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CAP 26
1 As snow in somer, and reyn in heruest; so glorie is vnsemeli to a fool.
2 For whi as a brid fliynge ouer to hiy thingis, and a sparowe goynge in to vncerteyn; so cursing brouyt forth with out resonable cause schal come aboue in to sum man.
3 Beting to an hors, and a bernacle to an asse; and a yerde in the bak of vnprudent men.
4 Answere thou not to a fool bi his foli, lest thou be maad lijk hym.
5 Answere thou a fool bi his fooli, lest he seme to him silf to be wijs.
6 An haltinge man in feet, and drinkinge wickidnesse, he that sendith wordis by a fonned messanger.
7 As an haltinge man hath faire leggis in veyn; so a parable is vnsemeli in the mouth of foolis.
8 As he that casteth a stoon in to an heep of mercurie; so he that yyueth onour to an vnwijs man.
9 As if a thorn growith in the hond of a drunkun man; so a parable in the mouth of foolis.
10 Doom determyneth causis; and he that settith silence to a fool, swagith iris.
11 As a dogge that turneth ayen to his spuyng; so is an vnprudent man, that rehersith his fooli.
12 Thou hast seyn a man seme wijs to hym silf; an vnkunnyng man schal haue hope more than he.
13 A slow man seith, A lioun is in the weie, a liounnesse is in the foot pathis.
14 As a dore is turned in his hengis; so a slow man in his bed.
15 A slow man hidith hise hondis vndur his armpit; and he trauelith, if he turneth tho to his mouth.
16 A slow man semeth wysere to hym silf, than seuene men spekynge sentensis.
17 As he that takith a dogge bi the eeris; so he that passith, and is vnpacient, and is meddlid with the chiding of anothir man.
18 As he is gilti, that sendith speris and arowis in to deth;
19 so a man that anoieth gilefuli his frend, and whanne he is takun, he schal seie, Y dide pleiynge.
20 Whanne trees failen, the fier schal be quenchid; and whanne a priuy bacbitere is withdrawun, stryues resten.
21 As deed coolis at quic coolis, and trees at the fier; so a wrathful man reisith chidyngis.
22 The wordis of a pryuei bacbitere ben as symple; and tho comen til to the ynneste thingis of the herte.
23 As if thou wolt ourne a vessel of erthe with foul siluer; so ben bolnynge lippis felouschipid with `the werste herte.
24 An enemy is vndirstondun bi hise lippis, whanne he tretith giles in the herte.
25 Whanne he `makith low his vois, bileue thou not to hym; for seuene wickidnessis ben in his herte.
26 The malice of hym that hilith hatrede gilefuli, schal be schewid in a counsel.
27 He that delueth a diche, schal falle in to it; and if a man walewith a stoon, it schal turne ayen to hym.
28 A fals tunge loueth not treuth; and a slidir mouth worchith fallyngis.