CAP. XXXIV.
[verse 1] Veyn hope and a leesyng to an vnwijs man; and dremes enhaunsen vnprudent men. [verse 2] As he that takith*. [takith a A pr. m.] schadewe, and pursueth wynd, so and he that takith heede*. [takith hede, etc.; in veyn dremys. what schal be clensid, etc.; as if he seye, no thing, but it schal be defoulid more. of a liere; as if he seye, no thing; for if the deuel seith trewe thingis sumtyme, this is for to desseyue more aftirward, and so that truthe may be seid a leesing bi the ende. Lire here. C.] to leesyngis seyn. [verse 3] Vpe this thing is the siȝt of dremes; bifore the face of a man is the licnesse of another man. [verse 4] What schal be clensid of him that is vnclene, and what trewe thing schal be seid of*. [to C.] a liere? [verse 5] Fals dyuynyng of errour, and fals dyuynyngis bi chiteryng of briddis, and dremes of witchis, is vanyte. [verse 6] And as Page 189the herte of a womman trauelynge of child, thin herte suffrith fantasies; no but visitacioun is sent out of the hiȝeste, ȝyue thou not thin herte in tho dremes. [verse 7] For whi dremes han maad many men for to erre, and men hopynge in tho fellen doun. [verse 8] The word of the lawe `of God and of hise profetis*. [Om. I.], schal be maad per|fit with out leesyng; and wisdom in the mouth of a feithful man*. [wisdom in the mouth of a feithful man, etc.; that is, wisdom con|teyned in hooly scripture schal be tauȝt pleynly in the mouth of a feithful techere, for he kan opene and declare the hid thingis of hooly scrip|turis. Lire here. C.] schal be maad pleyn. [verse 9] What kan he, that is not asaied? A man asaied in many thingis*. [A man asay|ed in many thingis; that is, excercisid ether trauelid in many scrip|turis. thenke many thingis, for bi o place of scripture he declarith an|other place more hid. lernede many thingis; bi ocupacioun of studie. schal telle out; the veri vndirstond|ing of scrip|ture. He that is not asaied; in scripturis. knowith fewe thingis; for he may fynde fewe thingis bi him silf, wherfor thei that dey|nen not to se the seiyngis of othere men, ben foundun voide of truthe. he that is a fool in many thingis; in appliynge his vndurstond|ing to many thingis veyn and curiouse. schal multiplie malice; for ofte he makith fals doctryn. Summe bokis han, he that is maad rennynge aboute in many thingis, to knowe many thingis, and vndirstondith not sufficiently in ony o thing, schal multiplie, etc. Lire here. C.], schal thenke many thingis; and he that lernyde many thingis, schal telle out vndirstond|yng. [verse 10] He that is not asaied, knowith fewe thingis; forsothe he that is a fool in many thingis, schal multiplie malice. [verse 11] What maner thingis kan he, that is not asaied? He that is not plauntid*. [He that is not plauntid; that is, hath not set roote of vndurstonding and desir in good. plenteuouse, etc.; multipliynge vices. Lire here. C.], schal be plenteuouse in wickidnesse. [verse 12] I siȝ many thingis in tellyng out, and ful many cus|toms of wordis. [verse 13] Sum tyme Y was in perel `til to*. [vnto I.] deth, for the cause of these thingis; and Y was delyuered bi the grace of God. [verse 14] The spirit of hem that dreden God is souȝt, and schal be blessid in the biholding of hym. [verse 15] For whi the hope of hem is in to God sauynge hem; and the iȝen of the Lord ben in to hem, that louen hym. [verse 16] He that dredith God, schal not tremble for ony thing, and he*. [Om. C.] schal not drede; for whi God is his hope. [verse 17] The soule of hym that dredith the Lord, is blessid. [verse 18] To whom biholdith he*. [To whom biholdith he; as if he seide, God is he, to whom he dressith his entent and of whom he hath myȝti defending. Lire here. C.], and who is his strengthe? [verse 19] The iȝen of the Lord ben on hem that dreden hym. God is a defendere of myȝt, stidfastnesse of vertu, hilyng of heete, and a schadewyng [verse 20] place of myddai; bisechyng of offendyng*. [bisechinge of offending; that is, heringe biseching for offensis. Lire here. C.], and help of fallyng, enhaunsynge the soule, and liȝtnynge the iȝen, and ȝyuynge heelthe, and lijf, and blessyng. [verse 21] The of|fryng Page 190 of hym that offrith of wickid thing*. [offrith of wickid thing; that is, of thing getun vniustly. the scorn|yngis, etc.; that is, her offringe of an other mannus thing, bi whiche thei scornen God, that ow|ith to be onour|id of a mannus owne good, in iij. co. of Pro|uerbis. Lire here. C.], is defoulid; and the scornyngis of vniust men ben not wel plesaunt. [verse 22] The Lord aloone*. [The Lord aloone, etc.; that is, thei that stonden, in the weye of truthe and of riȝtfulnesse, han onely veri God for God, and he accept|ith the ȝiftis of hem. Rauen|ours and auer|ouse men han gold and rich|essis for God, a glotoun hath delices, a lec|chour hath lust of touching, and siche thingis for God, wherfor her sacrifices ben not accept|able to God. The breed; that is, what euer maner mete. is the liyf of a pore man; that is, the susten|yng of his liyf. man of blood; Austyn seith, Feede thou a man diynge for hungur, and if thou feedist not him, thou hast slayn him; myche more if thou withdrawist his liyflode fro him. C.]is to hem that abiden hym in the weie of treuthe, and of riȝtfulnesse. [verse 23] The hiȝeste appreueth not the ȝiftis of wickid men, nethir biholdith in the offryngis of wickid men, nether in the multitude of her sacrifices he schal do mercy to synnes. [verse 24] He that offrith sacrifice*. [sacrificis CEG.] of the catel of pore men, is as he that sleeth the sone in the siȝt of his fadir. [verse 25] The breed of nedi men is the lijf of a pore man; he that defraudith hym, is a man of blood. [verse 26] He that takith awei breed in swoot*. [breed in swoot; that is, breed getun in swoot of tra|uelours. ben britheren; that is, ben liyk in synne. whos vois; as if he seye, no voys; but sich a rauenour schal be punyschid of God for his yuels. Oon preiynge; for a rauenour, that is, he preiynge to whom the rauenour hath ȝoue good. and oon cursinge; the rauenour, for he took awey hise goodis. whos voys; as if he seie, noon, for whi the hering of the first is lettid for the malice of him for whom he preyeth, and the hering of the cursere is lettid for his owne synne, for he synneth in cursinge his neiȝbore. fastith in hise synnes; that is, for hise synnes to be forȝouun. in mekynge him silf; that is, in turmentinge him silf bi fastingis and siche thingis, he profitith no thing to remyssyoun of synne doon, for he repentith not verily. Lire here. C.], is as he that sleeth his neiȝbore. [verse 27] He that schedith out blood, and he that doith fraude to an hirid man, ben britheren. [verse 28] Oon bildynge, and oon distriynge; what profitith it to hem*. [men G.], no but trauel? [verse 29] Oon preiynge, and oon cursynge; whos vois schal the Lord here? [verse 30] What profitith the waischyng of hym, that is waischun for*. [fro A sec. m.] a deed bodi, and touchith eft a deed bodi? [verse 31] So a man that fastith in hise synnes, and eft doynge the same synnes, what profitith he in mekynge hym silf? who schal here*. [who schal here, etc.; as if he seye, God schal not here. Lire here. C.] his preyer?
