Wycliffe's English Translation (1388)
Wycliffe
Translated from the Latin in the 14th century
[1]It perteyneth to man to make redi the soule; and it perteyneth to the Lord to gouerne the tunge. [2]Alle the weies of men ben opyn to the iyen of God; the Lord is a weiere of spiritis. [3]Schewe thi werkys to the Lord; and thi thouytis schulen be dressid. [4]The Lord wrouyte alle thingis for hym silf; and he made redi a wickid man to the yuel dai. [5]Abhomynacioun of the Lord is ech proude man; yhe, thouy the hond is to the hond, he schal not be innocent. The bigynnyng of good weie is to do riytwisnesse; forsothe it is more acceptable at God, than to offre sacrifices. [6]Wickidnesse is ayen bouyt bi merci and treuthe; and me bowith awei fro yuel bi the drede of the Lord. [7]Whanne the weyes of man plesen the Lord, he schal conuerte, yhe, hise enemyes to pees. [8]Betere is a litil with riytfulnesse, than many fruytis with wickidnesse. [9]The herte of a man schal dispose his weie; but it perteyneth to the Lord to dresse hise steppis. [10]Dyuynyng is in the lippis of a king; his mouth schal not erre in doom. [11]The domes of the Lord ben weiyte and a balaunce; and hise werkis ben alle the stoonys of the world. [12]Thei that don wickidli ben abhomynable to the king; for the trone of the rewme is maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse. [13]The wille of kyngis is iust lippis; he that spekith riytful thingis, schal be dressid. [14]Indignacioun of the kyng is messangeris of deth; and a wijs man schal plese him. [15]Lijf is in the gladnesse of the `cheer of the king; and his merci is as a reyn comynge late. [16]Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer. [17]The path of iust men bowith awei yuelis; the kepere of his soule kepith his weie. [18]Pride goith bifore sorewe; and the spirit schal be enhaunsid byfor fallyng. [19]It is betere to be maad meke with mylde men, than to departe spuylis with proude men. [20]A lerned man in word schal fynde goodis; and he that hopith in the Lord is blessid. [21]He that is wijs in herte, schal be clepid prudent; and he that is swete in speche, schal fynde grettere thingis. [22]The welle of lijf is the lernyng of him that weldith; the techyng of foolis is foli. [23]The herte of a wijs man schal teche his mouth; and schal encreesse grace to hise lippis. [24]Wordis wel set togidere is a coomb of hony; helthe of boonys is the swetnesse of soule. [25]A weye is that semeth riytful to a man; and the laste thingis therof leden to deth. [26]The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym. [27]An vnwijs man diggith yuel; and fier brenneth in hise lippis. [28]A weiward man reisith stryues; and a man ful of wordis departith princis. [29]A wickid man flaterith his frend; and ledith hym bi a weie not good. [30]He that thenkith schrewid thingis with iyen astonyed, bitith hise lippis, and parformeth yuel. [31]A coroun of dignyte is eelde, that schal be foundun in the weies of riytfulnesse. [32]A pacient man is betere than a stronge man; and he that `is lord of his soule, is betere than an ouercomere of citees. [33]Lottis ben sent into the bosum; but tho ben temperid of the Lord.
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Author: John Wycliffe (1328 – 1384)
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