[6-text p 229] the wordes of Ouyde ‖ that seith / [2605] vnder the hony of the goodes of thy body; is hyd the venym / that sleth the soule [2606] ¶ And Salomon seith ‖ If thow hast founden hony / ete of it that suffiseth / [2607] for if thow ete of it out of mesure; thow shalt spewe / and be nedy and poore / [2608] and perauenture / Crist hath thee in despit and hath torned awey fro thee his face / and his erys of misericorde / [2609] and also he hath suffred / þat thow [folio 226b] hast been punysshed in the manere þat thow hast ytrespased; [2610] ¶ Thow hast doon synne agayn oure lord Crist ‖ [2611] for certes / the .iij.e enemys of man|kynde / that is to seyn / the flessh / the feend / and the world / [2612] thow hast suffred hem / entre in to thyn herte wilfully / by the wyndowes of thy body / [2613] and hast nat defendid thy self / suffisantly agayns hir assautes & hir temptacions / so þat they han woundid thy soule. in .v. places ‖ [2614] this is to seyn / the dedly synnes / þat been entred in to thyn herte by thy .v. wittes ‖ [2615] And in the same manere / oure lord Crist hath wold & suffred / þat thy .iij.e enemys been entred in to thyn hous by the wyndowes / [2616] and han ywoundid thy doghter in the forseyde manere
[2617] ¶ Certes quod Melibe / I se wel / þat ye en|force yow muchil by wordes to ouercome me in swich a manere / þat I shal nat venge me of myne enemys / [2618] shewynge me the perils & the yueles / þat myghten falle of this vengeance ‖ [2619] But who so wolde considere in alle vengeances / the perils and yueles þat myghten sewe of vengeance takynge; [2620] a man wolde neuere take vengeance / and that were harm / [2621] for by the venge|ance takynge / been the wikked men disseuered / fro the goode men / [2622] and they þat han wil to do wikked|nesse / restreyne hir wikked purpos / whan they seen the punysshynge & chastisynge of trespassours ‖
[2623] [A ce respond dame Prudence: certes, dist-elle, je vous octroie que de vengence vient moult de biens;
