‏ Sirach 14

1Blessid is the man, that stood not bi the word of his mouth, and was not prickid in the sorewe of trespas. 2He is blessid, that hath not sorewe of his soule, and fallith not doun fro his hope. 3Catel is with out resoun to a coueitouse man, and hard nygard; and wherto is gold to an enuyouse man? 4He that gaderith of his wille vniustli, gaderith to othere men; and another man schal mak wast in hise goodis. 5To what othere man schal he be good, which is wickid to hym silf? and he schal not be myrye in hise goodis. 6No thing is worse, than he that hath enuye to hym silf; and this is the yelding of his malice. 7And if he doith good, he doith vnwityngli, and not wilfuli; and at the laste he schewith his malice. 8The iye of an enuyous man is wickid, and turnynge awei the face, and dispisynge his soule. 9The iye of the coueitouse man is neuere fillid; he schal not be fillid in to the part of wickidnesse, til he performe vnriytfulnesse, and make drie his soule. 10An yuel iye to yuels, and the nedi man schal not be fillid of breed; and he schal be in sorewe on his table. 11Sone, if thou hast, do wel with thi silf, and offre thou worthi offryngis to God. 12Be thou myndeful that deth schal not tarie, and the testament of hellis, which is schewid to thee; for whi the testament of this world schal die bi deth. 13Bifore deth do thou good to thi frend, and bi thi miytis stretche thou forth, and yyue to a pore man. 14Be thou not disseyued of a good dai, and a litil part of a good day passe not thee. 15Whether thou schalt not leeue to othere men thi sorewis, and trauels? 16In the departyng of lot yyue thou, and take; and iustifie thi soule. 17Bifore thi deth worche thou riytfulnesse; for at hellis it is not to fynde mete. 18Ech man schal wexe eld as hey, and as a leef bryngynge fruit in a greene tree. 19Othere ben gendrid, and othere ben cast doun; so the generacioun of fleisch and blood, another is endid, and another is borun. 20Ech corruptible werk schal faile in the ende; and he that worchith it, schal go with it. 21And al chosun werk schal be iustified; and he that worchith it, schal be onourid in it. 22Blessid is the man, that schal dwelle in wisdom, and that schal bithenke in riytfulnesse, and schal thenke in wit the biholding of God. 23Which thenkith out, ether fyndith out, the weies of hym in his herte, and schal be vndurstondynge in the hid thingis of hym; goynge as a serchere aftir it, and stondynge in the weies of it. 24Which biholdith bi the wyndows therof, and herith in the yatis therof; 25which restith nyy the hous therof, and settith a stak in the wallis therof. He schal sette his litil hous at the hondis of hym, and goodis schulen reste in his litil hous, bi duryng of the world; 26he schal sette hise sones vndur the hilyng therof, and he schal dwelle vndur the boowis therof; 27he schal be kyuerid vndur the hilyng therof fro heete, and he schal reste in the glorie therof.
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