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[1]The wordis of Lamuel, the king; the visioun bi which his modir tauyte hym.
[2]What my derlyng? what the derlyng of my wombe? what the derlyng of my desiris?
[3]Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
[4]A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.
[5]Lest perauenture thei drynke, and foryete domes, and chaunge the cause of the sones of a pore man.
[6]Yyue ye sidur to hem that morenen, and wyn to hem that ben of bitter soule.
[7]Drinke thei, and foryete thei her nedinesse; and thenke thei no more on her sorewe.
[8]Opene thi mouth for a doumb man,
[9]and opene thi mouth for the causes of alle sones that passen forth. Deme thou that that is iust, and deme thou a nedi man and a pore man.
[10]Who schal fynde a stronge womman? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis.
[11]The herte of hir hosebond tristith in hir; and sche schal not haue nede to spuylis.
[12]Sche schal yelde to hym good, and not yuel, in alle the daies of hir lijf.
[13]Sche souyte wolle and flex; and wrouyte bi the counsel of hir hondis.
[14]Sche is maad as the schip of a marchaunt, that berith his breed fro fer.
[15]And sche roos bi nyyt, and yaf prey to hir meyneals, and metis to hir handmaidis.
[16]Sche bihelde a feeld, and bouyte it; of the fruyt of hir hondis sche plauntide a vyner.
[17]Sche girde hir leendis with strengthe, and made strong hir arm.
[18]Sche taastide, and siy, that hir marchaundie was good; hir lanterne schal not be quenchid in the niyt.
[19]Sche putte hir hondis to stronge thingis, and hir fyngris token the spyndil.
[20]Sche openyde hir hond to a nedi man, and stretchide forth hir hondis to a pore man.
[21]Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis.
[22]Sche made to hir a ray cloth; bijs and purpur is the cloth of hir.
[23]Hir hosebonde is noble in the yatis, whanne he sittith with the senatours of erthe.
[24]Sche made lynnun cloth, and selde; and yaf a girdil to a Chananei.
[25]Strengthe and fairnesse is the clothing of hir; and sche schal leiye in the laste dai.
[26]Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge.
[27]Sche bihelde the pathis of hir hous; and sche eet not breed idili.
[28]Hir sones risiden, and prechiden hir moost blessid; hir hosebonde roos, and preiside hir.
[29]Many douytris gaderiden richessis; thou passidist alle.
[30]Fairnesse is disseiuable grace, and veyn; thilke womman, that dredith the Lord, schal be preisid.
[31]Yyue ye to hir of the fruyt of hir hondis; and hir werkis preise hir in the yatis.
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