¶ Of the po••e that wolde be ryche The probacyon of the man that feareth God The vnconstantnesse of a foole. The ••••tretes of a trende are not to be vttred. The wycked ymagi¦neth euell, whiche ••. turneth vpon hym selfe.
CAPI. XXVII.
BEcause of pouerte haue many one of∣fended: and he that seketh to be ryche / [unspec A] turneth his eyes asyde. Lyke as a nayie in the wall stycketh fast betwyxte two stones, euen so doth synne sticke betwyxte the byes and the seller. If he holde hym not di∣lygently in the feare of the Lorde, his house shall soone be ouerthrowen. Lyke as when one syfteth, the fylthynes remayneth in the syue: So, remayneth there some vncleane [unspec B] thynge in the thought of man: The ouen proueth the potters vessell, * 1.1 so dothe temp∣tacyō of trouble trye ryghteous men * 1.2 The tre of the felde is knowen by hys frute so is the thought of mans herte knowne by hys wordes. Prayse no man excepte thou haue herde him, for a man is knowen by his wor∣des. If thou folowest ryghteousnes, thou shalt get her, and put her vpō the as a fayre garmente. And thou shalt dwel with her, & she shal defende the for euer, and in the daye of knowledge thou shalt finde sted fastnesse. The byrdes resorte vnto theyr lyke, so doth the truth turne vnto them that be occupyed withall. The lyon wayteth the praye: so dothe synners lurke vpon the workers of wyckednes. The talkynge of hym that fea∣reth God, is nothynge but wysdome: as for a foole, he chaūgeth as the Moone. If thou be amonge the vndiscrete, kepe thy wor•••• to a conuenient tyme / but amonge suche as be wyse / speake on hardely. The talkynge of [unspec C] fooles is abhominacion / and theyr sporte is volupteousnesse and mysnurtoure. * 1.3 Moch swearynge maketh the hearre to stande vp: and to striue with suche / stoppeth the eares.
The stryfe of the proude is bloudeshed∣dynge / and theyr blasphemynge is heuy to heare. * 1.4 Who so discouereth secretes, leseth his credence, and fyndeth no frende after his wyl. Loue thy frende, and bynde thy selfe in faythfulnes with hym: but yf y• bewrayest his secretes, thou shalt not get hym agayne For lyke as the man is that destroyeth hys enemye, so is he also that dealeth falsly in the frendshyp of his neyghboure. [unspec D]
Lyke as one that letteth a byrde go out of his hande, cannot take her agayne: Euen to thou / yf thou geue ouer thy frende, thou canst not get him againe: Yee thou canst not come by him, for he is to farre of. He is vn∣to the as a Roo escaped out of the snare / for his soule is wounded. As for woundes, they may be bounde vp agayne, & an euell worde maye be reconcyled: but who so bewrayeth the secres of a frende, there is no more hope to be had vnto hym.