The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. IX.

[verse 1] Wisdom [Wisdom, etc.; that is, Goddis Sone, vnmaad, with out bigyn|nyng and ende. an hous; that is, holy chirche, which he bild|ide bi word and ensaumple in manhed takun. vii. pileris; that is, vii. ȝiftis of the Hooly Goost, ether ordeynede vii. sacramentis, bi whiche al the chirche is borun up. slayn sacri|fices; that is, himsilf in the cros, which is seid sacrifices, for it conteyn|eth the vertu of ech other sacrifice; and the memorial of this sacrifice, is the sacra|ment of the auter. medlid wyn; that is, ȝaf to vs his blood which is sacrid in wyn med|dlid with water. handmaydis; that is, apostlis and othere meke dissiplis. to the wallis, etc.; that is, to the feith of Crist, and to tho thingis that ben annexid to the articlis of the feith. litil; that is, meke. my breed; that is, my bodi ȝouun vndur the licnesse of breed. and wyn; that is, my blood vndur the spice of wyn, wher|ynne water is medlid; bi eld tyme cristen men comyn|eden in euer either spice, but it is ordeyned for perel of scheding out of the blood, that it is ȝouun to lewid men vndur the spice of breed onely. ȝong childhed; that is, vnpro|fitable and veyn thingis. lyue ȝe, in grace. of pru|dence; that is, of comaunde|mentis and councelis of God. Lire here. C.] bildide an hous to him silf; [verse 2] he hewide out seuene pileris, he offride his slayn sacrifices, he medlide wijn, and settide forth his table. [verse 3] He sente hise hand|maides [handmaidens I.] , that thei schulden clepe to the tour; and to the wallis of the citee. [verse 4] If ony man is litil [litil, that is, meek. Lire here. KNa.] ; come he to me. And wisdom [verse 5] spak to vnwise men, Come ȝe, ete ȝe my breed; and drynke ȝe [Om. I.] the wiyn, which [that I.] Y haue medlid to ȝou. [verse 6] Forsake ȝe ȝong childhed, and lyue ȝe; and go ȝe bi the weyes [wey I.] of prudence. [verse 7] He that techith a scornere [a scornere, etc.; for he stirith the scornere to do wrong to him. Lire here. C.] , doith wrong to him silf; and he that vndirnymmeth a wickid man, gen|drith a wem to him silf. [verse 8] Nile thou vndir|nyme a scornere; lest he hate thee. Vndir|nyme thou a wise man; and he schal loue thee. [verse 9] Ȝyue thou occasioun to a wise man; and wisdom schal be encreessid to hym. Teche thou a iust man; and he schal haste to take [take it I.] . [verse 10] The bigynnyng of wisdom is the [Om. I.] dreed of the Lord; and prudence is the kunnyng of seyntis. [verse 11] For [Forsothe I.] thi daies

schulen be multiplied bi me; and ȝeeris of lijf schulen be encreessid to thee. [verse 12] If thou art wijs; thou schalt be [be wijs I.] to thi silf [to thisilf; that is, to do good to thi silf principaly, and aftirward to othere men. a fonnyd wom|man; that is, fals and veyn teching. ful of cry; for it hath not no but wordis. vnleueful lustis; for not onely it graunt|ith, but also bringith to siche lustis. kan no thing; for so litil of truthe is there, that it is aret|tid as nouȝt. in the doris, and so forth; for siche doc|tryne is tauȝt sumtyme bi autorite. bi the weye; that is, bi the brode weye of vicis. in her iourney; that is, suyng the fersnesse of her coueitise. a coward; that is, to him that sueth lustis. of thefte; that is, fals doctryn. breed hid, etc.; the herere of fals doctryne. geauntis, that is, of endis. in the depthis of helle; that is, they that ben tauȝt and fillid bi sich doctryne goen doun to the peyne of helle, with fendis that disseyuen hem. Lire here. C.] , and to thi neiȝboris. Forsothe if thou art a scornere; thou [forsothe thou I.] aloone schalt bere yuel. [verse 13] A fonned womman, and ful of cry, and ful of vnleueful lustis, and that kan no [verse 14] thing outirli, sittith in the doris of hir hous, on a seete, in [on CX.] an hiȝ place of the [verse 15] cite; to clepe men passinge bi the weie, and men goynge in her iournei. [verse 16] Who is a litil man `of wit [in wit I. of wit. Lire here. N text.] ; bowe he to me. And [verse 17] sche spak to a coward, Watris of thefte ben swettere, and breed hid is swettere [esier to ete I.] . [verse 18] And wiste [I wiste; I, the heerere of fals doctrin wiste. Lire here. N text.] not that giauntis ben there; and the gestis [gistis A. felawis I.] `of hir [therof plures.] ben in the depthis of helle. Sotheli he that schal be applied, ether fastned, to hir [it plures.] ; schal go doun to hellis. For whi he that goith awei fro hir [it plures.] ; schal be saued.