Wycliffe's English Translation (1388)
Wycliffe
Translated from the Latin in the 14th century
[1]A wickid man fleeth, whanne no man pursueth; but a iust man as a lioun tristynge schal be with out ferdfulnesse. [2]For the synnes of the lond ben many princis therof; and for the wisdom of a man, and for the kunnyng of these thingis that ben seid, the lijf of the duyk schal be lengere. [3]A pore man falsli calengynge pore men, is lijk a grete reyn, wherynne hungur is maad redi. [4]Thei that forsaken the lawe, preisen a wickid man; thei that kepen `the lawe, ben kyndlid ayens hym. [5]Wickid men thenken not doom; but thei that seken the Lord, perseyuen alle thingis. [6]Betere is a pore man goynge in his sympilnesse, than a riche man in schrewid weies. [7]He that kepith the lawe, is a wijs sone; but he that fedith glotouns, schendith his fadir. [8]He that gaderith togidere richessis bi vsuris, and fre encrees, gaderith tho togidere ayens pore men. [9]His preyer schal be maad cursid, that bowith awei his eere; that he here not the lawe. [10]He that disseyueth iust men in an yuel weye, schal falle in his perisching; and iuste men schulen welde hise goodis. [11]A ryche man semeth wijs to him silf; but a pore man prudent schal serche him. [12]In enhaunsing of iust men is miche glorie; whanne wickid men regnen, fallyngis of men ben. [13]He that hidith hise grete trespassis, schal not be maad riytful; but he that knoulechith and forsakith tho, schal gete merci. [14]Blessid is the man, which is euere dredeful; but he that is `harde of soule, schal falle in to yuel. [15]A rorynge lioun, and an hungry bere, is a wickid prince on a pore puple. [16]A duyk nedi of prudence schal oppresse many men bi fals chalenge; but the daies of hym that hatith aueryce, schulen be maad longe. [17]No man susteyneth a man that falsly chalengith the blood of a man, if he fleeth `til to the lake. [18]He that goith simpli, schal be saaf; he that goith bi weiward weies, schal falle doun onys. [19]He that worchith his lond, schal be fillid with looues; he that sueth ydelnesse, schal be fillid with nedynesse. [20]A feithful man schal be preisid myche; but he that hastith to be maad riche, schal not be innocent. [21]He that knowith a face in doom, doith not wel; this man forsakith treuthe, yhe, for a mussel of breed. [22]A man that hastith to be maad riche, and hath enuye to othere men; woot not that nedinesse schal come on hym. [23]He that repreueth a man, schal fynde grace aftirward at hym; more than he that disseyueth bi flateryngis of tunge. [24]He that withdrawith ony thing fro his fadir and fro his modir, and seith that this is no synne, is parcener of a manquellere. [25]He that auauntith hym silf, and alargith, reisith stryues; but he that hopith in the Lord, schal be sauyd. [26]He that tristith in his herte, is a fool; but he that goith wiseli, [27]schal be preysid. He that yyueth to a pore man, schal not be nedi; he that dispisith `a pore man bisechynge, schal suffre nedynesse. [28]Whanne vnpitouse men risen, men schulen be hid; whanne tho `vnpitouse men han perischid, iust men schulen be multiplied.
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Author: John Wycliffe (1328 – 1384)
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