Sirach 31
aligned by seat — same row, same verse, whatever each bible numbers it
| v | Wycliffe |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wakyng of oneste schal make fleischis to faile; and thouyt therof schal take awei sleep. |
| 2 | Thouyt of bifore knowyng turneth awey wit; and greuouse siknesse makith sobre the soule. |
| 3 | A ryche man trauelide in the gaderyng of catel; and in his reste he schal be fillyd with hise goodis. |
| 4 | A pore man trauelide in decreessyng of lijflode; and in the ende he is maad nedi. |
| 5 | He that loueth gold, schal not be iustified; and he that sueth wastyng, schal be fillid therof. |
| 6 | Many men ben youun in to the fallyngis of gold; and the perdicioun of hem was maad in the feirnesse therof. |
| 7 | A tre of offencioun is the gold of hem that maken sacrifice; wo to hem that suen it, and ech vnprudent man schal perische ther ynne. |
| 8 | Blissid is a riche man, which is foundun with out wem; and that yede not aftir gold, nether hopide in money, and tresouris. |
| 9 | Who is this, and we schulen preyse hym? for he dide merueils in his lijf. |
| 10 | Which is preued ther ynne, and is foundun perfit, and euerlastynge glorye schal be to hym? which myyte trespasse, and trespasside not, and do yuels, and dide not. |
| 11 | Therfor hise goodis ben stablischid in the Lord; and al the chirche of seyntis schal telle out hise almesdedis. |
| 12 | Thou hast sete at a greet boord; opene thou not firste thi cheke on it. |
| 13 | Seie thou not, whether tho ben many thingis, that ben on it. |
| 14 | Haue thou mynde, that an yuel iye is weiward. |
| 15 | What thing worse, than an iye is maad? therfor of al his face he schal wepe, whanne he seeth. |
| 16 | Stretche thou not forth first thin hond; and thou defoulid bi enuye, be aschamed. |
| 17 | Be thou not oppressid of wyn in a feeste. |
| 18 | Vnderstonde of thi silf the thingis, that ben of thi neiybore. |
| 19 | Vse thou as a discreet and temperat man these thingis that ben set forth to thee; and be thou not hatid, whanne thou etist myche. |
| 20 | Ceesse thou first bicause of lernyng, ethir nurture; and nyle thou be outrageouse, lest perauenture thou offende. |
| 21 | And if thou hast sete in the myddis of many men, stretche not forth thin hond sunnere than thei; and axe thou not firste for to drynke. |
| 22 | A litil wyn is ful sufficient to a lerned man; and in slepynge thou schalt not trauele for that wyn, and thou schalt not feele trauel. |
| 23 | Wakyng, and colre, ether bittir moisture, and gnawyng to an vndiscreet `either vntemperat man. |
| 24 | But the sleep of heelthe is in a scars man; he schal slepe `til to the morewtid, and his soule schal delite with hym. |
| 25 | And if thou art constreyned in etyng myche, ryse thou fro the myddis, and brake thou; and it schal refreische thee, and thou schalt not brynge sikenesse to thi bodi. |
| 26 | Sone, here thou me, and dispise thou not me; and at the laste thou schalt fynde my wordis. |
| 27 | In alle thi werkis be thou swift; and al sikenesse schal not come to thee. |
| 28 | The lippis of many men schulen blesse a schynynge man in looues; and the witnessyng of his treuthe is feithful. |
| 29 | The citee schal grutche in the worste breed; and the witnessyng of wickidnesse therof is soth. |
| 30 | Nyle thou excite hem that ben diligent in wyn; for whi wyn hath distried many men. |
| 31 | Fier preueth hard irun; so wyn drunkun in drunkenesse schal repreue the hertis of proude men. |
| 32 | Euene lijf to men is wyn drunkun in sobrenesse; if thou drynkist it mesurably, thou schalt be sobre. |
| 33 | What is the lijf which is maad lesse bi wyn? |
| 34 | What defraudith lijf? deth. |
| 35 | Wyn was maad in gladnesse, not in drunkenesse, at the bigynnyng. |
| 36 | Wyn drunkun mesurabli is ful out ioiyng of soule and of bodi. |
| 37 | Sobre drynk is helthe of soule and of bodi. |
| 38 | Wyn drunkun myche makith avoiding, and ire, and many fallyngis. |
| 39 | Wyn drunkun myche is bitternesse of soule. |
| 40 | Strengthe of drunkenesse and hirting of an vnprudent man makith vertu lesse, and makynge woundis. |
| 41 | In the feeste of wyn repreue thou not a neiybore; and dispise thou not hym in his mirthe. |
| 42 | Seye thou not wordis of schenschipe to hym; and oppresse thou not hym in axynge. |