1The wordis of hym that gaderith, of the sone spuynge. The prophesie which a man spak, with whom God was, and which man was coumfortid bi God dwellyng with hym, 2and seide, Y am the moost fool of men; and the wisdom of men is not with me. 3Y lernede not wisdom; and Y knew not the kunnyng of hooli men. 4Who stiede in to heuene, and cam doun? Who helde togidere the spirit in hise hondis? who bonde togidere watris as in a cloth? Who reiside alle the endis of erthe? What is name of hym? and what is the name of his sone, if thou knowist? 5Ech word of God is a scheld set a fiere, to alle that hopen in hym. 6Adde thou not ony thing to the wordis of hym, and thou be repreued, and be foundun a liere. 7I preiede thee twei thingis; denye not thou to me, bifor that Y die. 8Make thou fer fro me vanyte and wordis of leesyng; yyue thou not to me beggery and richessis; yyue thou oneli necessaries to my lijflode; 9lest perauenture Y be fillid, and be drawun to denye, and seie, Who is the Lord? and lest Y compellid bi nedynesse, stele, and forswere the name of my God. 10Accuse thou not a seruaunt to his lord, lest perauenture he curse thee, and thou falle doun. 11A generacioun that cursith his fadir, and that blessith not his modir. 12A generacioun that semeth cleene to it silf, and netheles is not waischun fro hise filthis. 13A generacioun whose iyen ben hiy, and the iye liddis therof ben reisid in to hiy thingis. 14A generacioun that hath swerdis for teeth, and etith with hise wank teeth; that it ete nedi men of erthe, and the porails of men. 15The watir leche hath twei douytris, seiynge, Brynge, bringe. Thre thingis ben vnable to be fillid, and the fourthe, that seith neuere, It suffisith; 16helle, and the mouth of the wombe, and the erthe which is neuere fillid with water; but fier seith neuere, It suffisith. 17Crowis of the stronde picke out thilke iye, that scorneth the fadir, and that dispisith the child beryng of his modir; and the briddis of an egle ete that iye. 18Thre thingis ben hard to me, and outirli Y knowe not the fourthe thing; 19the weye of an egle in heuene, the weie of a serpent on a stoon, the weie of a schip in the myddil of the see, and the weie of a man in yong wexynge age. 20Siche is the weie of a womman auowtresse, which etith, and wipith hir mouth, and seith, Y wrouyte not yuel. 21The erthe is moued bi thre thingis, and the fourthe thing, which it may not susteyne; 22bi a seruaunt, whanne he regneth; bi a fool, whanne he is fillid with mete; 23bi an hateful womman, whanne sche is takun in matrymonye; and bi an handmaide, whanne sche is eir of hir ladi. 24Foure ben the leeste thingis of erthe, and tho ben wisere than wise men; 25amtis, a feble puple, that maken redi mete in heruest to hem silf; 26a hare, a puple vnmyyti, that settith his bed in a stoon; 27a locust hath no kyng, and al goith out bi cumpanyes; an euete enforsith with hondis, 28and dwellith in the housis of kingis. 29Thre thingis ben, that goon wel, and the fourthe thing, that goith richeli. 30A lioun, strongeste of beestis, schal not drede at the meetyng of ony man; 31a cok gird the leendis, and a ram, and noon is that schal ayenstonde him. 32He that apperith a fool, aftir that he is reisid an hiy; for if he hadde vndurstonde, he hadde sett hond on his mouth. 33Forsothe he that thristith strongli teetis, to drawe out mylk, thristith out botere; and he that smytith greetli, drawith out blood; and he that stirith iris, bringith forth discordis.