Sir 1

1 Al wisdom is of the Lord God, and was euere with hym, and is bifore the world. 2 Who noumbride the grauel of the see, and the dropis of reyn, and the daies of the world? Who mesuride the hiynesse of heuene, and the breed of erthe, and the depthe of the see? 3 Who enserchide the wisdom of God, that goith bifore alle thingis? 4 Wisdom was formed firste of alle thingis, and the vndurstonding of prudence, fro the world. 5 The welle of wisdom is the sone of God in hiy thingis; and the entryng of that wisdom is euerlastynge comaundementis. 6 To whom was the roote of wisdom schewid? and who knewe the sutilites therof? 7 To whom was the lore of wisdom shewid, and maad opyn? and who vndurstood the multipliyng of the entryng therof? 8 Oon is the hiyeste creatour of alle thingis, almyyti, and a myyti kyng, and worthi to be dred ful miche, sittynge on the trone of that wisdom, and God hauynge lordschipe. 9 He fourmyde `that wisdom in the Hooli Ghost, and he siy, and noumbride, and he mesuride. 10 And he schedde out it on alle hise werkis, and on ech fleisch bi his yifte; he yyueth it to hem that louen hym. 11 The drede of the Lord is glorie, and gloriyng, and gladnesse, and a coroun of ful out ioiyng. 12 The drede of the Lord schal delite the herte; and schal yyue gladnesse and ioie in to lengthe of daies. 13 To hym that dredith God, it schal be wel in the laste thingis; and he schal be blessid in the dai of his deth. 14 Forsothe thei to whiche wisdom apperith in siyt, louen it in siyt, and in knowyng of hise grete thingis. 15 The loue of God is onourable wisdom. 16 The bigynnyng of wisdom is the drede of the Lord; and it is formyd togidere in the wombe with feithful men, and it goith with chosun wymmen, and is knowun with iust men and feithful. 17 The drede of the Lord is religiouste of kunnyng. 18 Religiouste schal kepe, and schal iustifie the herte; and schal yyue myrthe and ioie. 19 It schal be wel to hym that dredith God; and he schal be blessid in the daies of his coumfort. 20 The fulnesse of wisdom is for to drede God; and fulnesse is of the fruytis therof. 21 It schal fille ech yifte of hym of generaciouns, and reseitis of the tresouris therof. 22 The coroun of wisdom is the drede of the Lord, and fillith pees, and the fruyt of heelthe. 23 And he siy, and noumbride it; forsothe euer eithir ben the yiftis of God. 24 Wisdom schal departe the kunnyng and vndurstondyng of prudence; and it enhaunsith the glorie of hem, that holden it. 25 The roote of wisdom is for to drede God; forsothe the braunchis therof ben longe durynge. 26 Vndurstonding, and religiouste of kunnyng ben in the tresouris of wisdom; but wisdom is abhomynacioun to synners. 27 The drede of the Lord puttith awei synne, 28 for he that is with out drede, mai not be iustified; for whi the wrathfulnesse of his pride is the destriyng of hym. 29 A pacient man schal suffre til in to tyme; and aftirward schal be yelding of mirthe. 30 Good wit schal hide the wordis of hym til in to a tyme; and the lippis of many men schulen telle out the wit of hym. 31 In the tresouris of wisdom is signefiyng of kunnyng; 32 but the worschipyng of God is abhomynacioun to a synnere. 33 A! sone, coueitynge wisdom, kepe thou riytfulnesse, and God schal yyue it to thee. 34 For whi the drede of the Lord is wisdom, and kunnyng, and that 35 that is wel plesaunt to hym is feith and myldenesse; and God schal fille the tressours of hym. 36 Be thou not rebel, and vnbileueful to the drede of the Lord; and neiye thou not to hym in double herte. 37 Be thou not an ypocrite in the siyt of men; and be thou not sclaundrid in thi lippis. 38 Take thou kepe to tho, lest thou falle, and brynge disonour to thi soule; and lest God schewe thi priuytees, 39 and hurtle thee doun in the myddis of the synagoge; 40 for thou neiyidist wickidli to the Lord, and thin herte was ful of gile and of falsnesse.