sorewe. [verse 8] Opene thi mouth [Opene thi mouth, etc.; that is, alegge thou riȝtful|nesse, for him that kan not plete in his cause. Lire here. C.] for a doumb [verse 9] man, and opene thi mouth for the causes of alle sones that passen forth [that passen forth; that is, of straungeris goinge thorou the lond. Lire here. C.] . Deme thou that that is iust, and deme thou a nedi man [deme thou a nedi man, etc.; that is, do thou execucioun of riȝtfulnesse, for nedi men and pore, that han a iust cause. Lire here. C.] and a pore man. [verse 10] Who schal fynde a stronge womman [a strong womman; Cris|ten doctours expownen co|mynly this let|tre, til to the ende, of hooly chirche, which bi figuratif speche, is seid a strong wom|man; hir hose|bonde is Crist, hir sones and douȝtris ben Cristen men and wymmen; and this is the literal vndur|stonding, as thei seyen; and this exposicioun is resonable, and set opinly in the comyn glos. But Rabi Salomon seith, that bi a strong womman is vn|durstondun hooli Scripture; the hosebonde of this wom|man, is a stu|diouse techere in hooly Scrip|ture, bothe men and wymmen; for in Jeroms tyme summe wymmen weren ful studiouse in hooly Scripture. Lire here. C.] ? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis. [verse 11] The herte of hir hosebond tristith in hir; and sche [he I.] schal not haue nede to spuylis [robries I.] . [verse 12] Sche schal ȝelde to hym good, and not yuel, in alle the daies of hir lijf. [verse 13] Sche souȝte wolle and flex; and wrouȝte bi the coun|sel of hir hondis. [verse 14] Sche is maad as the schip of a marchaunt, that berith his breed fro fer. [verse 15] And sche roos bi nyȝt, and ȝaf prey [ȝaf prey, etc.; in Ebreu it is, liyflode. Lire here. C.] to hir meyneals, and metis to hir handmaidis [handmaidens I.] . [verse 16] Sche bihelde a feeld, and bouȝte it; of the fruyt of hir hondis sche plauntide a vyner. [verse 17] Sche girde [girdide I.] hir leendis with strengthe, and made strong hir arm. [verse 18] Sche taastide, and siȝ [sauȝ I passim.] , that hir marchaundie was good; hir lanterne schal not be quenchid in the niȝt. [verse 19] Sche putte hir hondis to stronge thingis [to stronge thingis; in Ebreu it is, to the wherne; and the lettre suynge acord|ith wel herto. Lire here. C.] , and hir fyngris token the spyndil. [verse 20] Sche openyde hir hond to a [the I.] nedi man, and stretchide forth hir hondis to a pore man. [verse 21] Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis. [verse 22] Sche made to hir a ray cloth; bijs [bijs, ether whiyt silk CEFGHKMNPQRUXYa.] and purpur is the cloth of hir. [verse 23] Hir hosebonde is noble in the ȝatis, whanne he sittith with the senatours of erthe. [verse 24] Sche made lynnun [a lynun C.] cloth, and selde [solde it I.] ; and ȝaf a girdil to a Chananei [to a Cananey; Ebreys seyen, to a marchaunt; and this acordith more to the lettre biforgoinge. Lire here. C.] . [verse 25] Strengthe and fairnesse is the [in the E.] clothing of hir; and sche schal leiȝe in the laste dai. [verse 26] Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge. [verse 27] Sche bihelde the pathis of hir hous; and sche eet not breed idili. [verse 28] Hir sones risiden [risen E. resen up I.] , and prechiden hir moost blessid; hir [verse 29] hosebonde roos, and preiside hir. Many douȝtris gaderiden richessis; thou pass|idist
