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

CAP. XX.

[verse 1] Wiyn is a letcherouse thing [wyn is le|cherouse thing; that is, makith lecherie; wher|for Jerom seith, a wombe brennynge of wyn, spueth out soone in to leccherie. Wherfor Loth, bi the drynk|ing of wyn, dide leccherie with hise douȝ|tris, in xix. c^o. of Gen. delitith in these; that is, drunknesse and leccherie. wiys; for euer either deuour|ith resoun, and causith dul|nesse. C.] , and drunkenesse is ful of noise; who euere delitith in these, schal not be wijs. [verse 2] As the roryng of a lioun, so and the drede of the [a I.] kyng; he that territh hym to ire, synneth aȝens his owne lijf [soule I.] . [verse 3] It is onour to a man that departith hym silf fro stryuyngis; but fonned men ben medlid with dispisyngis. [verse 4] A slow man nolde [wolde not I.] ere for coold; therfor he schal begge in somer, and me schal not ȝyue to hym. [verse 5] As deep watir, so counsel is in the herte

of a man; but a wijs man [a wise man; that is, a dili|gent disciple. schal drawe it out; in axinge of him dili|gently and warly. Lire here. C.] schal drawe it out. [verse 6] Many men ben clepid merciful; but who schal fynde a feithful man? [verse 7] Forsothe a iust man that goith in his simplenesse, schal leeue blessid sones aftir hym. [verse 8] A king that sittith in the seete of doom, distrieth al yuel bi his lokyng. [verse 9] Who may seie, Myn herte is clene; Y am clene of synne? [verse 10] A weiȝte [a weiȝte; grettere in bi|ynge, and a weiȝte lesse in silling; and so of a mesure. abhomynable; for it is thefte, colourid by the colour of riȝt|fulnesse; wher|for Jerom seith feyned hooly|nesse ether equyte, is double wickid|nesse. sleep; vnmesurable bi slouthe. opene thyn iȝen; that is, be thou wakir, and diligent in thi werkis. C.] and a weiȝte, a me|sure and a mesure, euer eithir is abhomy|nable at God. [verse 11] A child is vndurstondun bi hise studies, yf his werkis ben riȝtful and cleene. [verse 12] An eere heringe, and an iȝe se|ynge, God made euere eithir. [verse 13] Nyle thou loue sleep, lest nedynesse oppresse thee; opene thin iȝen, and be thou fillid with looues. [verse 14] Ech biere seith, It is yuel, it is yuel; and whanne he hath go awey, thanne he schal haue glorie. [verse 15] Gold, and the multitude of iemmes, and a preciouse vessel, ben the lippis of kunnyng. [verse 16] Take thou awei the cloth of hym, that was borewe of an othere man; and for straun|geris take thou awei a wed fro hym. [verse 17] The breed of a leesing [the breed of leesing; that is, getun bi a leesing. to a man; liere. with rikenyng; bi bittirnesse of penaunce, for he seeth that he dide yuel. bi gouernayls; that is, pru|dence, coun|cel, and expe|rience, and not oneli bi bodily strengthe; therfor at Ro|mayns, that maden al the world soiet to hem silf bi batels, a knyȝt, were he neuere so strong, if he hadde not wis|dom, he was seid a knyȝt with outen iȝen. Lire here. C.] is sweet to a man; and aftirward his mouth schal be fillid with rikenyng. [verse 18] Thouȝtis ben maad strong bi counselis; and bateils schulen be tretid bi gouernals. [verse 19] Be thou not medlid with him that schewith pryuetees [schewith priuytees; that is, coun|cels bitakun to his feithful|nesse. gilefully; schewinge fren|schipe, whanne he is an enemy priueli. alargith hise lippis; that is, bihetith grete thingis, and fillith litle ethir nouȝt. hastith; bi coueitise to gete it vnduly. wante bless|ing; for the grettere schal suffre peyne aftir deth, and comynly his eir schal not re|ioysche it at the ende. Lire here. C.] , and goith gylefulli, and alargith hise lippis. [verse 20] The liȝt of hym that cursith his fadir and mo|dir, schal be quenchid in the myddis of derknessis. [verse 21] Eritage to which me haastith in the bigynnyng, schal wante blessing in the laste tyme. [verse 22] Seie thou not, Y schal ȝelde yuel for yuel; abide thou the Lord, and he schal delyuere thee. [verse 23] Abhomyna|cioun at [anentis I.] God is weiȝte and weiȝte; a gile|ful balaunce is not good. [verse 24] The steppis of man [a man I.] ben dressid of the Lord; who for|sothe of men mai vndurstonde his weie? [verse 25] Falling of man is to make auow to seyntis, and aftirward to withdrawe the [tho C.] vowis. [verse 26] A wijs kyng scaterith wickid men; and

bowith a bouwe of victorie [a victorie a.] [that is, a stoon bouwe. K.] ouer hem. [verse 27] The lanterne [The lanterne; for kindly liȝt of resoun is sum preenting of Goddis liȝt. of the wombe; that is, herte. Lire here. C.] of the Lord is the spirit of man, that sekith out alle the priuetees of the wombe. [verse 28] Merci and treuthe [Mercy and treuthe; for merci without riȝtfulnesse, is cowardise, and riȝtfulnesse with out merci, is cruelte, for tho distrien a king and rewme. Lire here. C.] kepen a kyng; and his trone is maad strong bi mekenesse. [verse 29] The ful out ioiyng of ȝonge men is the strengthe of hem; and the dignyte of elde men is hoornesse [horenesse; that is, the eld|nesse and sad|nesse of wittis, with hoornesse of the heed. The wannesse of wounde; causith distri|yng of rych|essis in yuele werkis. Lire here. C.] . [verse 30] The wannesse of wounde schal wipe aweie yuels, and woundis in the priuyere thingis of the wombe.