The Way of Wisdom
(Proverbs 1:1–7)

1Wysdome hath buylded herself an house, and hewen out seuen pilers:

2she hath slaughted, poured out hir wyne, and prepared hir table.

3She hath sent forth hir maydens to crie vpo the hyest place of the cite:

4Who so is ignoraut, let him come hither. And to the vn wise she sayde:

5O come on youre waye, eate my bred, and drynke my wyne, which I haue poured out for you.

6Forsake ignorauce, and ye shal lyue: and se that ye go in the waye of vnderstondinge.

7Who so reproueth a scornefull personne, getteth him self dishonoure: and he that rebuketh the vngodly, stayneth himself.

8Reproue not a scorner, lest he owe the euell wil: but rebuke a wyse man, and he wil loue the.

9Geue a discrete man but an occasion, & he wilbe the wyser: teach a rightuous man, and he wil increase.

10The feare of the LORDE is the begynnynge of wysdome, & the knowlege of holy thinges is vnderstondinge.

11For thorow me yi dayes shalbe prolonged, and the yeares of thy life shal be many.

12Yf thou be wyse, yi wysdome shal do yi selfe good: but yf thou thynkest scorne therof, it shalbe thine owne harme.

The Way of Folly

13A foolish restlesse woman, full of wordes, and soch one as hath no knowlege,

14sytteth in the dores of hir house vpo a stole aboue in the cite,

15to call soch as go by and walke straight in their wayes.

16Who so is ignoraunt (sayeth she) let him come hither, and to the vnwyse she sayeth:

17stollen waters are swete, & the bred that is preuely eaten, hath a good taist.

18But they cosider not that death is there, and that hir gestes go downe to hell.