|
[1] Flies `that dien, leesen the swetnesse of oynement. Litil foli at a tyme is preciousere than wisdom and glorie.
[2] The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side.
[3] But also a fool goynge in the weie, whanne he is vnwijs, gessith alle men foolis.
[4] If the spirit of hym, that hath power, stieth on thee, forsake thou not thi place; for heeling schal make gretteste synnes to ceesse.
[5] An yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne, and goith out as bi errour fro the face of the prince; a fool set in hiy dignyte,
[6] and riche men sitte bynethe.
[7] I siy seruauntis on horsis, and princes as seruauntis goynge on the erthe.
[8] He that diggith a diche, schal falle in to it; and an eddre schal bite hym, that distrieth an hegge.
[9] He that berith ouer stoonys, schal be turmentid in tho; and he that kittith trees, schal be woundid of tho.
[10] If yrun is foldid ayen, and this is not as bifore, but is maad blunt, it schal be maad scharp with myche trauel; and wisdom schal sue aftir bisynesse.
[11] If a serpent bitith, it bitith in silence; he that bacbitith priueli, hath no thing lesse than it.
[12] The wordis of the mouth of a wijs man is grace; and the lippis of an vnwijs man schulen caste hym doun.
[13] The bigynnyng of hise wordis is foli; and the laste thing of his mouth is the worste errour.
[14] A fool multiplieth wordis; a man noot, what was bifore hym, and who mai schewe to hym that, that schal come aftir hym?
[15] The trauel of foolis shal turment hem, that kunnen not go in to the citee.
[16] Lond, wo to thee, whos kyng is a child, and whose princes eten eerli.
[17] Blessid is the lond, whos kyng is noble; and whose princis eten in her tyme, to susteyne the kynde, and not to waste.
[18] Betere is wisdom than armuris of batel; and he that synneth in o thing, schal leese many goodis.
[19] In leiyyng thei disposen breed and wyn, that thei drynkynge ete largeli; and alle thingis obeien to monei.
[20] In thi thouyt bacbite thou not the kyng, and in the priuete of thi bed, curse thou not a riche man; for the briddis of heuene schulen bere thi vois, and he that hath pennys, schal telle the sentence.
|