Study Desk

As he that casteth a stoon in to an heep of mercurie; so he that yyueth onour to an vnwijs man.

As if a thorn growith in the hond of a drunkun man; so a parable in the mouth of foolis.

As a dogge that turneth ayen to his spuyng; so is an vnprudent man, that rehersith his fooli.

As a dore is turned in his hengis; so a slow man in his bed.

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.

so a man that anoieth gilefuli his frend, and whanne he is takun, he schal seie, Y dide pleiynge.

As deed coolis at quic coolis, and trees at the fier; so a wrathful man reisith chidyngis.

As if thou wolt ourne a vessel of erthe with foul siluer; so ben bolnynge lippis felouschipid with `the werste herte.

As a brid passinge ouer fro his nest, so is a man that forsakith his place.

As the cheris of men biholdinge schynen in watris; so the hertis of men ben opyn to prudent men.

Helle and perdicioun schulen not be fillid; so and the iyen of men moun not be fillid.

As siluer is preuyd in a wellyng place, and gold `is preued in a furneys; so a man is preued bi the mouth of preyseris. The herte of a wickid man sekith out yuels; but a riytful herte sekith out kunnyng.

And Y siy, that wisdom yede so mych bifor foli, as miche as liyt is dyuerse fro derknessis.

whom Y knowe not, whether he schal be wijs ether a fool; and he schal be lord in my trauels, for whiche Y swatte greetli, and was bisi; and is ony thing so veyn?

Who schal deuoure so, and schal flowe in delicis, as Y dide?

Therfor oon is the perisching of man and of beestis, and euene condicioun is of euer eithir; as a man dieth, `so and tho beestis dien; alle beestis brethen in lijk maner, and a man hath no thing more than a beeste.

As he yede nakid out of his modris wombe, so he schal turne ayen; and he schal take awei with hym no thing of his trauel.

Outirli it is a wretchid sijknesse; as he cam, so he schal turne ayen. What therfor profitith it to hym, that he trauelide in to the wynde?

for as the sown of thornes brennynge vndur a pot, so is the leiyyng of a fool. But also this is vanyte.

For as wisdom defendith, so money defendith; but lernyng and wisdom hath this more, that tho yyuen lijf to `her weldere.