|
[1] Mi sone, if thou resseyuest my wordis, `and hidist myn heestis anentis thee;
[2] that thin eere here wisdom, bowe thin herte to knowe prudence.
[3] For if thou inwardli clepist wisdom, and bowist thin herte to prudence;
[4] if thou sekist it as money, and diggist it out as tresours;
[5] thanne thou schalt vndirstonde the drede of the Lord, and schalt fynde the kunnyng of God.
[6] For the Lord yyueth wisdom; and prudence and kunnyng is of his mouth.
[7] He schal kepe the heelthe of riytful men, and he schal defende hem that goen sympli.
[8] And he schal kepe the pathis of riytfulnesse, and he schal kepe the weies of hooli men.
[9] Thanne thou schalt vndirstonde riytfulnesse, and dom, and equytee, and ech good path.
[10] If wysdom entrith in to thin herte, and kunnyng plesith thi soule,
[11] good councel schal kepe thee, and prudence schal kepe thee; that thou be delyuered fro an yuel weie,
[12] and fro a man that spekith weiward thingis.
[13] Whiche forsaken a riytful weie, and goen bi derk weies;
[14] whiche ben glad, whanne thei han do yuel, and maken ful out ioye in worste thingis;
[15] whose weies ben weywerd, and her goyingis ben of yuel fame.
[16] That thou be delyuered fro an alien womman, and fro a straunge womman, that makith soft hir wordis;
[17] and forsakith the duyk of hir tyme of mariage,
[18] and hath foryete the couenaunt of hir God. For the hous of hir is bowid to deeth, and hir pathis to helle.
[19] Alle that entren to hir, schulen not turne ayen, nether schulen catche the pathis of lijf.
[20] That thou go in a good weie, and kepe the pathis of iust men.
[21] Forsothe thei that ben riytful, schulen dwelle in the lond; and symple men schulen perfitli dwelle ther ynne.
[22] But vnfeithful men schulen be lost fro the loond; and thei that doen wickidli, schulen be takun awey fro it.
|