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CAP 18
1 He that wole go a wei fro a frend, sekith occasiouns; in al tyme he schal be dispisable.
2 A fool resseyueth not the wordis of prudence; `no but thou seie tho thingis, that ben turned in his herte.
3 A wickid man, whanne he cometh in to depthe of synnes, dispisith; but sclaundre and schenschipe sueth hym.
4 Deep watir is the wordis of the mouth of a man; and a stronde fletinge ouer is the welle of wisdom.
5 It is not good to take the persoone of a wickid man in doom, that thou bowe awei fro the treuthe of dom.
6 The lippis of a fool medlen hem silf with chidyngis; and his mouth excitith stryues.
7 The mouth of a fool is defoulyng of hym; and hise lippis ben the fallynge of his soule.
8 The wordis of a double tungid man ben as symple; and tho comen `til to the ynnere thingis of the wombe. Drede castith doun a slowe man; forsothe the soulis of men turned in to wymmens condicioun schulen haue hungur.
9 He that is neisch, and vnstidfast in his werk, is the brother of a man distriynge hise werkis.
10 A strongeste tour is the name of the Lord; a iust man renneth to hym, and schal be enhaunsid.
11 The catel of a riche man is the citee of his strengthe; and as a stronge wal cumpassinge hym.
12 The herte of man is enhaunsid, bifor that it be brokun; and it is maad meke, bifore that it be glorified.
13 He that answerith bifore that he herith, shewith hym silf to be a fool; and worthi of schenschipe.
14 The spirit of a man susteyneth his feblenesse; but who may susteyne a spirit liyt to be wrooth?
15 The herte of a prudent man schal holde stidfastli kunnyng; and the eere of wise men sekith techyng.
16 The yift of a man alargith his weie; and makith space to hym bifore princes.
17 A iust man is the first accusere of hym silf; his frend cometh, and schal serche hym.
18 Lot ceessith ayenseiyngis; and demeth also among miyti men.
19 A brother that is helpid of a brothir, is as a stidfast citee; and domes ben as the barris of citees.
20 A mannus wombe schal be fillid of the fruit of his mouth; and the seedis of hise lippis schulen fille hym.
21 Deth and lijf ben in the werkis of tunge; thei that louen it, schulen ete the fruytis therof.
22 He that fyndith a good womman, fyndith a good thing; and of the Lord he schal drawe vp myrthe. He that puttith a wey a good womman, puttith awei a good thing; but he that holdith auowtresse, is a fool and vnwijs.
23 A pore man schal speke with bisechingis; and a riche man schal speke sterneli.
24 A man freendli to felouschipe schal more be a frend, than a brothir.