The XVII. Chapter.
[ A] BEtter is a drye morsell wt quyetnesse, thē a full house and many fatt catell wt stryfe.* 1.1 A discrete seruaūt shal ha¦ue more rule then the sonnes yt haue no wys∣dome, and shal haue like heretage wt the bre∣thren.* 1.2 Like as syluer is tried in the fyre and golde in the fornace, euen so doth the LORDE proue the hertes. A wicked body holdeth moch of false lippes, & a dyssemblynge perso∣ne geueth eare to a disceatfull tōge.* 1.3 Who so laugheth ye poore to scorne, blasphemeth his maker: and he yt is glad of another mans hurte, shal not be vnpunyshed. Childers chil¦dren are a worshipe vnto the elders, and the fathers are the honor of the children. An elo¦quent speach becōmeth not a foole, a dyssem¦blinge mouth also besemeth not a prynce. [ B] Liberalite is a precious stone vnto him that hath it, for where so euer he becōmeth, he pro¦spereth. Who so couereth another mans of∣fence, seketh loue: but he yt discloseth the fau∣te, setteth frendes at variaunce. One repro¦fe only doth more good to him yt hath vnder∣stōdinge, then an C. stripes vnto a foole. A sedicious personne seketh myschefe, ••ut a cru¦ell messaunger shal be sent agaynst him. It were better to come agaynst a she Bere rob∣bed of hir whelpes, then agaynst a foole in his foolishnes.* 1.4 Who so rewardeth euell for good, the plage shal not departe frō his hou¦se.* 1.5 He yt soweth discorde & strife, is like one yt dyggeth vp a water broke: but an open ene∣mie is like the water yt breaketh out & rē••eth [ C] abrode. The LORDE hateth as well him yt iustifieth ye vngodly, as him yt condempneth the innocēt. What helpeth it to geue a foole money in his hōde, where as he hath no myn¦de to bye wyszdome? He is a frende that all waye loueth, and in aduersite a man shal kno¦we who is his brother.* 1.6 Who so promiseth by the hande, & is suertie for another, he is a foole. He yt loueth strife, delyteth in synne: & who so setteth his dore to hye, seketh after a fall. Who so hath a frowarde herte, optey∣neth no good: and he yt hath an ouērth•••••••• tonge, shal fall in to myschefe. An 〈◊〉〈◊〉 body bryngeth himselfe in to sorowe, and ye father of a foole can haue no ioye. A m••••y herte maketh a lusty age, but a sorowfull ••••••∣de dryeth vp ye bones. The vngodly taketh giftes out of the bosome, to wraist the waye•••• of iudgment. Wyszdome shyneth in ye face of him yt hath vnderstondinge, but ye eyes •••• fooles wandre thorow out all lōdes. An 〈◊〉〈◊〉 discrete sonne is a grefe vnto his father, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heuynesse vnto his mother yt bare him. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 punysh ye innocent, and to smyte ye prynces •• geue true iudgmēt, are both euell. He is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and discrete, yt tempereth his wordes: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he is a mā of vnderstōdinge, yt maketh mo•••• of his sprete. Yee a very foole (when he hol••deth his tonge) is counted wyse, and to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnderstōdinge, when he shutteth his lippes.