Sir 34

1 Veyn hope and a leesyng to an vnwijs man; and dremes enhaunsen vnprudent men. 2 As he that takith schadewe, and pursueth wynd, so and he that takith heede to leesyngis seyn. 3 Vpe this thing is the siyt of dremes; bifore the face of a man is the licnesse of another man. 4 What schal be clensid of him that is vnclene, and what trewe thing schal be seid of a liere? 5 Fals dyuynyng of errour, and fals dyuynyngis bi chiteryng of briddis, and dremes of witchis, is vanyte. 6 And as the herte of a womman trauelynge of child, thin herte suffrith fantasies; no but visitacioun is sent out of the hiyeste, yyue thou not thin herte in tho dremes. 7 For whi dremes han maad many men for to erre, and men hopynge in tho fellen doun. 8 The word of the lawe `of God and of hise profetis, schal be maad perfit with out leesyng; and wisdom in the mouth of a feithful man schal be maad pleyn. 9 What kan he, that is not asaied? A man asaied in many thingis, schal thenke many thingis; and he that lernyde many thingis, schal telle out vndirstondyng. 10 He that is not asaied, knowith fewe thingis; forsothe he that is a fool in many thingis, schal multiplie malice. 11 What maner thingis kan he, that is not asaied? He that is not plauntid, schal be plenteuouse in wickidnesse. 12 I siy many thingis in tellyng out, and ful many customs of wordis. 13 Sum tyme Y was in perel `til to deth, for the cause of these thingis; and Y was delyuered bi the grace of God. 14 The spirit of hem that dreden God is souyt, and schal be blessid in the biholding of hym. 15 For whi the hope of hem is in to God sauynge hem; and the iyen of the Lord ben in to hem, that louen hym. 16 He that dredith God, schal not tremble for ony thing, and he schal not drede; for whi God is his hope. 17 The soule of hym that dredith the Lord, is blessid. 18 To whom biholdith he, and who is his strengthe? 19 The iyen of the Lord ben on hem that dreden hym. God is a defendere of myyt, stidfastnesse of vertu, hilyng of heete, and a schadewyng place of myddai; 20 bisechyng of offendyng, and help of fallyng, enhaunsynge the soule, and liytnynge the iyen, and yyuynge heelthe, and lijf, and blessyng. 21 The offryng of hym that offrith of wickid thing, is defoulid; and the scornyngis of vniust men ben not wel plesaunt. 22 The Lord aloone is to hem that abiden hym in the weie of treuthe, and of riytfulnesse. 23 The hiyeste appreueth not the yiftis of wickid men, nethir biholdith in the offryngis of wickid men, nether in the multitude of her sacrifices he schal do mercy to synnes. 24 He that offrith sacrifice of the catel of pore men, is as he that sleeth the sone in the siyt of his fadir. 25 The breed of nedi men is the lijf of a pore man; he that defraudith hym, is a man of blood. 26 He that takith awei breed in swoot, is as he that sleeth his neiybore. 27 He that schedith out blood, and he that doith fraude to an hirid man, ben britheren. 28 Oon bildynge, and oon distriynge; what profitith it to hem, no but trauel? 29 Oon preiynge, and oon cursynge; whos vois schal the Lord here? 30 What profitith the waischyng of hym, that is waischun for a deed bodi, and touchith eft a deed bodi? 31 So a man that fastith in hise synnes, and eft doynge the same synnes, what profitith he in mekynge hym silf? who schal here his preyer?