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CAP 28
1 A wickid man fleeth, whanne no man pursueth; but a iust man as a lioun tristynge schal be with out ferdfulnesse.
2 For the synnes of the lond ben many princis therof; and for the wisdom of a man, and for the kunnyng of these thingis that ben seid, the lijf of the duyk schal be lengere.
3 A pore man falsli calengynge pore men, is lijk a grete reyn, wherynne hungur is maad redi.
4 Thei that forsaken the lawe, preisen a wickid man; thei that kepen `the lawe, ben kyndlid ayens hym.
5 Wickid men thenken not doom; but thei that seken the Lord, perseyuen alle thingis.
6 Betere is a pore man goynge in his sympilnesse, than a riche man in schrewid weies.
7 He that kepith the lawe, is a wijs sone; but he that fedith glotouns, schendith his fadir.
8 He that gaderith togidere richessis bi vsuris, and fre encrees, gaderith tho togidere ayens pore men.
9 His preyer schal be maad cursid, that bowith awei his eere; that he here not the lawe.
10 He that disseyueth iust men in an yuel weye, schal falle in his perisching; and iuste men schulen welde hise goodis.
11 A ryche man semeth wijs to him silf; but a pore man prudent schal serche him.
12 In enhaunsing of iust men is miche glorie; whanne wickid men regnen, fallyngis of men ben.
13 He that hidith hise grete trespassis, schal not be maad riytful; but he that knoulechith and forsakith tho, schal gete merci.
14 Blessid is the man, which is euere dredeful; but he that is `harde of soule, schal falle in to yuel.
15 A rorynge lioun, and an hungry bere, is a wickid prince on a pore puple.
16 A duyk nedi of prudence schal oppresse many men bi fals chalenge; but the daies of hym that hatith aueryce, schulen be maad longe.
17 No man susteyneth a man that falsly chalengith the blood of a man, if he fleeth `til to the lake.
18 He that goith simpli, schal be saaf; he that goith bi weiward weies, schal falle doun onys.
19 He that worchith his lond, schal be fillid with looues; he that sueth ydelnesse, schal be fillid with nedynesse.
20 A feithful man schal be preisid myche; but he that hastith to be maad riche, schal not be innocent.
21 He that knowith a face in doom, doith not wel; this man forsakith treuthe, yhe, for a mussel of breed.
22 A man that hastith to be maad riche, and hath enuye to othere men; woot not that nedinesse schal come on hym.
23 He that repreueth a man, schal fynde grace aftirward at hym; more than he that disseyueth bi flateryngis of tunge.
24 He that withdrawith ony thing fro his fadir and fro his modir, and seith that this is no synne, is parcener of a manquellere.
25 He that auauntith hym silf, and alargith, reisith stryues; but he that hopith in the Lord, schal be sauyd.
26 He that tristith in his herte, is a fool; but he that goith wiseli,
27 schal be preysid. He that yyueth to a pore man, schal not be nedi; he that dispisith `a pore man bisechynge, schal suffre nedynesse.
28 Whanne vnpitouse men risen, men schulen be hid; whanne tho `vnpitouse men han perischid, iust men schulen be multiplied.