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¹ Also these ben the Parablis of Salomon, whiche the men of Ezechie, kyng of Juda, translatiden.

² The glorie of God is to hele a word; and the glorie of kyngis is to seke out a word.³ Heuene aboue, and the erthe bynethe, and the herte of kyngis is vnserchable.

⁴ Do thou a wei rust fro siluer, and a ful cleene vessel schal go out.⁵ Do thou awei vnpite fro the cheer of the kyng, and his trone schal be maad stidfast bi riytfulnesse.

⁶ Appere thou not gloriouse bifore the kyng, and stonde thou not in the place of grete men.⁷ For it is betere, that it be seid to thee, Stie thou hidur, than that thou be maad low bifore the prince.

⁸ Brynge thou not forth soone tho thingis in strijf, whiche thin iyen sien; lest aftirward thou maist not amende, whanne thou hast maad thi frend vnhonest.⁹ Trete thi cause with thi frend, and schewe thou not priuyte to a straunge man;¹⁰ lest perauenture he haue ioye of thi fal, whanne he hath herde, and ceesse not to do schenschipe to thee. Grace and frenschip delyueren, whiche kepe thou to thee, that thou be not maad repreuable.

¹¹ A goldun pomel in beddis of siluer is he, that spekith a word in his time.¹² A goldun eere ryng, and a schinynge peerle is he, that repreueth a wijs man, and an eere obeiynge.

¹³ As the coold of snow in the dai of heruest, so a feithful messanger to hym that sente `thilke messanger, makith his soule to haue reste.

¹⁴ A cloude and wind, and reyn not suynge, is a gloriouse man, and not fillynge biheestis.

¹⁵ A prince schal be maad soft bi pacience; and a soft tunge schal breke hardnesse.

¹⁶ Thou hast founde hony, ete thou that that suffisith to thee; lest perauenture thou be fillid, and brake it out.

¹⁷ Withdrawe thi foot fro the hous of thi neiybore; lest sum tyme he be fillid, and hate thee.

¹⁸ A dart, and a swerd, and a scharp arowe, a man that spekith fals witnessing ayens his neiybore.

¹⁹ A rotun tooth, and a feynt foot is he, that hopith on an vnfeithful man in the dai of angwisch,

²⁰ and leesith his mentil in the dai of coold. Vynegre in a vessel of salt is he, that singith songis to the worste herte. As a mouyte noieth a cloth, and a worm noieth a tree, so the sorewe of a man noieth the herte.

²¹ If thin enemy hungrith, feede thou him; if he thirstith, yyue thou watir to hym to drinke;²² for thou schalt gadere togidere coolis on his heed; and the Lord schal yelde to thee.

²³ The north wind scatereth reynes; and a sorewful face distrieth a tunge bacbitinge.

²⁴ It is betere to sitte in the corner of an hous without roof, than with a womman ful of chidyng, and in a comyn hous.

²⁵ Coold watir to a thirsti man; and a good messanger fro a fer lond.

²⁶ A welle disturblid with foot, and a veyne brokun, a iust man fallinge bifore a wickid man.

²⁷ As it is not good to hym that etith myche hony; so he that is a serchere of maieste, schal be put doun fro glorie.

²⁸ As a citee opyn, and with out cumpas of wallis; so is a man that mai not refreyne his spirit in speking.