< Proverbs 16 >

1 It perteyneth to man to make redi the soule; and it perteyneth to the Lord to gouerne the tunge. 2 Alle the weies of men ben opyn to the iyen of God; the Lord is a weiere of spiritis. 3 Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid. 4 The Lord wrouyte alle thingis for hym silf; and he made redi a wickid man to the yuel dai. 5 Abhomynacioun of the Lord is ech proude man; yhe, thouy the hond is to the hond, he schal not be innocent. The bigynnyng of good weie is to do riytwisnesse; forsothe it is more acceptable at God, than to offre sacrifices. 6 Wickidnesse is ayen bouyt bi merci and treuthe; and me bowith awei fro yuel bi the drede of the Lord. 7 Whanne the weyes of man plesen the Lord, he schal conuerte, yhe, hise enemyes to pees. 8 Betere is a litil with riytfulnesse, than many fruytis with wickidnesse. 9 The herte of a man schal dispose his weie; but it perteyneth to the Lord to dresse hise steppis. 10 Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom. 11 The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world. 12 Thei that don wickidli ben abhomynable to the king; for the trone of the rewme is maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse. 13 The wille of kyngis is iust lippis; he that spekith riytful thingis, schal be dressid. 14 Indignacioun of the kyng is messangeris of deth; and a wijs man schal plese him. 15 Lijf is in the gladnesse of the `cheer of the king; and his merci is as a reyn comynge late. 16 Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer. 17 The path of iust men bowith awei yuelis; the kepere of his soule kepith his weie. 18 Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng. 19 It is betere to be maad meke with mylde men, than to departe spuylis with proude men. 20 A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid. 21 He that is wijs in herte, schal be clepid prudent; and he that is swete in speche, schal fynde grettere thingis. 22 The welle of lijf is the lernyng of him that weldith; the techyng of foolis is foli. 23 The herte of a wijs man schal teche his mouth; and schal encreesse grace to hise lippis. 24 Wordis wel set togidere is a coomb of hony; helthe of boonys is the swetnesse of soule. 25 A weye is that semeth riytful to a man; and the laste thingis therof leden to deth. 26 The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym. 27 An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis. 28 A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis. 29 A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good. 30 He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel. 31 A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse. 32 A pacient man is betere than a stronge man; and he that `is lord of his soule, is betere than an ouercomere of citees. 33 Lottis ben sent into the bosum; but tho ben temperid of the Lord.

< Proverbs 16 >