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[1] Wisdom bildide an hous to him silf; he hewide out seuene pileris,
[2] he offride his slayn sacrifices, he medlide wijn, and settide forth his table.
[3] He sente hise handmaides, that thei schulden clepe to the tour; and to the wallis of the citee.
[4] If ony man is litil; come he to me. And wisdom spak to vnwise men,
[5] Come ye, ete ye my breed; and drynke ye the wiyn, which Y haue medlid to you.
[6] Forsake ye yong childhed, and lyue ye; and go ye bi the weyes of prudence.
[7] He that techith a scornere, doith wrong to him silf; and he that vndirnymmeth a wickid man, gendrith a wem to him silf.
[8] Nile thou vndirnyme a scornere; lest he hate thee. Vndirnyme thou a wise man; and he schal loue thee.
[9] Yyue thou occasioun to a wise man; and wisdom schal be encreessid to hym. Teche thou a iust man; and he schal haste to take.
[10] The bigynnyng of wisdom is the dreed of the Lord; and prudence is the kunnyng of seyntis.
[11] For thi daies schulen be multiplied bi me; and yeeris of lijf schulen be encreessid to thee.
[12] If thou art wijs; thou schalt be to thi silf, and to thi neiyboris. Forsothe if thou art a scornere; thou aloone schalt bere yuel.
[13] A fonned womman, and ful of cry, and ful of vnleueful lustis, and that kan no thing outirli,
[14] sittith in the doris of hir hous, on a seete, in an hiy place of the cite;
[15] to clepe men passinge bi the weie, and men goynge in her iournei.
[16] Who is a litil man `of wit; bowe he to me. And sche spak to a coward,
[17] Watris of thefte ben swettere, and breed hid is swettere.
[18] And wiste not that giauntis ben there; and the gestis `of hir ben in the depthis of helle. Sotheli he that schal be applied, ether fastned, to hir; schal go doun to hellis. For whi he that goith awei fro hir; schal be saued.
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