Page lxvii
The .xxvii. Chapter.
•• Of the poore that woulde be riche. 5 The probation of the man that feareth God. 13 The vnconstantenesse of a foole. 16 The secretes of a friend are not to be vttered. 20 The wicked imagineth euyll, whiche returneth vpon him selfe.
1 BEcause of pouertie [unspec A] haue many one offen∣ded: and he that seketh to be riche, turneth his eyes asyde.
2 Lyke as a nayle in the wal sticketh fast be∣twixt two stones: euen so doth sinne sticke betwixt the bier and the seller.
3 If he holde him not diligently in the feare of the Lorde, his house shall soone be ouerthrowen.
4 Lyke as when one sifteth, the filthy∣nesse remayneth in the syue: So remay∣neth there some vncleane thing in the thought of man.
5 The ouen proueth the potters vessel: * 1.1 so doth temptation of trouble trye righte∣ous men.
6 * 1.2The tree of the fielde is knowen by his fruite: so is the thought of mans heart knowen by his wordes.
7 Prayse no man except thou haue heard [unspec B] him: for a man is knowen by his wordes.
8 If thou folowest righteousnes, thou shalt get her, and put her vpon thee as a fayre garment: and thou shalt dwell with her, and she shall defende thee for euer, and in the day of knowledge thou shalt finde stedfastnesse.
9 The byrdes resorte vnto their lyke: so doth the trueth turne vnto them that be occupied withall.
10 The lion wayteth the pray: so doth sinne vpon them that worke vnrighte∣ousnesse.
11 The talking of him that feareth God, is nothing but wysdome: as for a foole he chaungeth as the moone.
12 If thou be among the vndiscrete, kepe thy wordes to a conuenient time: but a∣mong such as be wise, speake on har∣dyly.
13 The talking of fooles is abhomination, and their sport is volupteousnesse and misnurture.
14 * 1.3Much swearing maketh the heere to stande vp: and to stryue with such, stop∣peth the ••ares.
15 The stryfe of the proude is bloodshed¦ding, and their blaspheming is heauy to heare.
16 * 1.4Who so discouereth secretes, leeseth his credence, and fyndeth no friende after his will.
17 Loue thy friende, and binde thy selfe in faythfulnesse with him: but if thou be∣wrayest his secretes, thou shalt not get him againe.
18 For like as the man is that destroyeth his enemie: so is he also that dealeth fals∣ly in the friendship of his neyghbour.
19 Like as one that letteth a byrde go out of his hande, can not take her againe: Euen so thou, if thou geue ouer thy friende, thou canst not get him againe.
20 Yea thou canst not come by him, for he is to farre of: He is vnto thee as a Roe escaped out of the snare, for his soule is wounded.
21 As for woundes, they may be bounde vp againe, and an euyll worde may be reconciled: but who so bewrayeth the se∣cretes of a friende, there is no more hope [unspec D] to be had vnto him.
22 * 1.5He that winketh with the eyes, imagi∣neth some euyll: and he that knoweth him, will let him alone.
23 When thou art present, he shall hyghlie commende and prayse thy wordes: but at the last he shall turne his tayle, and sclaunder thy saying.
24 Many thinges haue I hated, but no∣thing so euyll: for the Lorde him selfe al∣so abhorreth such a one.
25 * 1.6Who so casteth a stone an hye, it shal fal vpon his owne head: and he that smy∣teth with guyle, woundeth him selfe.
26 Who so diggeth a pit shall fall therein, and he that layeth a stone in his neygh∣bours way, shall stumble theron, and he that layeth a snare for another, shall be taken in it him selfe.
27 * 1.7Who so geueth a wicked noisome coun∣sell, it shall come vpon hymselfe, and he shall not knowe from whence.
28 The proude blaspheme and are scorne∣ful: but vengeaunce lurketh for them as a lion.