Sir 20

1 It is ful good to repreue, more than to be wrooth, and to forbede not a man knoulechyng in preiere. 2 The coueitise of a geldyng hath defoulid the maidynhed of a yong womman, 3 so he that makith wickid dom bi violence. 4 It is ful good, that a man `that is repreued schewe opynli penaunce; for so thou schalt ascape wilful synne. 5 Ther is a stil man, which is foundun wijs; and he is hateful, which is fool hardi to speke. 6 Sotheli ther is a stille man, not hauynge wit of speche; and ther is a stille man, knowynge the sesoun of couenable tyme. 7 A wijs man schal be stille til to tyme; but a ioli man and vnprudent man schulen not kepe tyme. 8 He that vsith many wordis, hirtith his soule; and he that takith power to hym silf vniustli, schal be hatid. 9 Ther is goyng forth in yuels to a man vnlernyd; and ther is fyndyng in to peiryng. 10 Ther is a yifte, which is not profitable; and ther is a yifte, whos yeldyng is double. 11 Ther is makyng lesse for glorie; and ther is a man, which schal reise the heed fro mekenesse. 12 Ther is a man, that ayen bieth many synnes for litil prijs, and restorith tho in seuenfold. 13 A wijs man in wordis makith hym silf amyable; but the graces of foolis schulen be sched out. 14 The yifte of an vnwijs man schal not be profitable to thee; for hise iyen ben seuenfold. 15 He schal yyue litle thingis, and he schal vpbreide many thingis; and the openyng of his mouth is enflawming. 16 To dai a man leeneth, and to morewe he axith; and siche a man is hateful. 17 A frend schal not be to a fool, and grace schal not be to hise goodis. 18 For thei that eten his breed, ben of fals tunge; hou ofte and hou many men schulen scorne hym? 19 For he departith not bi euene wit that, that was worthi to be had; in lijk maner and that, that was not worthi to be had. 20 The falling of a fals tunge is as he that fallith in the pawment; so the fallis of yuele men schulen come hastili. 21 A man with out grace is as a veyn fable; and it schal be customable in the mouth of vnlerned men. 22 A parable schal be repreued of the mouth of a fool; for he seith not it in his tyme. Ther is a man, that is forbodun to do synne, for pouert; and he schal be prickid in his reste. 23 Ther is a man, that schal leese his soule for schame; and for the vnprudence of a persoone he schal leese it. 24 Forsothe he schal leese hym silf for the takyng of a persoone. 25 Ther is a man, that for schame biheetith to a frend; and he hath gete hym enemy with out cause. 26 Leesyng is a wickid schenschip in a man; and it schal be customabli in the mouth of vnlerned men. 27 Betere is a theef than the customablenesse of a man, a leesyngmongere; forsothe bothe thei schulen enherite perdicioun. 28 The maneres of men leesyngmongeris ben with outen onour; and her schenschype is with hem with out ceessyng. 29 A wijs man in wordis schal brynge forth hym silf; and a prudent man schal pleese grete men. 30 He that worchith his lond, shal make hiy the heep of fruytis; and he that worchith riytfulnesse, schal be enhaunsid. Sotheli he that plesith grete men, schal ascape wickidnesse. 31 Presentis and yiftis blynden the iyen of iugis; and as doumb in the mouth it turneth awei the chastisyngis of hem. 32 Wisdom hid, and tresour vnseyn, what profit is in euer eithir? 33 He is betere, that hidith his vnwisdom, than a man that hidith his wisdom.