1 A soft answere brekith ire; an hard word reisith woodnesse.
2 The tunge of wise men ourneth kunnyng; the mouth of foolis buylith out foli.
3 In ech place the iyen of the Lord biholden good men, and yuel men.
4 A plesaunt tunge is the tre of lijf; but the tunge which is vnmesurable, schal defoule the spirit.
5 A fool scorneth the techyng of his fadir; but he that kepith blamyngis, schal be maad wisere. Moost vertu schal be in plenteuouse riytfulnesse; but the thouytis of wickid men schulen be drawun vp bi the roote.
6 The hous of a iust man is moost strengthe; and disturbling is in the fruitis of a wickid man.
7 The lippis of wise men schulen sowe abrood kunnyng; the herte of foolis schal be vnlijc.
8 The sacrifices of wickyd men ben abhomynable to the Lord; avowis of iust men ben plesaunt.
9 The lijf of the vnpitouse man is abhomynacioun to the Lord; he that sueth riytfulnesse, schal be loued of the Lord.
10 Yuel teching is of men forsakinge the weie of lijf; he that hatith blamyngis, schal die.
11 Helle and perdicioun ben open bifor the Lord; hou myche more the hertis of sones of men.
12 A man ful of pestilence loueth not hym that repreueth him; and he goith not to wyse men.
13 A ioiful herte makith glad the face; the spirit is cast doun in the morenyng of soule.
14 The herte of a wijs man sekith techyng; and the mouth of foolis is fed with vnkunnyng.
15 Alle the daies of a pore man ben yuele; a sikir soule is a contynuel feeste.
16 Betere is a litil with the drede of the Lord, than many tresouris and vnfillable.
17 It is betere to be clepid to wortis with charite, than with hatrede to a calf maad fat.
18 A wrathful man reisith chidyngis; he that is pacient, swagith chidyngis reisid.
19 The weie of slow men is an hegge of thornes; the weie of iust men is with out hirtyng.
20 A wise sone makith glad the fadir; and a fonned man dispisith his modir.
21 Foli is ioye to a fool; and a prudent man schal dresse hise steppis.
22 Thouytis ben distried, where no counsel is; but where many counseleris ben, tho ben confermyd.
23 A man is glad in the sentence of his mouth; and a couenable word is best.
24 The path of lijf is on a lernyd man; that he bowe awei fro the laste helle.
25 The Lord schal distrie the hows of proude men; and he schal make stidefast the coostis of a widewe.
26 Iuele thouytis is abhomynacioun of the Lord; and a cleene word moost fair schal be maad stidfast of hym.
27 He that sueth aueryce, disturblith his hous; but he that hatith yiftis schal lyue. Synnes ben purgid bi merci and feith; ech man bowith awei fro yuel bi the drede of the Lord.
28 The soule of a iust man bithenkith obedience; the mouth of wickid men is ful of yuelis.
29 The Lord is fer fro wickid men; and he schal here the preyers of iust men.
30 The liyt of iyen makith glad the soule; good fame makith fat the boonys.
31 The eere that herith the blamyngis of lijf, schal dwelle in the myddis of wise men.
32 He that castith awei chastisyng, dispisith his soule; but he that assentith to blamyngis, is pesible holdere of the herte.
33 The drede of the Lord is teching of wisdom; and mekenesse goith bifore glorie.