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¹ A good name is betere than preciouse oynementis; and the dai of deth is betere than the dai of birthe.² It is betere to go to the hous of morenyng, than to the hous of a feeste; for in that hous `of morenyng the ende of alle men is monestid, and a man lyuynge thenkith, what is to comynge.³ Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer.⁴ The herte of wise men is where sorewe is; and the herte of foolis is where gladnesse is.⁵ It is betere to be repreued of a wijs man, than to be disseyued bi the flateryng of foolis;⁶ for as the sown of thornes brennynge vndur a pot, so is the leiyyng of a fool. But also this is vanyte.

⁷ Fals chalenge disturblith a wijs man, and it schal leese the strengthe of his herte.⁸ Forsothe the ende of preyer is betere than the bigynnyng. A pacient man is betere than a proud man.⁹ Be thou not swift to be wrooth; for ire restith in the bosum of a fool.¹⁰ Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned.

¹¹ Forsothe wisdom with richessis is more profitable, and profitith more to men seynge the sunne.¹² For as wisdom defendith, so money defendith; but lernyng and wisdom hath this more, that tho yyuen lijf to `her weldere.¹³ Biholde thou the werkis of God, that no man may amende hym, whom God hath dispisid.¹⁴ In a good day vse thou goodis, and bifore eschewe thou an yuel day; for God made so this dai as that dai, that a man fynde not iust playnyngis ayens hym.¹⁵ Also Y siy these thingis in the daies of my natyuyte; a iust man perischith in his riytfulnesse, and a wickid man lyueth myche tyme in his malice.¹⁶ Nyle thou be iust myche, nether vndurstonde thou more than is nedeful; lest thou be astonyed.¹⁷ Do thou not wickidli myche, and nyle thou be a fool; lest thou die in a tyme not thin.¹⁸ It is good, that thou susteyne a iust man; but also withdrawe thou not thin hond from hym; for he that dredith God, is not necligent of ony thing.¹⁹ Wisdom hath coumfortid a wise man, ouer ten pryncis of a citee.²⁰ Forsothe no iust man is in erthe, that doith good, and synneth not.²¹ But also yyue thou not thin herte to alle wordis, that ben seid; lest perauenture thou here thi seruaunt cursynge thee;²² for thi conscience woot, that also thou hast cursid ofte othere men.

²³ I asayede alle thingis in wisdom; Y seide, I schal be maad wijs, and it yede awei ferthere fro me, myche more than it was;²⁴ and the depthe is hiy, who schal fynde it?²⁵ I cumpasside alle thingis in my soule, to kunne, and biholde, and seke wisdom and resoun, and to knowe the wickidnesse of a fool, and the errour of vnprudent men.²⁶ And Y foond a womman bitterere than deth, which is the snare of hunteris, and hir herte is a net, and hir hondis ben boondis; he that plesith God schal ascape hir, but he that is a synnere, schal be takun of hir.²⁷ Lo! Y foond this, seide Ecclesiastes, oon and other, that Y schulde fynde resoun, which my soule sekith yit;²⁸ and Y foond not. I foond o man of a thousynde; Y foond not a womman of alle.²⁹ I foond this oonli, that God made a man riytful; and he medlide hym silf with questiouns with out noumbre. Who is siche as a wijs man? and who knowith the expownyng of a word?