‏ Sirach 31

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