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[1] Wiyn is a letcherouse thing and drunkenesse is ful of noise; who euere delitith in these, schal not be wijs.
[2] As the roryng of a lioun, so and the drede of the kyng; he that territh hym to ire, synneth ayens his owne lijf.
[3] It is onour to a man that departith hym silf fro stryuyngis; but fonned men ben medlid with dispisyngis.
[4] A slow man nolde ere for coold; therfor he schal begge in somer, and me schal not yyue to hym.
[5] As deep watir, so counsel is in the herte of a man; but a wijs man schal drawe it out.
[6] Many men ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful man?
[7] Forsothe a iust man that goith in his simplenesse, schal leeue blessid sones aftir hym.
[8] A king that sittith in the seete of doom, distrieth al yuel bi his lokyng.
[9] Who may seie, Myn herte is clene; Y am clene of synne?
[10] A weiyte and a weiyte, a mesure and a mesure, euer eithir is abhomynable at God.
[11] A child is vndurstondun bi hise studies, yf his werkis ben riytful and cleene.
[12] An eere heringe, and an iye seynge, God made euere eithir.
[13] Nyle thou loue sleep, lest nedynesse oppresse thee; opene thin iyen, and be thou fillid with looues.
[14] Ech biere seith, It is yuel, it is yuel; and whanne he hath go awey, thanne he schal haue glorie.
[15] Gold, and the multitude of iemmes, and a preciouse vessel, ben the lippis of kunnyng.
[16] Take thou awei the cloth of hym, that was borewe of an othere man; and for straungeris take thou awei a wed fro hym.
[17] The breed of a leesing is sweet to a man; and aftirward his mouth schal be fillid with rikenyng.
[18] Thouytis ben maad strong bi counselis; and bateils schulen be tretid bi gouernals.
[19] Be thou not medlid with him that schewith pryuetees, and goith gylefulli, and alargith hise lippis.
[20] The liyt of hym that cursith his fadir and modir, schal be quenchid in the myddis of derknessis.
[21] Eritage to which me haastith in the bigynnyng, schal wante blessing in the laste tyme.
[22] Seie thou not, Y schal yelde yuel for yuel; abide thou the Lord, and he schal delyuere thee.
[23] Abhomynacioun at God is weiyte and weiyte; a gileful balaunce is not good.
[24] The steppis of man ben dressid of the Lord; who forsothe of men mai vndurstonde his weie?
[25] Falling of man is to make auow to seyntis, and aftirward to withdrawe the vowis.
[26] A wijs kyng scaterith wickid men; and bowith a bouwe of victorie ouer hem.
[27] The lanterne of the Lord is the spirit of man, that sekith out alle the priuetees of the wombe.
[28] Merci and treuthe kepen a kyng; and his trone is maad strong bi mekenesse.
[29] The ful out ioiyng of yonge men is the strengthe of hem; and the dignyte of elde men is hoornesse.
[30] The wannesse of wounde schal wipe aweie yuels, and woundis in the priuyere thingis of the wombe.
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