1   Sone, the almesse deede of the pore man ne begile thou, and ouerturne thou not thin e&yogh;en fro the pore. 2   The hungrende soule ne dispise thou, and terre thou not out to wrathe the pore in his myseise. 3   The herte of the helpeles ne tormente thou, and drawe thou not a long &yogh;ifte to the man put in streit. 4   The pre&yogh;ing of the troblid ne caste thou awei, and turne thou not awei thi face fro the nedi. Fro 5   the helpeles ne turne thou awei e&yogh;en for wrathe, and `leeue thou not, `or &yogh;if thou not cause, to men sechende to curse bihynde to thee. 6   Forsothe of the man cursende to thee in bitternesse of soule, ful out herd shal be the pre&yogh;eere of hym; forsothe he shall here hym, that made hym. 7   To the congregacioun of pore men mac thou thee homli to speken, and to the

prest meeke thou thi soule, and to the mad gret meeke thou thin hed. 8   Bowe doun to the pore thin ere withoute drerynesse, and &yogh;eld thi dette, and answere pesibli in debonernesse. 9   Delyuere hym that wrong suffreth fro the hond of the proude man, and egreli, `or heuyly, bere thou not in thi soule. 10   In demende be thou to the fadirles childer merciful as a fadir, and for a man, `or husbonde, to the moder of hem; 11   and thou shal be as an obeisaunt sone of the hei&yogh;est, and he shal han merci of thee more than a moder. 12   Wisdam to his sonus inbrethede lif, and receyueth the men out sechende him, and he shal go beforn in the weie of ri&yogh;twisnesse; and he that looueth it, 13   looueth lif, and that waken to it, shul clippe togidere the `gladnesse, or pesiblenesse, of it. 14   Who holden it, shuln eritagen lif; and whider it shal gon in, God shal blissen. 15   Who seruen to it, obeshende shul ben to the hoeli man; and hem that loouen it, God looueth. 16   Who hereth it, demeth folkis of kinde; and who biholdeth it, shal abide stille trostende. 17   If he schal &yogh;yue feith to it, he shal abide stille, and eritagen it; and the creatures of hem shul be in fastnyng togidere. 18   For in temptacioun it goth with hym, and in the first thyngus it chees hym. 19   Drede, and ferd, and prouyng it shal bringe in vp on hym, and schal tormenten hym in tribulacioun of his techyng, to the tyme that it tempte hym in his tho&yogh;tis, and he leeue to his soule. 20   And it shal fastne hym, and a ri&yogh;t euene weie bringe to hym, and gladen hym; 21   and nakenen his hidde thingus to hym, and tresoren vp on hym kunnyng, and vnderstonding of ri&yogh;twisnesse. 22   If forsothe he schal ful erre, it shal forsaken hym, and it shal taken

hym in the hond of his enemy. 23   Sone, waite tyme, and shone awei fro euel. 24   For thi soule, `or liyf, be thou not confoundid to seyn soth; ther is forsothe confusioun `bringende to synne, 25   and ther is confusioun bringende to glorie and grace. 26   Ne take thou to face a&yogh;en thi face, ne a&yogh;en thi soule lesing. 27   Ne shame thou thi ne&yogh;hebore in his falling, 28   ne a&yogh;een holde thou a woord in time of helthe. Hide thou not thi wisdam in the fairnes of hit; 29   in the tunge forsothe wisdam is knowen, and wit, and kunnyng, and techyng, in the wrd of the weel feelende; and fastnynge in the werkis of ri&yogh;twisnesse. 30   A&yogh;ensey thou not to the wrd of treuthe any maner; and of lesing of thi myslernyng be thou confoundid. 31   Be thou not confoundid to knoulechen thi synnes; and ne sochete thou thee to eche man for synne. 32   Wile thou not withstonde a&yogh;en the face of the my&yogh;ti, ne enforce thou a&yogh;en the stroc of the flood. 33   For ri&yogh;twisnesse fi&yogh;t for thi soule, and vnto deth strif for ri&yogh;twisnesse; and God shal outfi&yogh;ten, `or ouer come, for thee thin enemys. 34   Wile thou not be swift in thi tunge, and vnprofitable and slo&yogh; in thi werkis. 35   Wile thou not ben as a leoun in thin hous, turnende awei thin homli men, and opressende to men soget to thee. 36   Be not thin hond put forth to taken, and to &yogh;yuen drawen togidere.

Previous section

Next section