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

CAP. XXI.

[verse 1] As departyngis of watris, so the herte of the kyng is in the power of the Lord; whidur euer he wole, he schal bowe it. [verse 2] Ech weye of a man semeth riȝtful to hym silf; but the Lord peisith the hertis. To do merci and doom [mercy and doom; that is, the werkis of merci doon to nedi men, and the werkis of riȝtfulnesse doon to men oppressid, plese more God than doen sacrefices; for Crist in his membris hath nede to these werkis, as he seith in XXV. c^o. of Math. is synne; that is, thei kunnen dresse her vn|derstonding to synne, and not to good, as Jeremye seith in iiii. c^o. strong man; that is, bi strengthe of soule and of bodi. Lire here. C.] , plesith more the [verse 3] Lord, than sacrifices doen [Om. I.] . [verse 4] Enhaunsyng of iȝen is alargyng of the herte; the lan|terne of wickid men is synne. [verse 5] The thouȝtis of a stronge man ben euere in abundaunce; but ech slow man is euere in nedynesse. [verse 6] He that gaderith tresours bi the tunge of a leesing [leesing makere I.] [tunge of leesing; as flatereris of riche men and false avocatis doen. veyn; that is, voide of vertu. and with outen herte; for he suffrith defaute of good herte. to the snaris of deth; of synne, and of helle. hem doun; to helle. nolden do doom; that is, lyue iustli with the neiȝbore. Lire here. C.] , is veyne, and with outen herte; and he schal be hurtlid [hurlid I.] to the snaris of deth. [verse 7] The raueyns of vnpitouse men schulen drawe hem doun; for thei nolden [wolden not I.] do doom. [verse 8] The weiward weie of a man is alien fro God; but the werk of hym that is cleene [cleene of synne C sec. m.] , is riȝtful. [verse 9] It is betere to sitte in the corner of an hous with oute roof, than with a womman ful of chydyng, and in a comyn hous. [verse 10] The soule of an vnpitouse man desirith yuel; he schal not haue merci on his neiȝbore. [verse 11] Whanne a man ful of pestilence is punyschid, a litil man of wit schal be the wisere; and if he sueth a wijs man, he schal take kunnyng. [verse 12] A iust man of the hous of a wickid man thenkith, to withdrawe wickid men fro yuel. [verse 13] He that stoppith his eere at the cry of a pore man, schal crye also, and [and he I.] schal not be herd. [verse 14] A ȝift hid quenchith

chidyngis; and a ȝift in bosum quenchith the [Om. I.] moost indignacioun. [verse 15] It is ioye to a iust man to make doom [iust doom I.] [to make doom; that is, to parforme riȝtfulnesse. drede; for thei dreden euere to be takun ther|ynne, therfor ben dredeful comynly. of doctryn; that is, good doctryn. Lire here. C.] ; and it is drede to hem that worchen wickidnesse. [verse 16] A man that errith fro the weie of doctryn, schal dwelle in the cumpany of giauntis [giauntis; that is, of men yuele rulid, ether of fendis. C.] . [verse 17] He that loueth metis [metis; that is, vnmesurably. Lire here. CKNa.] , schal be in nedynesse; he that loueth wiyn and fatte thingis, schal not be maad riche. [verse 18] An vnpitouse man schal be ȝouun for [to I.] a iust man [for a iust man; that is, for the yuel of peyne doon to a iust man, an vnpitouse man, that dide that yuel, schal be ȝouun to grettere peyne. Lire here. C.] ; and a wickid man schal be ȝouun for a riȝtful man. [verse 19] It is betere to dwelle in a desert lond, than with a womman ful of chidyng, and wrathful. [verse 20] Desirable [Desiderable Ca.] tresoure and oile is in the dwelling places [place A sec. m. I.] of a iust man; and an vnprudent man schal distrie it. [verse 21] He that sueth riȝtfulnesse and mercy, schal fynde lijf and glorie. [verse 22] A wijs man stiede `in to [vnto I.] the citee of stronge men, and di|striede the strengthe of trist therof. [verse 23] He that kepith his mouth and his tunge, kepith his soule from angwischis. [verse 24] A proude man and boosteere is clepid a fool, that worchith pride in ire. [verse 25] Desiris sleen a slow man; for hise hondis nolden [wolden not I.] worche ony thing. [verse 26] Al dai he coueitith and de|sirith; but he that is a iust man, schal ȝyue, and [and he I.] schal not ceesse. [verse 27] The offringis of wickid men, that ben offrid of greet trespas [of greet tres|passe; that is, of raueyn, ether of thefte. Lire here. C.] , ben abhomynable. [verse 28] A fals wit|nesse schal perische; a man obedient schal speke victorie [victorie; for he makith the lowere myȝtis soiet to resoun, and this is the moste victorie. amendith his weye; that is, of litle defautis whiche he doith in this liyf, thouȝ he be ful iust. Lire here. C.] . [verse 29] A wickid man makith sad his cheer vnschamefastli; but he that is riȝtful, amendith his weie. [verse 30] No wis|dom is [ther is I.] , no prudence is [ther is I.] , no counsel is [ther is I.] aȝens the Lord. [verse 31] An hors is maad redi to the dai of batel; but the Lord schal ȝyue helthe.