A   The prophecie of a true faithfull man, wh&obar; God hath helped, whom God hath c&obar;forted ∧ norished. For though I am þe; leest of all, ∧ haue no m&abar;s vnderst&obar;d&ibar;ge (for I neuerlerned wi&esset;dome) yet haue I vnderst&obar;dinge ∧ am wel enfourmed in godly thinges. Who hath clymmed vp &ibar; to heauen? Who hath come downe from thence?

Who hath holden þe; wynde fast in his h&abar;de? Who hath c&obar;prehended þe; waters in a garment? Who hath set all the endes of þe; worlde? What is his name, or his sonnes name? Canst thou tell? ^noteAll the wordes of God are pure ∧ cleane, for he is a shylde vnto all them, that put their trust in him. ^notePut thou nothinge therfore vnto his wordes, lest he reproue the, and thou be founde as a lyar.

Two thinges I requyre of the, that thou wilt not denye me before I dye. Remoue fro me vanite and lyes: geue me nether pouerte ner riches, only graunte me a necessary lyuynge. Lest yf I be to full, I denye þe;, ∧ saye: ^note what felowe is þe; LORDE? And lest I beinge constrayned thorow pouerte, fall vnto stealinge, and forsweare the name of my God.

B   Accuse not a seruaunt vnto his master, lest he speake euell of the also, and thou be hurte. He that bryngeth vp an euell reporte vp&obar; the generacion of his father and mother, is not worthy to be commended.

The generacion that thynke them selues cleane, shal not be clensed from their fylthynesse. There are people þt; haue a proude loke, and cast vp their eye lyddes. This peoples tethe are swerdes, and with their chaft bones they consume and deuoure the symple of the earth, and the poore from amonge m&ebar;.

This generacion (which is like an horsleche) hath two doughters: þe; one is called, fetch hither: the other, brynge hither.

There be thre thinges that are neuer satisfied, and the fourth saieth neuer hoo. The hell, a womans wombe, ^note and the earth hath neuer water ynough. As for fyre, it sayeth neuer: hoo. ^noteWho so laugheth his father to scorne, and setteth his mothers comma&ubar;dement at naught: the rauens pycke out his eyes in the valley, and deuoured be he of the yongle Aegles.

^noteThere be thre thinges to hye for me, and as for the fourth, it passeth my knowlege.

The waye of an Aegle in þe; ayre, þe; waye of a serpent ouer þe; stone, þe; waye of a shippe in þe; see, ∧ þe; waye of a m&abar; &wt; a yonge wom&abar;. Soch is the waye also of a wyfe þt; breaketh wedlocke, which wypeth hir mouth like as wh&abar; she hath eat&ebar;, ∧ sayeth: As for me, I haue done no harme. C   Thorow thre thinges the earth is disquieted, ∧ the fourth maye it not beare: Thorow a serua&ubar;t þt; beareth rule, thorow a foole þt; hath greate riches, thorow an ydle houswife, ∧ thorow an handmayden þt; is heyre to hir mastres. There be foure thinges in the earth, the which are very litle: but in wy&esset;dome they exceade the wyse. ^noteThe Emmettes are but a weake people, yet gather they their meate together in þe; haruest.

The conyes are but a feble folke, yet make they their couches amonge the rockes. The greshoppers haue not a gyde, yet go they forth together by heapes. The spyder laboureth &wt; hir h&abar;des, ∧ þt; in þe; kynges palace.

There be thre thinges þt; go stiffly, but the goinge of the fourth is the goodliest of all. A Lyon which is kynge of beastes, ∧ geueth place to no man: A cock ready to fight: A r&abar;me: And a kynge þt; goeth forth &wt; his people.

Yf thou be so foolish to magnifie þi; self, or medlest &wt; eny soch thinge, th&ebar; laye thine h&abar;de vpon þi; mouth. Who so chyrneth mylck, maketh butter: he that rubbeth his nose, maketh it blede, and he that causeth wrath, bryngeth forth strife.

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