Proverbs 17
1 Better [is] a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of 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 a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of 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 the LORD trieth the hearts.
As siluer is preued bi fier, and gold is preued bi a chymnei, so the Lord preueth hertis.
4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; [and] a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
An yuel man obeieth to a wickid tunge; and a fals man obeieth to false lippis.
5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: [and] he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
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 fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
Wordis wel set togidere bisemen not a fool; and a liynge lippe bicometh not a prince.
8 A gift [is as] a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: 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 a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter 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 into a wise man than an 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: therefore 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 strife [is as] when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
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 just, even they both [are] abomination to the LORD.
Bothe he that iustifieth a wickid man, and he that condempneth a iust man, euer ethir is abhomynable at God.
16 Wherefore [is there] a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he hath] no heart [to it]?
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 A 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 man void of understanding striketh hands, [and] becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
A fonned man schal make ioie with hondis, whanne he hath bihiyt for his frend.
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: [and] he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
He that bithenkith discordis, loueth chidingis; and he that enhaunsith his mouth, sekith fallyng.
20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
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 fool hath no joy.
A fool is borun in his schenschipe; but nether the fadir schal be glad in a fool.
22 A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth 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 ways 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 bare him.
A fonned sone is the ire of the fadir, and the sorewe of the modir that gendride hym.
26 Also to punish the just [is] not good, [nor] to strike princes for equity.
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 an excellent 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 counted wise: [and] he that shutteth his lips [is esteemed] a man of understanding.
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.
