awei fro the treuthe of dom.
6 The lips of the foolish meddle in disputes. And his mouth provokes conflicts.
The lippis of a fool medlen hem silf with chidyngis; and his mouth excitith stryues.
7 The mouth of the foolish is his destruction, and his own lips are the ruin of his soul.
The mouth of a fool is defoulyng of hym; and hise lippis ben the fallynge of his soule.
8 The words of the double-tongued seem simple. And they reach even to the interior of the gut. Fear casts down the lazy, but the souls of the effeminate shall go hungry.
The wordis of a double tungid man ben as symple; and tho comen `til to the ynnere thingis of the wombe. Drede castith doun a slowe man; forsothe the soulis of men turned in to wymmens condicioun schulen haue hungur.
9 Whoever is dissolute and slack in his work is the brother of him who wastes his own works.
He that is neisch, and vnstidfast in his werk, is the brother of a man distriynge hise werkis.
10 The name of the Lord is a very strong tower. The just one rushes to it, and he shall be exalted.
A strongeste tour is the name of the Lord; a iust man renneth to hym, and schal be enhaunsid.
11 The substance of the wealthy is the city of his strength, and it is like a strong wall encircling him.
The catel of a riche man is the citee of his strengthe; and as a stronge wal cumpassinge hym.
12 The heart of a man is exalted before it is crushed and humbled before it is glorified.
The herte of man is enhaunsid, bifor that it be brokun; and it is maad meke, bifore that it be glorified.
13 Whoever responds before he listens, demonstrates himself to be foolish and deserving of confusion.
He that answerith bifore that he herith, shewith hym silf to be a fool; and worthi of schenschipe.
14 The spirit of a man sustains his weakness. Yet who can sustain a spirit that is easily angered?
The spirit of a man susteyneth his feblenesse; but who may susteyne a spirit liyt to be wrooth?
15 A prudent heart shall possess knowledge. And the ear of the wise seeks doctrine.
The herte of a prudent man schal holde stidfastli kunnyng; and the eere of wise men sekith techyng.
16 A man’s gift expands his way and makes space for him before leaders.
The yift of a man alargith his weie; and makith space to hym bifore princes.
17 The just is the first accuser of himself; his friend arrives and shall investigate him.
A iust man is the first accusere of hym silf; his frend cometh, and schal serche hym.
18 Casting a lot suppresses contentions and passes judgment, even among the powerful.
Lot ceessith ayenseiyngis; and demeth also among miyti men.
19 A brother who is helped by a brother is like a reinforced city, and judgments are like the bars of cities.
A brother that is helpid of a brothir, is as a stidfast citee; and domes ben as the barris of citees.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth shall his belly be filled. And the harvest of his own lips shall satisfy him.
A mannus wombe schal be fillid of the fruit of his mouth; and the seedis of hise lippis schulen fille hym.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Whoever values it shall eat from its fruits.
Deth and lijf ben in the werkis of tunge; thei that louen it, schulen ete the fruytis therof.
22 He who has found a good wife has found goodness, and he shall draw contentment from the Lord. He who expels a good wife expels goodness. But he who holds on to an adulteress is foolish and impious.
He that fyndith a good womman, fyndith a good thing; and of the Lord he schal drawe vp myrthe. He that puttith a wey a good womman, puttith awei a good thing; but he that holdith auowtresse, is a fool and vnwijs.
23 The poor will speak with supplications. And the rich will express themselves roughly.
A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli.
24 A man amiable to society shall be more friendly than a brother.
A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a brothir.
