1
The title of the eiyte and fourtithe salm. To victorie, a salm to the sones of Chore.
2
Alle ye folkis, here these thingis; alle ye that dwellen in the world, perseyue with eeris.
3
Alle the sones of erthe and the sones of men; togidere the riche man and the pore in to oon.
4
Mi mouth schal speke wisdom; and the thenkyng of myn herte schal speke prudence.
5
I schal bouwe doun myn eere in to a parable; Y schal opene my resoun set forth in a sautree.
6
Whi schal Y drede in the yuel dai? the wickidnesse of myn heele schal cumpasse me.
7
Whiche tristen in her owne vertu; and han glorie in the multitude of her richessis.
8
A brother ayenbieth not, schal a man ayenbie? and he schal not yyue to God his plesyng.
9
And he schal not yyue the prijs of raunsum of his soule; and he schal trauele with outen ende,
10
and he schal lyue yit in to the ende.
11
He schal not se perischyng, whanne he schal se wise men diynge; the vnwise man and fool schulen perische togidere. And thei schulen leeue her richessis to aliens;
12
and the sepulcris of hem ben the housis of hem with outen ende. The tabernaclis of hem ben in generacioun and generacioun; thei clepiden her names in her londis.
13
A man, whanne he was in honour, vndurstood not; he is comparisound to vnwise beestis, and he is maad lijk to tho.
14
This weie of hem is sclaundir to hem; and aftirward thei schulen plese togidere in her mouth.
15
As scheep thei ben set in helle; deth schal gnawe hem. And iust men schulen be lordis of hem in the morewtid; and the helpe of hem schal wexe eld in helle, for the glorie of hem.
16
Netheles God schal ayenbie my soule from the power of helle; whanne he schal take me.
17
Drede thou not, whanne a man is maad riche; and the glorie of his hows is multiplied.
18
For whanne he schal die, he schal not take alle thingis; and his glorie schal not go doun with him.
19
For his soule schal be blessid in his lijf; he schal knouleche to thee, whanne thou hast do wel to hym.
20
He schal entre til in to the generaciouns of hise fadris; and til in to with outen ende he schal not se liyt.
21
A man, whanne he was in honour, vndurstood not; he is comparisound to vnwise beestis, and is maad lijk to tho.