A fourteenth century English Biblical version, edited by Anna C. Paues ...

[verse 1] And [S folio 22] [ C ^m 3^m in the margin, S.] my breþeren, ne wylne ȝe noȝt to ben y-mad many maystres, wytynge þat ȝe takeþ þe grettere dom. [verse 2] For we offendeþ in many þinges euerychone. & who þat offendiþ in non word, he is a parfyt man, & he may wiþ a brydul leden al þe body aboute. [verse 3] For we putte brydeles [brydeles repeated in margin, 1st corrector's hand, S.] in-to [P folio 25b] horses mouþes [the two first strokes of m on erasure, S.] to maken hem assente to ous, and we bereþ aboute al hure body. [verse 4] And grete schyppes þat beþ y-meued wiþ grete wyndes, þei beþ y-turned aboute wiþ a lytul gouernynge, whydur þat he wole þat is gouernour of þe schypp. [verse 5] And so þe tonge is a lytul membre, bote he arereþ up grete þinges. [verse 6] And lo, how lytul a fuyr wole brennen up a gret wode! & þe tonge is fuyr & uniuersyte of wikkednesse; & þe tonge is y-set in oure membres, þat defouleþ al þe body; & heo is y-tend of þe fuyr of helle, & tendeþ þe wheol of [of added above line in a later hand. An e in the margin, S.] oure natyuyte. [verse 7] For eferich kynde of bestes, of bryddes, of eddres, [verse 8] & of alle oþer, beþ y-temed of mankynde, bote þe tonge no man may temen; for it is a wicked þing, & wiþ-outen reste, & ful of dedlyche venym. [verse 9] In þe tonge we blesseþ [blessed P.] God þe Fader; & in hure we curseþ men, þat beþ y-mad after þe [verse 10] ymage of God: of þe same mouþ passeþ forþ blessynge &

cursynge. My breþeren, it byhoueþ noȝt þat it be y-don þus. [verse 11] Wheþer þer sprynge out of hol a [of a P, of in margin, 1st corr. S.] welle þat welleþ boþe suete watyr & bytter watyr? [verse 12] & my breþeren, wheþer a fyge-tre mowe brynge forþ grapes, oþer a vyne fyges? so salt water may maken no fresch watyr [S folio 22b] . [verse 13] Who is a wys man & a wel y-tauȝt [a crossed through, S.] man a-mong ȝow? schewe he of his good conuer|sacyoun his worchynge in goodnesse of wysdom. [verse 14] & ȝef ȝe [on erasure, S. he P.] haueþ [P folio 26] bytter hate & stryuynges [streynynges P.] in [of P.] ȝoure hertes, ne ioye ȝe noȝt to ben lyerys aȝeyn trewþe. [verse 15] For þis wysdom ne comeþ not doun from a-boue, bote it is an erþelyche wysdom, & a [om. P.] bestysch wysdom, & þe [om. P.] defeles wysdom. [verse 16] For þer is hate & stryuynge [streyneynge P.] , þer is vnstabelnesse & eferych schrewyd [schrede P.] werk. [verse 17] Bote þe wysdom þat is of a-bouen heo is furst chaste, & seþþe discret, & temperat, pesybel, and bleþelyche wole be conseyled, & assentynge to goode þinges, ful of mercy & of goode fruytys, demynge wiþoute symulacyoun. [verse 18] & þe fruyt of ryȝtfulnesse is y-sowen in pees to þilke þat doþ pees.