Wycliffe - Sirach - 21

21:1  Sone, thou hast do synne? adde thou not eft; but biseche thou for the formere synnes, that tho be foryouun to thee.

21:2  As fro the face of a serpent fle thou synnes; and if thou neiyest to `tho synnes, tho schulen take thee.

21:3  The teeth of a lioun ben the teeth therof, that sleen the soulis of men.

21:4  Al wickidnesse is as a scharp swerd on either syde; heelthe is not to the wounde therof.

21:5  Chidyngis and wrongis schulen distrie catel; and an houe that is ouer riche, schal be distriede bi pride; so the catel of a proude man schal be drawun vp bi the roote.

21:6  The preyer of a pore man schal come fro the mouth `til to eeris; and doom schal come to hym hastili.

21:7  He that hatith repreuyng, is a step of the synnere; and he that dredith God, schal be turned to his herte.

21:8  A miyti man with an hardi tunge is knowun afer; and a witti man kan kepe him silf fro that man.

21:9  He that bildith his hous with othere mennus costis, is as he that gaderith hise stonys in wyntir.

21:10  Scheuys gaderid togidere is the synagoge of synneris; and the endyng of hem is the flawme of fier.

21:11  The weie of synneris is set togidere with stoonys; and in the ende of hem ben hellis, and derknessis, and peynes.

21:12  He that kepith riytfulnesse, schal holde the wit therof.

21:13  The perfeccioun of Goddis drede is wisdom and wit.

21:14  He schal not be tauyt, which is not wijs in good.

21:15  Forsothe vnwisdom is, which is plenteuouse in yuel; and wit is not, where is bittirnesse.

21:16  The kunnyng of a wijs man schal be plenteuouse as flowyng; and the councel of hym dwellith as a welle of lijf.

21:17  The herte of a fool is as a brokun vessel; and it schal not holde ony wisdom.

21:18  What euer wijs word a kunnynge man herith, he schal preise, and leie to. A letcherouse man herde, and it schal displese hym; and he schal caste it awei bihynde his bak.

21:19  The tellynge of a fool is as a birthun in the weie; for whi grace schal be foundun in the lippis of a wijs man.

21:20  The mouth of a prudent man is souyt in the chirche; and men schulen thenke hise wordis in her hertis.

21:21  As an hous distried, so is wisdom to a fool; and the kunnyng of an vnwijs man is wordis that moun not be teld out.

21:22  Stockis in the feet is techyng to a fool; and as bondis of hondis on the riyt hond.

21:23  A fool enhaunsith his vois in leiyyng; but a wijs man schal leiye vnnethis stilli.

21:24  Techyng is a goldun ournement to a prudent man; and as an ournement of the arm in the riyt arm.

21:25  The foot of a fool is liyt in to the hous of a neiybore; and a wijs man schal be aschamed of the persoone of a miyti man.

21:26  A fool biholdith fro the wyndow in to the hous; but a lerned man schal stonde with out forth.

21:27  It is foli of a man to herkene bi the dore; and a prudent man schal be greuyd bi dispisyng.

21:28  The lippis of `vnprudent men schulen telle fonned thingis; but the wordis of prudent men schulen be weied in a balaunce.

21:29  The herte of foolis is in her mouth; and the mouth of wise men is in her herte.

21:30  Whanne a wickid man cursith the deuel, he cursith his owne soule.

21:31  A priuy bacbitere schal defoule his soule, and in alle thingis he schal be hatid, and he that dwellith, schal be hatid; a stil man and wijs schal be onourid.