Wycliffe - Sirach - 20

20:1  It is ful good to repreue, more than to be wrooth, and to forbede not a man knoulechyng in preiere.

20:2  The coueitise of a geldyng hath defoulid the maidynhed of a yong womman,

20:3  so he that makith wickid dom bi violence.

20:4  It is ful good, that a man `that is repreued schewe opynli penaunce; for so thou schalt ascape wilful synne.

20:5  Ther is a stil man, which is foundun wijs; and he is hateful, which is fool hardi to speke.

20:6  Sotheli ther is a stille man, not hauynge wit of speche; and ther is a stille man, knowynge the sesoun of couenable tyme.

20:7  A wijs man schal be stille til to tyme; but a ioli man and vnprudent man schulen not kepe tyme.

20:8  He that vsith many wordis, hirtith his soule; and he that takith power to hym silf vniustli, schal be hatid.

20:9  Ther is goyng forth in yuels to a man vnlernyd; and ther is fyndyng in to peiryng.

20:10  Ther is a yifte, which is not profitable; and ther is a yifte, whos yeldyng is double.

20:11  Ther is makyng lesse for glorie; and ther is a man, which schal reise the heed fro mekenesse.

20:12  Ther is a man, that ayen bieth many synnes for litil prijs, and restorith tho in seuenfold.

20:13  A wijs man in wordis makith hym silf amyable; but the graces of foolis schulen be sched out.

20:14  The yifte of an vnwijs man schal not be profitable to thee; for hise iyen ben seuenfold.

20:15  He schal yyue litle thingis, and he schal vpbreide many thingis; and the openyng of his mouth is enflawming.

20:16  To dai a man leeneth, and to morewe he axith; and siche a man is hateful.

20:17  A frend schal not be to a fool, and grace schal not be to hise goodis.

20:18  For thei that eten his breed, ben of fals tunge; hou ofte and hou many men schulen scorne hym?

20:19  For he departith not bi euene wit that, that was worthi to be had; in lijk maner and that, that was not worthi to be had.

20:20  The falling of a fals tunge is as he that fallith in the pawment; so the fallis of yuele men schulen come hastili.

20:21  A man with out grace is as a veyn fable; and it schal be customable in the mouth of vnlerned men.

20:22  A parable schal be repreued of the mouth of a fool; for he seith not it in his tyme. Ther is a man, that is forbodun to do synne, for pouert; and he schal be prickid in his reste.

20:23  Ther is a man, that schal leese his soule for schame; and for the vnprudence of a persoone he schal leese it.

20:24  Forsothe he schal leese hym silf for the takyng of a persoone.

20:25  Ther is a man, that for schame biheetith to a frend; and he hath gete hym enemy with out cause.

20:26  Leesyng is a wickid schenschip in a man; and it schal be customabli in the mouth of vnlerned men.

20:27  Betere is a theef than the customablenesse of a man, a leesyngmongere; forsothe bothe thei schulen enherite perdicioun.

20:28  The maneres of men leesyngmongeris ben with outen onour; and her schenschype is with hem with out ceessyng.

20:29  A wijs man in wordis schal brynge forth hym silf; and a prudent man schal pleese grete men.

20:30  He that worchith his lond, shal make hiy the heep of fruytis; and he that worchith riytfulnesse, schal be enhaunsid. Sotheli he that plesith grete men, schal ascape wickidnesse.

20:31  Presentis and yiftis blynden the iyen of iugis; and as doumb in the mouth it turneth awei the chastisyngis of hem.

20:32  Wisdom hid, and tresour vnseyn, what profit is in euer eithir?

20:33  He is betere, that hidith his vnwisdom, than a man that hidith his wisdom.