Content

CAP 26
1 The hosebonde of a good womman is blessid; for whi the noumbre of her yeeris is double.
2 A strong womman delitith hir hosebonde; and shal fille in pees the yeeris of his lijf.
3 A good womman is a good part; in the good part of hem that dreden God, sche schal be youun to a man for goode dedis.
4 Forsothe the herte of a riche man and of a pore man is good; in al tyme her cheer is glad.
5 Myn herte dredde of thre thingis, and my face dredde in the fourthe thing.
6 Bitraiyng of a citee, and the gadering togidere of puple,
7 and fals chaleng; alle thingis greuouse on deth.
8 The sorewe of herte, and morenyng is a ielouse womman.
9 In a gelouse womman is betyng of tunge, and sche comyneth with alle men.
10 As a yok of oxis which is mouyd, so and a wickid womman; he that holdith hir, is as he that takith a scorpioun.
11 A drunkelew womman is greet ire, and dispisyng; and hir filthe schal not be hilid.
12 The fornycacioun of a womman is in the reisyng of yyen; and schal be knowun in the iye liddis of hir.
13 Make thou sad kepyng in a douytir not turnynge a wei hir silf; lest sche mysvse hir silf, if sche fyndith occasioun.
14 Be thou war of al vnreuerence of hir iyen; and wondre thou not, if sche dispisith thee.
15 As a weiegoere thirstynge schal opene the mouth at a welle, and schal drynke of ech watir next; and the forseid douytir schal sitte ayens ech pale, and schal opene the arowe caas ayens ech arowe, til sche faile.
16 The grace of a bisi womman schal delite hir hosebonde; and schal make fat hise boonus.
17 The kunnyng of hir is the yifte of God.
18 A wijs womman and stille is not chaungyng of a lernyd soule.
19 Grace on grace is an hooli womman, and schamfast.
20 Forsothe al weiyng is not worth a contynent soule.
21 As the sunne risynge in the world in the hiyeste thingis of God, so the fairnesse of a good womman is in to the ournement of hir hous.
22 A lanterne schynynge on an hooli candilstike, and the fairnesse of a face on stidfast age.
23 Goldun pileris on siluerne foundementis, and stidfast feet on the soolis of a stidfast womman.
24 Euerlastynge foundementis on a sad stoon, and the heestis of God in the herte of an hooli womman.