Content

CAP 31
1 The wordis of Lamuel, the king; the visioun bi which his modir tauyte hym.
2 What my derlyng? what the derlyng of my wombe? what the derlyng of my desiris?
3 Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
4 A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.
5 Lest perauenture thei drynke, and foryete domes, and chaunge the cause of the sones of a pore man.
6 Yyue ye sidur to hem that morenen, and wyn to hem that ben of bitter soule.
7 Drinke thei, and foryete thei her nedinesse; and thenke thei no more on her sorewe.
8 Opene thi mouth for a doumb man,
9 and opene thi mouth for the causes of alle sones that passen forth. Deme thou that that is iust, and deme thou a nedi man and a pore man.
10 Who schal fynde a stronge womman? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis.
11 The herte of hir hosebond tristith in hir; and sche schal not haue nede to spuylis.
12 Sche schal yelde to hym good, and not yuel, in alle the daies of hir lijf.
13 Sche souyte wolle and flex; and wrouyte bi the counsel of hir hondis.
14 Sche is maad as the schip of a marchaunt, that berith his breed fro fer.
15 And sche roos bi nyyt, and yaf prey to hir meyneals, and metis to hir handmaidis.
16 Sche bihelde a feeld, and bouyte it; of the fruyt of hir hondis sche plauntide a vyner.
17 Sche girde hir leendis with strengthe, and made strong hir arm.
18 Sche taastide, and siy, that hir marchaundie was good; hir lanterne schal not be quenchid in the niyt.
19 Sche putte hir hondis to stronge thingis, and hir fyngris token the spyndil.
20 Sche openyde hir hond to a nedi man, and stretchide forth hir hondis to a pore man.
21 Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis.
22 Sche made to hir a ray cloth; bijs and purpur is the cloth of hir.
23 Hir hosebonde is noble in the yatis, whanne he sittith with the senatours of erthe.
24 Sche made lynnun cloth, and selde; and yaf a girdil to a Chananei.
25 Strengthe and fairnesse is the clothing of hir; and sche schal leiye in the laste dai.
26 Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge.
27 Sche bihelde the pathis of hir hous; and sche eet not breed idili.
28 Hir sones risiden, and prechiden hir moost blessid; hir hosebonde roos, and preiside hir.
29 Many douytris gaderiden richessis; thou passidist alle.
30 Fairnesse is disseiuable grace, and veyn; thilke womman, that dredith the Lord, schal be preisid.
31 Yyue ye to hir of the fruyt of hir hondis; and hir werkis preise hir in the yatis.