1 In thre thingis it is plesid to my spirit, which ben appreued bifore God and men; acordyng of britheren,
2 and loue of neiyboris, a man and womman wel consentynge to hem silf.
3 My soule hatide thre spicis, and Y am greued greetli to the soule of hem;
4 a pore man proud, and a riche man liere, and an eld man a fool and vnwitti.
5 Hou schalt thou fynde in thin eelde tho thingis, whiche thou gaderist not in thi yongthe?
6 Doom is ful fair in hoornesse, and to preestis to knowe councel.
7 Wisdom is ful fair to eelde men, and gloriouse vndirstondyng, and councel.
8 The coroun of eelde men is in myche kunnyng; and the glorie of hem is the drede of God.
9 I magnefiede nyne thingis vnsuspect of the herte; and Y schal seie the tenthe thing bi tunge to men.
10 A man which lyuynge is myrie in sones, and seynge the distriyng of hise enemyes.
11 He is blessid that dwellith with a witty womman, and he that felle not bi his tunge, and he that seruyde not to men vnworthi to hym silf.
12 He is blessid that fyndith a very frend, and he that tellith out riytfulnesse to an eere heringe.
13 He is ful greet that fyndith wisdom and kunnyng; but he is not aboue him that dredith God.
14 The drede of God hath set it silf aboue alle thingis.
15 Blessid is the man to whom it is youun to have the drede of God; to whom schal he be licned, that holdith that drede?
16 The drede of God is the bigynnyng of his loue; forsothe the bigynnyng of feith is to be faste ioyned therto.
17 The sorewe of herte is ech wounde; and the wickidnesse of a womman is al malice.
18 A leche shal se ech wounde, and not the wounde of herte; and al wickidnesse,
19 and not the wickidnesse of a womman;
20 and ech hilyng, and not hilyng of hateris;
21 and ech veniaunce, and not the veniaunce of enemyes.
22 Noon heed is worse than the heed of an eddre dwellynge in schadewe;
23 and noon ire is aboue the ire of a womman. It schal plese more to dwelle with a lioun and a dragoun, than to dwelle with a wickid womman.
24 The wickidnesse of a womman chaungith hir face; and sche blyndide her cheer as a beer doith, and sche schal schewe as a sak in the myddis of neiyboris.
25 Hir hosebonde weilide; and his wickid wijf herde, and siyyide a litil.
26 Al malice is schort on the malice of a womman; the parte of synneris falle on hir.
27 As a stiynge ful of grauel in the feet of an elde man, so is a womman a greet ianglere to a pesible man.
28 Biholde thou not the fairnesse of a womman, and coueyte thou not a womman for fairnesse.
29 The ire and vnreuerence of a womman is grete schenschipe.
30 If a womman hath the firste dignyte, ethir cheef gouernail, sche is contrarie to hir hosebonde.
31 A low herte, and soreuful face, and wounde of deeth, is a wickid womman.
32 Feble hondis and knees vnboundun, a womman that blessith not hir hosebonde.
33 The bygynnyng of synne was maad of a womman; and alle we dien bi hir.
34 Yyue thou not issu to thi watir, yhe, not a litil issu; nether to a wickid womman fredom of goyng forth.
35 If sche goith not at thin hond, sche schal schende thee in the siyt of enemyes.
36 Kitte hir a wei fro thi fleischis, lest euere sche mysvse thee.