‏ Sirach 6

1Nile thou for a freend be maad enemye to the neiybore; for whi an yuele man schal enherite vpbreidyng and dispisyng, and ech synnere enuyouse and double tungid. 2Enhaunse thee not in the thouyt of thi soule, as a bole doith; lest thi vertu be hurtlid doun bi foli, 3and it ete thi leeues, and leese thi fruytis, and thou be left as a drye tree in deseert. 4Forsothe a wickid soule schal leese hym that hath it, and it yyueth hym in to the ioie of the enemye, and it schal leede forth in to the part of wickid men. 5A swete word multiplieth frendis, and swagith enemyes; and a tunge wel graciouse schal be plenteuouse in a good man. 6Many pesible men be to thee, and oon of a thousynde be a counselour to thee. 7If thou hast a frend, haue hym in temptacioun, and bitake not liytli thi silf to hym. 8For ther is a frend bi his time, and he schal not dwelle in the dai of tribulacioun. 9And ther is a frend which is turned to enemytee; and ther is a freend, that schal schewe opynli hatrede, and chiding, and dispisyngis. 10Forsothe ther is a frend, felowe of table, and dwellith not in the dai of nede. 11If a frend dwellith stidfast, he schal be as a man euene with thee, and he schal do tristili in thi meyneal thingis. 12If he mekith hym silf bifore thee, and hidith hym fro thi face, thou schalt haue good frendschip of oon acord. 13Be thou departid fro thin enemyes, and take heede of thi frendis. 14A feithful frend is a strong defendyng; forsothe he that fyndith him, fyndith tresour. 15No comparisoun is to a feithful frend; weiyng of gold and of siluer is not worthi ayens the goodnesse of his feithfulnesse. 16A feithful frend is medicyn of lijf, and of vndeedlynesse; and thei that dreden the Lord, schulen fynde hym. 17He that dredith the Lord, schal haue euenli good frendschip; for whi his frend schal be at the licnesse of hym. 18Sone, fro thi yongthe take thou doctryn, and til to hoor heeris thou schalt fynde wisdom. 19As he that erith, and that sowith, neiye thou to it, and abide thou the goode fruytis therof. 20For thou schalt trauele a litil in the werk therof, and thou schalt ete soone of the generaciouns therof. 21Wisdom is ouer scharp to vntauyt men, and an hertles man schal not dwelle there ynne. 22As the vertu of a stoon, preuyng schal be in hem; and thei schulen not tarie to caste awei it. 23Forsothe the wisdom of techyng is bi the name therof, and it is not opyn to many men; but it dwellith with hem, of whiche it is knowun, til to the siyt of God. 24Sone, here thou, and take the counsel of vndurstondyng, and caste thou not awei my counsel. 25Set in thi foot in to the stockis therof, and thi necke in to the bies therof. 26Make suget thi schuldir, and bere it, and be thou not anoied in the boondis therof. 27In al thi wille go to it, and in al thi vertu kepe the weies therof. 28Enquere thou it, and it schal be maad opyn to thee; and thou made holdinge wisdom forsake not it. 29For in the laste thingis thou schalt fynde reste ther ynne, and it schal turne to thee in to deliting. 30And the stockis therof schulen be to thee in defence of strengthe, and the foundementis of vertu, and the bie therof in a stoole of glorie. 31For whi the fairnesse of lijf is in wisdom, and the boondis therof ben heelful byndyng. 32Thou schalt `were it as a stoole of glorie, and thou schalt sette on thee a coroun of thankyng. 33Sone, if thou takist heede to me, thou schalt lerne wisdom; and if thou yyuest thi wille, thou schalt be wijs. 34If thou bowist doun thin eere, thou schalt take teching; and if thou louest for to here, thou schalt be wijs. 35Stonde thou in the multitude of prudent preestis, and be thou ioyned of herte to the wisdom of hem; that thou maist here ech telling of God, and the prouerbis of preisyng fle not awey fro thee. 36And if thou seest a wijs man, wake thou to hym, and thi foot trede on the greeces of his doris. 37Haue thou thouyt in the comaundementis of God, and be thou most bisi in his heestis; and he schal yyue to thee herte, and coueitise of wisdom schal be youun to thee.