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¹ The wordis of Lamuel, the king; the visioun bi which his modir tauyte hym.² What my derlyng? what the derlyng of my wombe? what the derlyng of my desiris?³ Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.⁴ A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.⁵ Lest perauenture thei drynke, and foryete domes, and chaunge the cause of the sones of a pore man.⁶ Yyue ye sidur to hem that morenen, and wyn to hem that ben of bitter soule.⁷ Drinke thei, and foryete thei her nedinesse; and thenke thei no more on her sorewe.⁸ Opene thi mouth for a doumb man,⁹ and opene thi mouth for the causes of alle sones that passen forth. Deme thou that that is iust, and deme thou a nedi man and a pore man.

¹⁰ Who schal fynde a stronge womman? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis.¹¹ The herte of hir hosebond tristith in hir; and sche schal not haue nede to spuylis.¹² Sche schal yelde to hym good, and not yuel, in alle the daies of hir lijf.¹³ Sche souyte wolle and flex; and wrouyte bi the counsel of hir hondis.¹⁴ Sche is maad as the schip of a marchaunt, that berith his breed fro fer.¹⁵ And sche roos bi nyyt, and yaf prey to hir meyneals, and metis to hir handmaidis.¹⁶ Sche bihelde a feeld, and bouyte it; of the fruyt of hir hondis sche plauntide a vyner.¹⁷ Sche girde hir leendis with strengthe, and made strong hir arm.¹⁸ Sche taastide, and siy, that hir marchaundie was good; hir lanterne schal not be quenchid in the niyt.¹⁹ Sche putte hir hondis to stronge thingis, and hir fyngris token the spyndil.²⁰ Sche openyde hir hond to a nedi man, and stretchide forth hir hondis to a pore man.²¹ Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis.²² Sche made to hir a ray cloth; bijs and purpur is the cloth of hir.²³ Hir hosebonde is noble in the yatis, whanne he sittith with the senatours of erthe.²⁴ Sche made lynnun cloth, and selde; and yaf a girdil to a Chananei.²⁵ Strengthe and fairnesse is the clothing of hir; and sche schal leiye in the laste dai.²⁶ Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge.²⁷ Sche bihelde the pathis of hir hous; and sche eet not breed idili.²⁸ Hir sones risiden, and prechiden hir moost blessid; hir hosebonde roos, and preiside hir.²⁹ Many douytris gaderiden richessis; thou passidist alle.³⁰ Fairnesse is disseiuable grace, and veyn; thilke womman, that dredith the Lord, schal be preisid.³¹ Yyue ye to hir of the fruyt of hir hondis; and hir werkis preise hir in the yatis.