Wis 1

1 Ye that demen the erthe, loue riytfulnesse; feele ye of the Lord in goodnesse, and seke ye hym in the symplenesse of herte. 2 For he is foundun of hem, that tempten not hym; forsothe he apperith to hem, that han feith in to hym. 3 For whi weiward thouytis departen fro God; but preued vertu repreueth vnwise men. 4 For whi wisdom schal not entre in to an yuel willid soule; nethir schal dwelle in a bodi suget to synnes. 5 Forsothe the Hooli Goost of wisdom schal fle awei fro `a feyned man, and he schal take awei hym silf fro thouytis, that ben with out vnderstondyng; and the man schal be punyschid of wyckidnesse comynge aboue. 6 For the spirit of wisdom is benyngne, and he schal not delyuere a cursid man fro hise lippis; for whi God is witnesse of hise reynes, and the serchere of his herte is trewe, and the herere of his tunge. 7 For whi the Spirit of the Lord hath fillid the world; and this thing, that conteyneth alle thingis, hath the kunnyng of vois. 8 For this he that spekith wickid thingis, may not be hid; and doom punyschynge schal not passe hym. 9 For whi axyng schal be in the thouytis of a wickid man. 10 Forsothe the heryng of hise wordis schal come to God, and to the punyschyng of hise wickidnessis; for the eere of feruent loue herith alle thingis, and the noise of grutchyngis schal not be hyd. 11 Therfor kepe ye you fro grutchyng, that profitith no thing, and fro bacbityng spare ye the tunge; for a derk word schal not go in to veyn; forsothe the mouth that lieth, sleeth the soule. 12 Nyle ye coueyte deth, in the errour of youre lijf, nether gete ye perdicioun in the werkis of youre hondis; for God made not deth, 13 nether is glad in the perdicioun of lyuynge men. 14 For whi God made of nouyt alle thingis, that tho schulden be; and he made the naciouns of the world able to be heelid. Forwhi medecyn of distriyng is not in tho men, nether the rewme of hellis is in erthe. 15 For riytfulnesse is euerlastynge, and vndeedli; but vnriytfulnesse is getyng of deeth. 16 Forsothe wickid men clepiden that vnriytfulnesse bi hondis and wordis, and thei gessiden it a frendesse, and fletiden awei, and thei puttiden biheestis to it; for thei ben worthi the deth, that ben of the part therof.