1 A soft answere brekith ire; an hard word reisith woodnesse.
Commodian · AD 250 Receive into thy ears the teaching of the great Solomon: God hates the poor man to be a pleader on high. [Prov. 23:11] Therefore submit thyself, and give honour to Him that is powerful; for the soft speech-thou knowest the proverb-melts. [Prov. 15:1] One is conquered by service, even although there be an ancient anger.
Desert Fathers · AD 500 Poemen said, 'If a man sins and denies it, saying, "I have not sinned," do not correct him, or you will destroy any intention he might have of changing. If you say, "Do not be cast down, my brother, but be careful about that in future," you will move his heart to repent.'
Bonaventure · AD 1257 If you seek an example of justice, fortitude, prudence, purity, Scripture proposes becoming examples of every virtue. For virtue consists in concrete doings, wherefore interior guidelines are not enough unless they are accompanied by a concrete example. Hence Scripture gives both. As a rule against anger, it offers: A mild answer calms wrath.
2 The tunge of wise men ourneth kunnyng; the mouth of foolis buylith out foli.
Bede · AD 735 And the mouth of fools pours out folly. By perversely understanding the words of sacred Scripture, and by preferring their own interpretations over its authority. It can also be understood about the philosophers of the pagans, as he says, The mouth of fools pours out folly; such as Porphyry and Julian, who spewed out their streams of folly against the doctors of the Church.
3 In ech place the iyen of the Lord biholden good men, and yuel men.
Cyprian · AD 258 "In every place the eyes of the Lord behold the good and the evil." And when we are gathered together with the brethren in one place and celebrate divine sacrifices with a priest of God, we ought to be mindful of modesty and discipline and not toss our prayers about at random with uncouth voices and not cast forth with turbulent loquaciousness our petition.
Benedict of Nursia · AD 548 We believe God is everywhere, and his eye beholds the good and wicked wherever they are: so we ought to be particularly assured of his special presence when we assist at the divine office.
4 A plesaunt tunge is the tre of lijf; but the tunge which is vnmesurable, schal defoule the spirit.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 "Sanity of tongue is the tree of life." The tongue which does not sin by speaking makes use of sanity: indeed the illness of the tongue is its sin. The one who can check his tongue and does not sin with it is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Bede · AD 735 The soothing tongue is a tree of life, etc. The tongue of the Catholic teacher leads to the fruit of eternal life; but the one who ignores the measure of ecclesiastical rule, destroys both his own spirit and that of his hearers by speaking ill.
5 A fool scorneth the techyng of his fadir; but he that kepith blamyngis, schal be maad wisere. Moost vertu schal be in plenteuouse riytfulnesse; but the thouytis of wickid men schulen be drawun vp bi the roote.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 True prudence is the knowledge of what to do and what not to do. One who possesses it never refrains from virtuous works and is never pierced by the deadly arrow of vice. Thus, he who understands words of prudence knows the difference between what is insidious, structured for deception, and what reminds us quietly about the best way to live life.
6 The hous of a iust man is moost strengthe; and disturbling is in the fruitis of a wickid man.
Bede · AD 735 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, etc. The house of Christ, that is, the Church, has great strength; so that rain, winds, and rivers of frequent temptations cannot demolish it. And in the works of the devil there is continuous turmoil, because he attempts to overthrow the same house of Christ through false brothers or open adversaries.
7 The lippis of wise men schulen sowe abrood kunnyng; the herte of foolis schal be vnlijc.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 For the heart of the wise is always like itself, because, while it rests in good persuasions, it directs itself constantly in good performance. But the heart of the foolish is unlike, because, while it shews itself various through mutability, it never remains what it was.
Bede · AD 735 The lips of the wise spread knowledge, etc. The lips of the Catholics spread knowledge of correct faith by preaching, while the heart of heretics will be different, because it conceives betrayal as knowledge to teach.
8 The sacrifices of wickyd men ben abhomynable to the Lord; avowis of iust men ben plesaunt.
Bede · AD 735 The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, etc. The prayers, works, and sacrifices of heretics are abhorred by the Lord, and He accepts the vows of those who affirm the Catholic faith with righteous deeds.
9 The lijf of the vnpitouse man is abhomynacioun to the Lord; he that sueth riytfulnesse, schal be loued of the Lord.
10 Yuel teching is of men forsakinge the weie of lijf; he that hatith blamyngis, schal die.
Bede · AD 735 The instruction of the wicked leads away from life, etc. The doctrine is evil of those who desert the path of truth; about whom the Lord says, Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. V).
11 Helle and perdicioun ben open bifor the Lord; hou myche more the hertis of sones of men.
12 A man ful of pestilence loueth not hym that repreueth him; and he goith not to wyse men.
13 A ioiful herte makith glad the face; the spirit is cast doun in the morenyng of soule.
Basil of Caesarea · AD 379 Those who live under discipline should avoid very carefully even such intemperate action as is commonly regarded lightly. Indulging in unrestrained and immoderate laughter is a sign of intemperance, of a want of control over one's emotions and of failure to repress the soul's frivolity by a stern use of reason.
Cassiodorus · AD 585 The church explains how it can please the Lord in the light of the living, which means in the brightness of the saints, among whom [the church] is made beautiful, spotless and without wrinkle. Whatever befalls them shines from its face.
14 The herte of a wijs man sekith techyng; and the mouth of foolis is fed with vnkunnyng.
15 Alle the daies of a pore man ben yuele; a sikir soule is a contynuel feeste.
Bede · AD 735 All the days of the afflicted are evil, etc. All the time of the people of God, as long as they are poor in the present, abounds with afflictions and troubles, because they have not yet reached the riches of supreme goodness and eternal abode. Hence the Apostle advises, saying: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Eph. V).
16 Betere is a litil with the drede of the Lord, than many tresouris and vnfillable.
Bede · AD 735 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, etc. As it is in the psalm: Better is a little that the righteous person has than the riches of many wicked (Ps. XXXVI). It is better, therefore, to lack wealth or even daily sustenance while preserving the fear of God, than to abandon the fear of God in the desire of acquiring more.
17 It is betere to be clepid to wortis with charite, than with hatrede to a calf maad fat.
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 "Herbs with love are better than a fatted calf with deceit." This is reminiscent of what we said before, that herbs are not the Agape, but that meals should be taken with charity. A middle course is good in all things, and no less so in serving a banquet. Extremes, in fact, are dangerous, but the mean is good, and all that avoids dire need is a mean.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 But you should be content with your own possessions and not feed on the losses of others. The good food is the simplicity of innocence. Having their own good, they do not know how to lay traps for others, nor do they burn with the flames of greed, for whom every gain is a loss to virtue and an inflaming desire.
Bede · AD 735 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, etc. Everyone who shows examples of good works to others, which they may imitate, invites them as to a feast by which they are refreshed.
18 A wrathful man reisith chidyngis; he that is pacient, swagith chidyngis reisid.
19 The weie of slow men is an hegge of thornes; the weie of iust men is with out hirtyng.
Gregory of Nyssa · AD 395 In this number are those whom Wisdom calls the "slothful ones," who bestrew their "way" with "thorns"; who think it a moral loss to be anxious about keeping the commandments; who erase from their own minds the Apostolic teaching, and instead of eating the bread of their own honest earning fix on that of others, and make their idleness itself into an art of living.
John Cassian · AD 435 "The ways of those who do not work are strewn with thorns, but the ways of the strong are trodden down." Thus wandering from the king's highway, they can never arrive at that metropolis to which our course should ever be directed without swerving.
Bede · AD 735 The way of the just is without stumbling. For indeed the just, in their conduct, whatever adversity confronts them, do not stumble, because they overcome the obstacles of temporal adversity by the leap of eternal hope and inner contemplation.
20 A wise sone makith glad the fadir; and a fonned man dispisith his modir.
21 Foli is ioye to a fool; and a prudent man schal dresse hise steppis.
22 Thouytis ben distried, where no counsel is; but where many counseleris ben, tho ben confermyd.
23 A man is glad in the sentence of his mouth; and a couenable word is best.
Bede · AD 735 A man rejoices in his mouth's sentence, etc. It is indeed human for each to rejoice in his sentence as though prudently uttered; but a true wise man carefully investigates not only the matters he speaks, but also the opportunity of place or time or person, to whom he speaks.
24 The path of lijf is on a lernyd man; that he bowe awei fro the laste helle.
Bede · AD 735 The path of life is above the wise, etc. He calls the wise one perfected not only in knowledge, but also in practice. For to him indeed the paths of life from above are rightly opened; to him the gate of heaven is open. But the last hell, from which he is delivered, is the final punishment of damnation.
25 The Lord schal distrie the hows of proude men; and he schal make stidefast the coostis of a widewe.
Bede · AD 735 The Lord demolishes the house of the proud, etc. The Lord demolishes the gatherings of heretics and other persecutors of the Church, and establishes the boundaries of the same Church, that is, His bride, firm throughout the whole world, for whose life He deigned to die.
26 Iuele thouytis is abhomynacioun of the Lord; and a cleene word moost fair schal be maad stidfast of hym.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 If every evil word is an abomination to the Lord your God, how great an abomination must be supposed the evil word of denial and the evil word of publicly proclaiming another god and the evil oath by the fortune of people, something that has no existence.
Bede · AD 735 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, etc. The Lord abhors the thoughts of heretics, indeed all contrary to piety, and the pure word of true faith will be established by Him, when in the judgment, not only for deeds but also for all words, worthy rewards will be given. He abhorred their evil thoughts, who said, Who is this who even forgives sins? (Mark 2).
27 He that sueth aueryce, disturblith his hous; but he that hatith yiftis schal lyue. Synnes ben purgid bi merci and feith; ech man bowith awei fro yuel bi the drede of the Lord.
28 The soule of a iust man bithenkith obedience; the mouth of wickid men is ful of yuelis.
29 The Lord is fer fro wickid men; and he schal here the preyers of iust men.
30 The liyt of iyen makith glad the soule; good fame makith fat the boonys.
Bede · AD 735 The light of the eyes rejoices the soul, etc. It rightly delights the human mind, when it recognizes, by the Lord's revelation, that it has perceived the light of heavenly mysteries. Which another translation more clearly says, The eye seeing good things delights the heart, certainly the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
31 The eere that herith the blamyngis of lijf, schal dwelle in the myddis of wise men.
Bede · AD 735 The ear that hears the corrections of life, etc. The disciple who obediently listens to the corrections of teachers often progresses to the very seat of honor. Finally, Paul, who humbly submitted to the correction of his Creator, subsequently reached the seat of apostolic dignity.
32 He that castith awei chastisyng, dispisith his soule; but he that assentith to blamyngis, is pesible holdere of the herte.
Origen of Alexandria · AD 253 We are not harsh toward the impenitent. They are wicked to themselves, for those that spurn instruction hate themselves. Yet even in such cases we should seek in every way that healing come to those who are so completely perverted as not even to be conscious of their own ills and drunk with a drunkenness more fatal than that from wine, the drunkenness that comes from the darkne…
Valerian of Cimiez · AD 460 If the prophet deems those guilty whom discipline has never reached, what should we think of those whom it has abandoned? Discerning between the acts of these two classes of people, the prophet authoritatively regards the fault of never having come to discipline as one less serious than that of having rejected her law.
33 The drede of the Lord is teching of wisdom; and mekenesse goith bifore glorie.