CHAPTER 31
1 Watching of riches shall make fleshes to fail; and thought thereof shall take away sleep. [The waking of honesty shall dwindle the flesh; and the thinking of it shall do away sleep.]
2 Thoughts of before-knowing turn-eth away wit; and grievous sickness [or heavy infirmity] maketh sober the soul.
3 A rich man travailed in the gathering of chattel [or substance]; and in his rest he shall be filled with his goods.
4 A poor man travailed in decreasing [or lessening] of lifelode; and in the end he is made needy.
5 He that loveth gold, shall not be justified; and he that pursueth [or followeth]after wasting, shall be [full-]filled thereof.
6 Many men be given into the fallings of gold, that is, many men felled into sins for gold; and the perdition [or loss] of them was made in the fairness thereof [or of it].
7 A tree of offence is the gold of them that make sacrifice; woe to them that pursue [or follow] it, and each unprudent man shall perish therein.
8 Blessed is a rich man, which is found without wem of covetousness and avarice; and that went not after gold, neither hoped in money, and treasures.
9 Who is this, and we shall praise him? for he did marvels in his life.
10 Which is proved therein, and is found perfect, and everlasting glory shall be to him? which might trespass, and trespassed not, and do evils, and did not.
11 Therefore his goods be stablished in the Lord; and all the church of saints shall tell out his alms-deeds.
12 Thou hast set at a great board; open thou not first thy cheek on it, that is, begin thou not to eat first. [And] Say thou not, whether those be many things, that be on it.
13 Have thou mind, that an evil eye is wayward [or evil is the shrewd eye]. What thing worse, than an eye is made? therefore of all his face he shall weep, when he seeth.
14 Stretch thou not forth first thine hand; and thou defouled by envy, be ashamed. Be thou not oppressed of wine in a feast.
15 Understand of thyself the things, that be of thy neighbour. [Understand what be of thy neighbour, of thyself.]
16 Use thou as a discreet and temperate man these things that be set forth to thee; and be thou not hated, when thou eatest much.
17 Cease thou first because of learn-ing [or discipline], either nurture; and do not thou be outrageous [or be too much], lest peradventure thou offend.
18 And if thou hast set in the midst [or in the middle] of many men, stretch not forth [or out] thine hand sooner than they; and ask thou not first for to drink.
19 A little wine is fully sufficient to a learned man; and in sleeping thou shalt not travail for that wine, and thou shalt not feel travail.
20 Waking, and choler, either bitter moisture, and gnawing [or anguish] to an undiscreet and untemperate man. But the sleep of health is in a scarce man; he shall sleep unto the morrow-tide; and his soul shall delight with him.
21 And if thou art constrained in eating [too] much, rise thou from the midst, and spew thou; and it shall refresh thee, and thou shalt not bring sickness to thy body.
22 Son, hear thou me, and despise thou not me; and at the last thou shalt find my words be true. In all thy works be thou swift; and all sickness shall not come to thee.
23 The lips of many men shall bless a shining man in loaves; and the witnessing of his truth is faithful.
24 The city shall grutch in the worst bread; and the witnessing of wicked-ness thereof is sooth.
25 Do not thou excite [or stir up] them that be diligent in wine; for why wine hath destroyed many men.
26 Fire proveth hard iron; so wine drunken in drunkenness shall reprove the hearts of proud men.
27 Even life to men is wine drunken in soberness; if thou drinkest it measurably, thou shalt be sober. What is the life which is made less by wine? What defraudeth life? death. Wine was made in gladness, not in drunkenness, at [or from] the begin-ning.
28 Wine drunken measurably is full out joying of soul and of body. Sober drink is health of soul and of body.
29 Wine drunken much maketh voiding, and ire [or wrath], and many fallings, or mischiefs.
30 Wine drunken much is bitterness of soul. Strength of drunkenness and hurting [or the offence] of an un-prudent man maketh virtue less [or lessening virtue], and making wounds.
31 In the feast of wine, reprove thou not a neighbour; and despise thou not him in his mirth. Say thou not words of shame [or reproof] to him; and oppress thou not him in [again]-asking.