1 Lord kyng, Y schal knouleche to thee; and Y schal togidere herie thee, my sauyour.
2 Y schal knouleche to thi name, for thou art maad an helpere and defendere to me;
3 and thou hast delyuered my bodi fro perdicioun, fro the snare of a wickid tunge, and fro the lippis of hem that worchen a leesyng; and in the siyt of hem that stonden nyy thou art maad an helpere to me.
4 And thou hast delyuered me, bi the multitude of merci of thi name, fro roreris maad redi to mete;
5 fro the hondis of hem that souyten my soule, and fro many tribulaciouns that cumpassiden me;
6 fro ouerleiyng of flawme that cumpasside me, and in the myddis of fier Y was not brent;
7 fro the depthe of the wombe of helle, and fro a tunge defoulyd, and fro a word of leesyng; fro a wickid kyng, and fro a tunge vniust.
8 `Til to the deth my soule schal preise thee, Lord;
9 and my lijf was neiyynge in helle bynethe.
10 Thei cumpassiden me on ech side, and noon was that helpide; Y was biholdynge to the help of men, and noon was.
11 Lord, Y hadde mynde on thi merci, and on thi worchyng togidere, that ben fro the world;
12 for thou delyuerst hem that abiden thee, and thou delyuerst hem fro the hond of hethene men.
13 Thou enhaunsidist my dwellyng on erthe; and Y bisouyte for deth fletynge doun.
14 Y clepyde to help the Lord, fadir of my Lord, that he forsake not me in the dai of my tribulacioun, and forsake not me with outen help, in the tyme of hem that ben proude.
15 Y schal preise thi name contynueli, and Y schal herie it togidere in knoulechyng; and my preier is herd.
16 And thou hast delyuered me fro perdicioun, and thou hast delyuered me fro the wickid tyme.
17 Therfor Y schal knouleche, and Y schal seie heriyng to thee; and Y schal blesse the name of the Lord.
18 Whanne yit Y was yongere, bifore that Y erride, Y souyte wisdom opynli in my preier.
19 Bifore the tyme of eelde Y axide for it, and `til in to the laste thingis Y schal enquere it; and it schal flour as a grape ripe bifore othere.
20 Myn herte was glad ther ynne, my foot yede a riytful weye; fro my yongthe Y souyte it.
21 Y bowide doun a litil myn eere, and Y took it.
22 Y foonde myche wisdom in my silf, and Y profitide myche ther ynne.
23 Y schal yyue glorie to hym, that yyueth wisdom to me.
24 For whi Y took councel to do it; Y loued feruentli good, and Y schal not be schent.
25 My soule wrastlide togidere ther ynne; and Y was confermyd in doynge it.
26 Y stretchide forth myn hondis an hiy; and my soule schynede in the wisdom of hym, and he liytnyde myn vnkunnyngis.
27 Y dresside my soule to it; and Y foond it in knowyng.
28 Y hadde pesibli fro the bigynnyng an herte with tho; for this thing Y schal not be forsakun.
29 My soule was disturblid in sekynge it; therfor Y schal haue pesibli a good possessioun.
30 For whi the Lord yaf to me a tunge my meede; and in it Y schal preise hym.
31 Ye vntauyt men, neiye to me; and gadere ye you in to the hous of techyng.
32 What tarien ye yit? and what seien ye in these thingis? youre soules thristen greetli.
33 Y openyde my mouth, and Y spak, Bie ye wisdom to you with out siluer,
34 and make youre necke suget to the yok therof, and youre soule resseyue techyng; for whi it is in the nexte to fynde it.
35 Se ye with youre iyen, that Y trauelide a litil, and Y foond myche reste to me.
36 Take ye techyng in myche noumbre of siluere, and welde ye plenteuouse gold ther ynne.
37 Youre soule be glad in the merci of hym; and ye schulen not be schent in the preysing of hym.
38 Worche ye youre werk bifore the tyme; and he schal yyue to you youre meede in his tyme.