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

CAP. III.

[verse 1] Mi britheren, nyle ȝe be maad many maistris, witynge that ȝe taken the more doom [dom; that is, dampnacioun. This is seid aȝens presump|tuous maistres, that techen that that they kun|nen not, and maken many men for to erre, and bi this they getten many|foold dampna|cioun. Lire here. ve.] . [verse 2] For alle we offenden in many thingis. If ony man offendith not in word, this is a perfit man; for also he may lede aboute al the bodi with a bridil. [verse 3] For if we putten bridlis `in to [in K pr. m. to R.] horsis [hors h.] mouthis, for to consente to vs, and we leden aboute al the bodi of hem. [verse 4] And lo! schippis, whanne thei ben grete, and ben dryuun of stronge [grete I.] wyndis, ȝit thei ben borun about of a litil gouernaile, where the meuyng of the gouernour wole. [verse 5] So also the tunge is but a litil membre, and reisith grete thingis [reisith grete thingis; that is, stirith greete yuels. hou myche fijer; that is, how litil fijer. oure yuel tunge is fijer, kyndling stryues and de|batis and other yuelis. Ve. the vniuersite of wickidnesse; that is, an yuel tunge is the vniuersite of wickidnesse. V. enflawmed of helle; that is, of the deuel, which is asingn|ed to helle. enflawmeth the wheel of oure birthe; that is, the cours of oure lijf, which is licned to a wheel, that by|gynnith and endith in the same poynt; so a man is born vnmyȝty and vnkunnyng; and if he diȝeth kindely, he goth aȝen to the same staat bi comun cours. Lire here. ve.] . Lo! hou litil

fier brenneth a ful greet wode. [verse 6] And oure tunge is fier, the vniuersite of wickid|nesse. The tunge is ordeyned in oure membris, which defoulith al the bodi; and it is enflawmed of helle, and en|flawmeth [brenneth P] the wheel of oure birthe. [verse 7] And al the kynde of beestis, and of foulis, and of serpentis, and of othere is chastisid, and tho ben maad tame of mannus kinde; [verse 8] but no man mai chastise the tunge, for it is an vnpesible yuel, and ful of deedli venym [ful of dedly venym and of bacbitinge, for a bacbitere venemith him of whom he bacbitith bi yuel fame, and that man that it heerith glad|ly and himself, by synne. Lire here. ve.] . [verse 9] In it we blessen God, the fadir, and in it we cursen men, that ben maad to the licnesse of God. [verse 10] Of the same mouth passith forth blessing and cursing. My britheren, it bihoueth not that these thingis be don so. [verse 11] Whether a welle of the same hoole bringith forth [Om. K pr. m.] swete and salt watir? [verse 12] My britheren, whether a fige tre may make grapis, ethir a vyne figus? So nethir salt watir mai make swete watir. [verse 13] Who is wijs, and tauȝt among ȝou? schewe he of good lyuyng his worching, in myldenesse of his wis|dom. [verse 14] That if ȝe han bitter enuye, and stryuyngis ben in ȝoure hertis, nyle ȝe haue glorye, and be lyeris aȝens the treuthe. [verse 15] For this wisdom is not fro aboue comynge doun, but ertheli, and [Om. Rk.] beestli, and feendli. [verse 16] For where is enuye and strijf, there is vnstidfastnesse and al schrewid werk. [verse 17] But wisdom that is from aboue, first it is chast, aftirward pesible [it is pesible I.] , mylde, able to be counseilid, con|sentinge to goode thingis, ful of merci and of goode fruytis, demynge with out feynyng. [verse 18] And the fruyt [fruytis A pr. m. Cabcehk sec. m.] of riȝtwis|nesse is sowun in pees, to men that maken pees.