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[1]Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,
[2]Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?
[3]And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?
[4]He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.
[5]A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.
[6]The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.
[7]No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.
[8]Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
[9]Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?
[10]In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.
[11]Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?
[12]Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.
[13]Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.
[14]If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.
[15]If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.
[16]Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.
[17]And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
[18]He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
[19]He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;
[20]and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.
[21]He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.
[22]Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.
[23]Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.
[24]Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.
[25]Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.
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