We ought not to desyre vengeaūce but to forgeue the office, of the wyces of the tonge, and of the daughters therof.
CAPI. XXVIII. [unspec A]
HE that seketh vengeaunce, shal fynde vengeaunce of the Lorde / which shall surely kepe hym his synnes. Forgeue thy neyghboure the hurt that he hath done the, and so shall thy synnes be forgeuē the also, whc̄ thou prayest. Amā that beareth hatred agaynst another / howe darre he desyre for∣geuenesse of God? He that sheweth no mer∣cy to a man whiche is lyke him selfe, howe darre he aske forgeuenesse of his synnes? If he that is but flesh / beareth hatred & kepeth it / who wyll intreate for his synnes? Remē∣bre the ende / and let enemyte passe / whiche seketh death and destruccyon / and abyde thou in the commaundementes. Remēbre the commaundement / so shalt thou not be [unspec B] rygorous ouer thy neyghboure. Thyncke vpō the couenaunt of the Hyest / & forgeue thy neyghbours ignoraunce. Beware of stryfe / & thou shalt make thy synnes fewer. For an angrie man kindleth variaūce, and the vngodly disquyeteth frendes, and put∣teth discorde amonge them that be at peace. The more wod there is, ye more vehement is the fyre: and the myghtier that mē be / the greater is the wrath: and the lōger the strife endureth / the more it burneth.
An hastye brawlynge kynleth a fyre, & an [unspec C] hastye stryte sheddeth blouoe: A tonge also that beareth false witnesse, bryngeth death. If thou blowe the sparke: it shal burne. If y• spyt vpon it: it shall go forth, and both these out of ye mouth. The sclaūderet a dubble tonged is cursed, for many one y• be frendes setteth he at varyaunce. The thyrde tonge hath disquieted many one, and dryuen them frome one lande to another. Stronge cyties of the ryche hath it broken downe / and ouer∣throwen the houses of greate men. (The strēgth of the people hath it brought downe and bene the decaye of myghtye nacyons.) The thyrde tonge hath cast out many an ho∣nest woman / and robbed them of theyr la∣bours. Who so herkeneth vnto suche, shall neuer fynde rest / and neuer dwel safely. The stroke of the rod maketh yedders / but the stroke of the tonge smyteth the bones in sunder. Their be many that haue peryshed wyth the swerde / but many mo thorowe the tonge.
Well is hym that is kepte from an euyll [unspec D] tonge / and commeth not in the angre therof, which draweth not the yocke of suche, and is not bounde in the bandes of it. For the yock thereof is of yron, and the bande of it of stele The death therof is a very euyll death: hell were better for one / then suche a tonge. But the fyre of it maye not oppresse them that feare God / and the flamme thereof maye not burne thē. Suche as forsake the Lorde / shal fall therein: and it shall burne them, and no man shalbe able to quenche it. It shall fall vpon them as a Lyon, and deuoure them as a leoparde. Thou hedgest thy goodes with thornes: why doest thou not rather make do¦res and barres for thy mouth? Thou wcyest thy golde & syluer: Why doest yu not weye thy wordes also vpon the y• balance? Beware / y• yu slyde not in thy tonge, & so fall before thyue enemyes, y• lay wayte for the, (& thy fal be in∣curable, euen vnto death.)