Ecclesiastes 2 Cross References - Wycliffe

¹ Therfor Y seide in myn hertez, Y schal go, and Y schal flowe in delicis, and Y schal vse goodis; and Y siy also that this was vanyte. ² And leiyyng Y arrettide errour, and Y seide to ioye, What art thou disseyued in veyn? ³ I thouyte in myn herte to withdrawe my fleisch fro wyn, that Y schulde lede ouer my soule to wisdom, and that Y schulde eschewe foli, til Y schulde se, what were profitable to the sones of men; in which dede the noumbre of daies of her lijf vndur the sunne is nedeful. ⁴ Y magnefiede my werkis, Y bildide housis to me, and Y plauntide vynes; Y made yerdis and orcherdis, ⁵ and Y settide tho with the trees of al kynde; ⁶ and Y made cisternes of watris, for to watre the wode of trees growynge. ⁷ I hadde in possessioun seruauntis and handmaidis; and Y hadde myche meynee, and droues of grete beestis, and grete flockis of scheep, ouer alle men that weren bifore me in Jerusalem. ⁸ Y gaderide togidere to me siluer and gold, and the castels of kingis and of prouyncis; Y made to me syngeris and syngeressis, and delicis of the sones of men, and cuppis and vessels in seruyce, to helde out wynes; ⁹ and Y passide in richessis alle men, that weren bifor me in Jerusalem. Also wisdom dwellide stabli with me, ¹⁰ and alle thingis whiche myn iyen desiriden, Y denyede not to hem; nether Y refreynede myn herte, that ne it vside al lust, and delitide it silf in these thingis whiche I hadde maad redi; and Y demyde this my part, if Y vside my trauel. ¹¹ And whanne Y hadde turned me to alle werkis whiche myn hondys hadden maad, and to the trauels in whiche Y hadde swet in veyn, Y siy in alle thingis vanyte and turment of the soule, and that no thing vndir sunne dwellith stabli. ¹² I passide to biholde wisdom, errours, and foli; Y seide, What is a man, that he may sue the king, his maker? ¹³ And Y siy, that wisdom yede so mych bifor foli, as miche as liyt is dyuerse fro derknessis. ¹⁴ The iyen of a wijs man ben in his heed, a fool goith in derknessis; and Y lernede, that o perisching was of euer either. ¹⁵ And Y seide in myn herte, If o deth schal be bothe of the fool and of me, what profitith it to me, that Y yaf more bisynesse to wisdom? And Y spak with my soule, and perseyuede, that this also was vanyte. ¹⁶ For mynde of a wijs man schal not be, in lijk maner as nether of a fool with outen ende, and tymes to comynge schulen hile alle thingis togidere with foryetyng; a lerned man dieth in lijk maner and an vnlerned man. ¹⁷ And therfor it anoiede me of my lijf, seynge that alle thingis vndur sunne ben yuele, and that alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of the spirit. ¹⁸ Eft Y curside al my bisynesse, bi which Y trauelide moost studiousli vndur sunne, and Y schal haue an eir after me, ¹⁹ whom Y knowe not, whether he schal be wijs ether a fool; and he schal be lord in my trauels, for whiche Y swatte greetli, and was bisi; and is ony thing so veyn? ²⁰ Wherfor Y ceesside, and myn herte forsook for to trauele ferthere vnder sunne. ²¹ For whi whanne another man trauelith in wisdom, and techyng, and bisynesse, he leeueth thingis getun to an idel man; and therfor this is vanyte, and greet yuel. ²² For whi what schal it profite to a man of al his trauel, and turment of spirit, bi which he was turmentid vndur sunne? ²³ Alle hise daies ben ful of sorewis and meschefs, and bi nyyt he restith not in soule; and whether this is not vanyte? ²⁴ Whether it is not betere to ete and drynke, and to schewe to hise soule goodis of hise trauels? and this thing is of the hond of God. ²⁵ Who schal deuoure so, and schal flowe in delicis, as Y dide? ²⁶ God yaf wisdom, and kunnyng, and gladnesse to a good man in his siyt; but he yaf turment, and superflu bisynesse to a synnere, that he encreesse, and gadere togidere, and yyue to hym that plesith God; but also this is vanyte, and veyn bisynesse of soule.

³¹ And God seiy alle thingis whiche he made, and tho weren ful goode. And the euentid and morwetid was maad, the sixte day.

⁸ Forsothe the Lord God plauntide at the bigynnyng paradis of likyng, wherynne he settide man whom he hadde formed. ⁹ And the Lord God brouyte forth of the erthe ech tre fair in siyt, and swete to ete; also he brouyte forth the tre of lijf in the middis of paradis, and the tre of kunnyng of good and of yuel.

⁶ Therfore the womman seiy that the tre was good, and swete to ete, and fair to the iyen, and delitable in bi holdyng; and sche took of the fruyt therof, and eet, and yaf to hir hosebande, and he eet.

² the sones of God seiyen the douytris of men that thei weren faire, and token wyues to hem of alle whiche thei hadden chose.

¹ Also the Lord seide to Noe, Entre thou and al thin hous in to the schip, for Y seiy thee iust bifore me in this generacioun.

³ And oon seide to his neiybore, Come ye, and make we tiel stonys, and bake we tho with fier; and thei hadden tiel for stonus, and pitche for morter; ⁴ and seiden, Come ye, and make we to vs a citee and tour, whos hiynesse stretche `til to heuene; and make we solempne oure name bifor that we be departid in to alle londis.

⁴ and seiden, Come ye, and make we to vs a citee and tour, whos hiynesse stretche `til to heuene; and make we solempne oure name bifor that we be departid in to alle londis.

⁷ and scheende we there the tunge of hem, that ech man here not the voys of his neiybore.

² Forsothe he was ful riche in possessyoun of siluer and of gold.

¹⁴ And whanne Abram hadde herd this thing, that is, Loth his brothir takun, he noumbride his borun seruauntis maad redy thre hundrid and eiytene, and pursuede hem `til to Dan.

³ And Abram addide, Sotheli thou hast not youe seed to me, and, lo! my borun seruaunt schal be myn eir.

¹² A yong child of eiyte daies schal be circumsidid in you, al male kynde in youre generaciouns, as wel a borun seruaunt as a seruaunt bouyt schal be circumsidid, and who euere is of youre kynrede he schal be circumsidid; ¹³ and my couenaunt schal be in youre fleisch in to euerlastynge boond of pees.

¹⁴ forsothe my God Almyyti mak him pesible to you, and sende he ayen youre brother, whom he holdith in boondis, and this Beniamyn; forsothe Y schal be as maad bare without sones.

⁹ And he answeride, The daies of pilgrymage of my lijf, ben feewe and yuele, of an hundrid and thretti yeer, and tho `camen not til to the daies of my fadris, in whiche thei weren pilgryms.

⁶ Forsothe Joseph was in Egipt; and whanne he was deed, and alle hise brithren, and al his kynrede,

⁸ A newe kyng, that knewe not Joseph, roos in the meene tyme on Egipt, and seide to his puple, Lo!

⁴³ And aftir that Moises siy alle tho thingis fillid, he blesside hem.

¹⁵ If in other maner it semeth to thee, Y biseche that thou sle me, and that Y fynde grace in thin iyen, that Y be not punyschid bi so grete yuelis.

¹² lest aftir that thou hast ete, and art fillid, hast bildid faire housis, and hast dwellid in tho, ¹³ and hast droues of oxun, and flockis of scheep, and plente of siluer, and of gold, and of alle thingis, thine herte be reisid, ¹⁴ and thenke not on thi Lord God, that ledde thee out of the lond of Egipt, and fro the hous of seruage,

¹² Ther ye schulen ete bifor youre Lord God, ye, and youre sones and douytris, youre seruauntis, and seruauntessis, and the dekenes, that dwellen in youre citees; for thei han not other part and possessioun among you.

¹⁸ but thou schalt ete tho bifor thi Lord God, in the place which thi Lord God chees, thou, and thi sone, and douyter, seruaunt, and seruauntesse, and the dekene that dwellith in thi citees; and thou schalt be glad, and schalt be fillid bifor thi Lord God in alle thingis to whiche thou holdist forth thin hond.

² and he stiede, and telde to his fadir and `to his modir, and seide, Y siy a womman in Thannatha of the `douytris of Filistees, and Y biseche, that ye take hir a wijf to me.

³⁶ Forsothe Abigail cam to Nabal; and, lo! a feeste was to him in his hows, as the feeste of a kyng; and the herte of Nabal was iocounde, for he was `drunkun greetli; and sche schewide not to hym a word litil ether greet til the morewe.

³³ And the kyng biweilide, and bymorenyde Abner, and seide, Abner, thou diedist not as dredeful men, `ethir cowardis, ben wont to die.

¹⁸ Forsothe Absolon, while he lyuyde yit, hadde reisid to hym a memorial, which is in the valey of the kyng; for he seide, Y haue no sone, and this schal be the mynde of my name; and he clepide `the memorial bi his name, and it is clepid the Hond, `that is, werk, of Absolon `til to this dai.

³⁵ Y am of foure score yeer to dai; whether my wittis ben quike to deme swete thing ethir bittir, ether mete and drynk may delite thi seruaunt, ether may Y here more the vois of syngeris ether of syngsters? Whi is thi seruaunt to charge to my lord the kyng?

¹² Y haue do to thee vpe thi wordis, and Y haue youe to thee a wyse herte and vndirstondynge, in so myche that no man bifor thee was lijk thee, nether schal rise aftir thee.

²¹ Forsothe Solomon was in his lordschip, and hadde alle rewmes, as fro the flood of the lond of Filisteis `til to the laste part of Egipt, of men offrynge yiftis to hym, and seruynge to hym, in alle the daies of his lijf. ²² Forsothe the mete of Salomon was bi ech day, thritti chorus of clene flour of whete, and sixti chorus of mele, ²³ ten fatte oxis, and twenti oxis of lesewe, and an hundrid wetheris, outakun huntyng of hertys, of geet, and of buglis, and of briddis maad fat.

²³ ten fatte oxis, and twenti oxis of lesewe, and an hundrid wetheris, outakun huntyng of hertys, of geet, and of buglis, and of briddis maad fat. ²⁴ For he helde al the cuntrei that was biyende the flood, as fro Caphsa `til to Gasa, and alle the kyngis of tho cuntreis; and he hadde pees bi ech part in cumpas.

¹ Forsothe Salomon bildide his owne hows in thrittene yeer, and brouyte it til to perfeccioun. ² He bildide an hows of the forest of Liban, of an hundrid cubitis of lengthe, and of fifti cubitis of breede, and of thretti cubitis of hiythe; and he bildide foure aleis bitwixe the pilers of cedre; for he hadde hewe doun trees of cedres in to pilers. ³ And he clothide al the chaumbir with wallis of cedris; which chaumbir was susteyned with fyue and fourti pileris. Sotheli oon ordre hadde fiftene pileris, set ayens hem silf togidere, ⁴ and biholdynge hem silf euene ayens, bi euene space bitwixe the pilers; ⁵ and on the pilers weren foure square trees, euene in alle thingis. ⁶ And he made a porche of pilers of fifti cubitis of lengthe, and of thritti cubitis of breede; and `he made an other porche in the face of the gretter porche; and he made pileris, and pomels on the pileris. <sup>7</sup> Also he maad a porche of the kyngis seete, in which the seete of doom was; and he hilide with trees of cedre, fro the pawment `til to the hiynesse. ⁸ And a litil hows, in which he sat to deme, was in the myddil porche, bi lijk werk. Also Salomon made an hows to the douyter of Farao, whom he hadde weddid, bi sich werk, bi what maner werk he made and this porche. ⁹ He made alle thingis of preciouse stoonys, that weren sawid at sum reule and mesure, bothe with ynne and with outforth, fro the foundement `til to the hiynesse of wallis, and with ynne and `til to the gretter street, ethir court. ¹⁰ Sotheli the foundementis weren of preciouse stoonys, grete stoonys of ten, ethir of eiyte cubitis; ¹¹ and preciouse stoonys hewun of euene mesure weren aboue; in lijk maner and of cedre. ¹² And the gretter court, `ethir voide space, was round, of thre ordris of hewun stonus, and of oon ordre of hewun cedre; also and in the ynnere large strete of the hows of the Lord, and in the porche of the hows of the Lord.

¹ Forsothe it was doon, whanne Salomon had perfourmed the bildyng of the hows of the Lord, and the bildyng of the kyng, and al thing that he coueitide, and wolde make,

¹⁴ Also Hiram sente to king Salomon sixe score talentis of gold.

²⁰ Salomon made tributaries `til to this dai al the puple, that lefte of Ammorreis, Etheis, and Fereseis, and Eueys, and Jebuseys, that ben not of the sones of Israel, ²¹ the sones of these hethen men, that dwelliden in the lond, that is, whiche the sones of Israel myyten not distrye. ²² Sotheli kyng Salomon ordeynede not ony man of the sones of Israel to serue, but thei weren men werriours, and mynystris of him, and princes, and dukis, and prefectis of his chares and horsis.

²⁸ and whanne thei hadden come in to Ophir, thei brouyten fro thennus gold of foure hundrid and twenti talentis to kyng Salomon.

⁷ and Y bileuyde not to men tellynge to me, til Y my silf cam, and siy with myn iyen, and preuede that the half part was not teld to me; thi wisdom is more and thi werkis, than the tale which Y herde.

¹⁰ Therfor sche yaf to the kyng sixe score talentis of gold, and ful many swete smellynge thingis, and precious stoonus; so many swete smellynge thingis weren no more brouyt, as tho which the queen of Saba yaf to kyng Salomon.

¹⁴ Forsothe the weyte of gold, that was offrid to Salomon bi ech yeer, was of sixe hundrid and sixe and sixti talentis of gold,

¹⁹ which trone hadde sixe grees; and the hiynesse of the trone was round in the hynderere part; and tweine hondis on this side and on that side, holdynge the seete, and twei lyouns stoden bisidis ech hond; ²⁰ and twelue litil liouns stondynge on sixe grees on this side and on that side; siche a werk was not maad in alle rewmes. ²¹ But also alle the vessels, of which kyng Salomon drank, weren of gold, and alle the purtenaunce of the hows of the forest of Liban was of pureste gold; siluer was not, nether it was arettid of ony prijs in the daies of Salomon.

²³ Therfor kyng Salomon was magnified aboue alle kyngis of erthe in richessis and wisdom.

¹¹ Therfor the Lord seide to Salomon, For thou haddist this thing anentis thee, and keptist not my couenaunt, and myn heestis, whiche Y comaundide to thee, Y schal breke, and Y schal departe thi rewme, and Y schal yyue it to thi seruaunt. ¹² Netheles Y schal not do in thi daies, for Dauid, thi fadir; Y schal kitte it fro the hond of thi sone; ¹³ nether Y schal do a wey al the rewme, but Y schal yyue o lynage to thi sone, for Dauid, my seruaunt, and for Jerusalem, which Y chess.

¹⁴ and he spak to hem bi the counsel of yonge men, and seide, My fadir made greuouse youre yok, forsothe Y schal adde to youre yok; my fadir beet you with scourgis, forsothe Y schal bete you with scorpiouns. ¹⁵ And the kyng assentide not to the puple, for the Lord hadde turned awey, `ether hadde wlatid hym, that the Lord schulde reise his word, which he hadde spoke in the hond of Ahias of Silo to Jeroboam, sone of Nabath. ¹⁶ Therfor the puple siy, that the kyng nolde here hem; and the puple answeride to the kyng, and seide, What part is to vs in Dauid, ether what eritage in the sone of Ysay? Israel, turne thou ayen in to thi tabernaclis; now, Dauid, se thou thin hows. And Israel yede in to hise tabernaclis. ¹⁷ Forsothe Roboam regnede on the sones of Israel, whiche euere dwelliden in the citees of Juda. ¹⁸ Therfore kyng Roboam sente Adhuram, that was on the tributis; and al the puple of Israel stonyde hym, and he was deed. ¹⁹ Forsothe kyng Roboam stiede hastili on the chare, and fledde in to Jerusalem; and Israel departide fro the hows of Dauid, til in to present dai. ²⁰ Forsothe it was doon, whanne al Israel hadde herd that Jeroboam turnede ayen, thei senten, and clepiden hym, whanne the cumpany was gaderid togidere, and thei maden hym kyng on al Israel; and no man suede the hows of Dauid, outakun the lynage aloone of Juda.

²¹ Forsothe Roboam, the sone of Salomon, regnede in Juda; Roboam was of oon and fourti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede seuentene yeer in Jerusalem, the citee which the Lord chees of alle the lynagis of Israel, that he schulde sette his name there. Sotheli the name of his moder was Naama Amanyte. ²² And Juda dide yuel bifor the Lord, and thei terriden hym to ire on alle thingis, whiche her fadris diden in her synnes, bi whiche thei synneden.

²⁵ Forsothe in the fifthe yeer of the rewme of Roboam, Sesach, the kyng of Egipt, styede in to Jerusalem; ²⁶ and he took the tresouris of the hows of the Lord, and the kyngis tresouris, and he rauischide alle thingis; also `he rauischide the goldun scheeldis, whiche Salomon made. ²⁷ For whiche kyng Roboam made brasun scheeldis, and yaf tho in the hondis of duykis of scheeld makeris, and of hem that wakiden bifor the dore of the hows of the Lord.

²⁷ For whiche kyng Roboam made brasun scheeldis, and yaf tho in the hondis of duykis of scheeld makeris, and of hem that wakiden bifor the dore of the hows of the Lord. ²⁸ And whanne the kyng entride in to the hows of the Lord, thei that hadden office to go bifore, baren tho, and baren ayen to the place of armer of scheeld makeris.

¹⁹ Boond of pees is bitwixe me and thee, and bitwixe my fadir and thi fadir, and therfor Y sente to thee yiftis, gold, and siluer; and Y axe, that thou come, and make voide the boond of pees, which thou hast with Baasa, kyng of Israel, and that he go awey fro me.

⁴ and yede in to deseert, the weie of o dai. And whanne he cam, and sat vndir o iunypere tre, he axide to his soule, that he schulde die; and he seide, Lord, it suffisith to me, take my soule; for Y am not betere than my fadris.

⁴ Forsothe Mesa, kyng of Moab, nurschide many beestis, and paiede to the kyng of Israel an hundrid thousynde of lambren, and an hundrid thousynde of wetheris, with her fleesis.

⁵ Therfor the kyng of Syrie seide to hym, Go thou, and Y schal sende lettris to the kyng of Israel. And whanne he hadde go forth, and hadde take with hym ten talentis of siluer, and sixe thousynde goldun platis, `ether floreyns, and ten chaungyngis of clothis,

¹ Therfor Dauid, and the magestratis of the oost, departiden in to the seruyce the sones of Asaph, and of Eman, and of Idithum, whiche schulden profecye in harpis, and sawtrees, and cymbalis, bi her noumbre, and serue the office halewid to hem.

⁶ Alle vndur the hond of her fadir weren `delid, ethir asigned, to synge in the temple of the Lord, in cymbalis, and sawtrees, and harpis, in to the seruyces of the hows of the Lord nyy the kyng, that is to seie, Asaph, and Idithum, and Heman.

²⁷ and Semeye Ramathites was souereyn on tilieris of vyneris; sotheli Zabdie Aphonytes was souereyn on the wyn celeris;

²⁹ forsothe Cethray Saronytis `was souereyn of the droues, that weren lesewid in Sarena; and Saphat, the sone of Abdi, was ouer the oxis in valeys; ³⁰ sotheli Vbil of Ismael was ouer the camelis; and Jadye Meronathites was ouer the assis; and Jazir Aggarene was ouer the scheep; ³¹ alle these weren princes of the catel of kyng Dauid.

²⁵ Therfor the Lord magnefiede Salomon on al Israel, and yaue to hym glorie of the rewme, what maner glorie no kyng of Israel hadde bifor hym.

¹ Therfor Salomon, the sone of Dauid, was coumfortid in his rewme, and the Lord was with hym, and magnefiede hym an hiy.

¹ Forsothe whanne twenti yeer weren fillid, aftir that Salomon bildide the hows of the Lord, ² and his owne hows, he bildide the citees, whiche Iram hadde youe to Salomon; and he made the sones of Israel to dwelle there. ³ Also he yede in to Emath of Suba, and gat it. ⁴ And he bildide Palmyram in deseert, and he bildide othere `citees maad ful stronge in Emath. <sup>5</sup> And he bildide the hiyere Betheron and the lowere Betheron, wallid citees, hauynge yatis and lockis and barris; <sup>6</sup> also he bildide Balaath, and alle `citees ful stronge that weren of Salomon; and alle the citees of cartis, and the citees of knyytis kyng Salomon bildide, and disposide alle thingis whiche euere he wolde, in Jerusalem, and in the Liban, and in al the lond of his power.

¹¹ Sotheli he translatide the douyter of Farao fro the citee of Dauid in to the hows, which he hadde bildid to hir; for the kyng seide, My wijf schal not dwelle in the hows of Dauid, kyng of Israel, for it is halewid, for the arke of the Lord entride in to that hows.

¹¹ that is, of the trees of thyne, the kyng made grees in the hows of the Lord, and in the hows of the kyng, `harpis also, and sautrees to syngeris; siche trees weren neuere seyn in the lond of Juda.

¹⁵ Therfor kyng Salomon made two hundrid goldun speris of the summe of sixe hundrid `floreyns, ether peesis of gold, that weren spendid in ech spere; <sup>16</sup> and he made thre hundrid goldun scheeldis of thre hundrid floreyns, with whiche ech scheeld was hilid; and the kyng puttide tho in the armure place, that was set in the wode. <sup>17</sup> Also the kyng made a greet seete of yuer, and clothide it with clennest gold; <sup>18</sup> and he made sixe grees, bi whiche me stiede to the seete, and a goldun stool, and tweyne armes, oon ayens `the tother, and twei liouns stondynge bisidis the armes; ¹⁹ but also he made twelue othere litle liouns stondynge on sixe grees on euer either side. Siche a seete was not in alle rewmes. ²⁰ And alle the vessels of the feeste of the kyng weren of gold, and the vessels of the hows of the forest of the Liban weren of pureste gold; for siluer in tho daies was arettid for nouyt. ²¹ For also the schippis of the kyng yeden in to Tharsis with the seruauntis of Iram onys in thre yeer, and brouyten fro thennus gold, and siluer, and yuer, and apis, and pokokis. ²² Therfor kyng Salomon was magnyfied ouer alle kyngis of erthe for richessis and glorie. ²³ And alle the kyngis of londis desireden to se the face of Salomon, for to here the wisdom which God hadde youe in his herte; and thei brouyten to hym yiftis,

¹³ And `the kyng answeride harde thingis, after that he hadde forsake the counsel of the eldere men, ¹⁴ and he spak bi the wille of the yonge men, My fadir puttide on you a greuouse yok, which Y schal make greuousere; my fadir beet you with scourgis, sotheli Y schal bete you with scorpiouns. ¹⁵ And he assentide not to the preieris of the puple; for it was the wille of God, that his word schulde be fillid, which he hadde spoke bi the hond of Ahie of Silo to Jeroboam, sone of Nabath. ¹⁶ Sotheli whanne the kyng seide hardere thingis, al the puple spak thus to hym, No part is to vs in Dauid, nether eritage in the sone of Isai; Israel, turne thou ayen in to thi tabernaclis, sotheli thou, Dauid, feede thin hows. And Israel yede in to hise tabernaclis.

⁹ Therfor Sesach, the kyng of Egipt, yede a wey fro Jerusalem, aftir that he hadde take awei the tresouris of the hows of the Lord, and of the kyngis hows; and he took alle thingis with hym, and the goldun scheeldis whiche Salomon hadde maad, ¹⁰ for whiche the kyng made brasun scheeldis, and took tho to the princes of scheeld makeris, that kepten the porche of the paleis.

¹⁰ Also he bildide touris in the wildirnesse, and he diggide ful many cisternes; for he hadde many beestis as wel in the feeldi places as in the wastnesse of deseert. Also he hadde vyneris and tiliers of vynes in the hilles, and in Carmele; for he was a man youun to erthetilthe.

²⁰ Therfor Ezechie dide alle thingis, whiche we seiden, in al Juda, and he wrouyte that, that was riytful and good and trewe bifor `his Lord God, ²¹ in al the religioun of the seruyce of the hows of the Lord, bi the lawe and cerymonyes; and he wolde seke his Lord God in al his herte, and he dide, and hadde prosperite.

²⁷ Forsothe Ezechie was riche, and ful noble, and gaderide to hym silf ful many tresours of siluer, of gold, and of preciouse stoon, of swete smellynge spices, and of armuris of al kynde, and of vessels of greet prijs. ²⁸ Also he bildide large housis of wheete, of wyn, and of oile, and cratchis of alle beestis, ²⁹ and fooldis to scheep, and sixe citees. For he hadde vnnoumbrable flockis of scheep and of grete beestis; for the Lord hadde youe to hym ful myche catel.

² Forsothe he dide yuel bifor the Lord bi abhomynaciouns of hethene men, whiche the Lord destriede bifor the sones of Israel. ³ And he turnede, and restoride the hiye places, whiche Ezechie, his fadir, hadde destried. And he bildide auteris to Baalym, and made wodis, and worschipide al the knyythod of heuene, and heriede it. ⁴ And he bildide auteris in the hows of the Lord, of which the Lord hadde seid, My name schal be in Jerusalem with outen ende. ⁵ Sotheli he bildide tho auteris to al the knyythod of heuene in the twei large places of the hows of the Lord. ⁶ And he made hise sones to passe thorouy the fier in the valei of Beennon; he kepte dremes; he suede fals diuynyng bi chiteryng of briddis; he seruyde witche craftis; he hadde with hym astronomyeris and enchaunteris, `ethir trigetours, that disseyuen mennus wittis, and he wrouyte many yuelis bifor the Lord to terre hym to wraththe. ⁷ Also he settide a grauun signe and a yotun signe in the hows of the Lord, of which hows God spak to Dauid, and to Salomon, his sone, and seide, Y schal sette my name with outen ende in this hows and in Jerusalem, which Y chees of alle the lynagis of Israel; ⁸ and Y schal not make the foot of Israel to moue fro the lond which Y yaf to her fadris, so oneli if thei kepen to do tho thingis whiche Y comaundide to hem, and al the lawe, and cerymonyes, and domes, bi the hond of Moises. ⁹ Therfor Manasses disseyuede Juda, and the dwelleris of Jerusalem, that thei diden yuel, more than alle hethene men, whiche the Lord hadde distriede fro the face of the sones of Israel.

² And he dide that, that was riytful in the siyt of the Lord; and yede in the waies of Dauid, his fadir, and bowide not to the riyt side nether to the left side.

¹⁸ No pask was lijk this in Israel, fro the daies of Samuel, the prophete; but nethir ony of the kyngis of Israel made pask as Josie dide, to preestis and dekenes, and to al Juda and Israel, that was foundun, and to the dwelleris of Jerusalem.

⁵ Joakym was of fyue and twenti yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnyde eleuene yeer in Jerusalem, and he dide yuel bifor `his Lord God. ⁶ Nabugodonosor, kyng of Caldeis, styede ayens this Joakym, and ledde hym boundun with chaynes in to Babiloyne. ⁷ To which Babiloyne he translatide also the vessels of the Lord, and settide tho in his temple. ⁸ Sotheli the residue of wordis of Joakym, and of hise abhomynaciouns whiche he wrouyte, and that weren foundun in hym, ben conteyned in the book of kyngis of Israel and of Juda. Therfor Joachym, his sone, regnede for hym. ⁹ Joachym was of eiyte yeer, whanne he bigan to regne, and he regnede thre monethis and ten daies in Jerusalem, and he dide yuel in the siyt of the Lord. ¹⁰ And whanne the cercle of the yeer was turned aboute, Nabugodonosor the kynge sente men, whiche also brouyten hym in to Babiloyne, whanne the moost preciouse vessels of the hows of the Lord weren borun out togidir. Sotheli he ordeynede Sedechie, his fadris brother, kyng on Juda and Jerusalem.

⁵⁸ alle the Nathyneis, and the sones of the seruauntis of Salomon weren thre hundrid nynti and tweyne.

⁶⁵ outakun the seruauntis of hem and `the handmaydis, that weren seuene thousynde thre hundrid and seuene and thretti; and among hem weren syngeris and syngeressis twei hundrid.

¹⁴ And Y passid to the yate of the welle, and to the watir cundit of the kyng, and no place was to the hors, `on which Y sat `for to passe;

⁵⁷ sones of Atipha, sones of the seruauntis of Salomon, sones of Sothai, sones of Sophoreth,

¹⁰ And he seide to hem, Go ye, and `ete ye fatte thingis, and drynke ye wiyn `maad swete with hony, and sende ye partis to hem, that maden not redi to hem silf, for it is an hooli dai of the Lord; `nyle ye be sory, for the ioye of the Lord is youre strengthe.

¹ The kyng ledde that nyyt with out sleep, and he comaundide the stories and the bookis of yeeris `of formere tymes to be brouyt to hym. And whanne tho weren red in his presense,

²⁰ Whi is liyt youun to the wretche, and lijf to hem that ben in bitternesse of soule? ²¹ Whiche abiden deeth, and it cometh not; ²² as men diggynge out tresour and ioien greetly, whanne thei han founde a sepulcre?

⁷ A man is borun to labour, and a brid to fliyt.

¹³ If Y seie, My bed schal coumfort me, and Y schal be releeuyd, spekynge with me in my bed; ¹⁴ thou schalt make me aferd bi dremys, and thou schalt schake me with `orrour, ethir hidousnesse, `bi siytis. ¹⁵ Wherfor my soule `chees hangyng, and my boonys cheesiden deth. <sup>16</sup> `Y dispeiride, now Y schal no more lyue; Lord, spare thou me, for my daies ben nouyt.

¹ A man is borun of a womman, and lyueth schort tyme, and is fillid with many wretchidnessis.

¹³ Who yiueth this to me, that thou defende me in helle, and that thou hide me, til thi greet veniaunce passe; and thou sette to me a tyme, in which thou haue mynde on me? ¹⁴ Gessist thou, whethir a deed man schal lyue ayen? In alle the daies, in whiche Y holde knyythod, now Y abide, til my chaungyng come.

¹¹ My daies ben passid; my thouytis ben scaterid, turmentynge myn herte. ¹² Tho han turned the nyyt `in to day; and eft aftir derknessis hope liyt. <sup>13</sup> If Y `susteyne, ether suffre pacientli, helle is myn hous; and Y haue arayede my bed in derknessis. ¹⁴ Y seide to rot, Thou art my fadur; and to wormes, Ye ben my modir and my sister. ¹⁵ Therfor where is now myn abidyng? and who biholdith my pacience?

¹¹ Her litle children goen out as flockis; and her yonge children `maken fulli ioye with pleies. ¹² Thei holden tympan, and harpe; and ioien at the soun of orgun.

¹⁶ If he gaderith togidere siluer as erthe, and makith redi clothis as cley; ¹⁷ sotheli he made redi, but a iust man schal be clothid in tho, and an innocent man schal departe the siluer.

¹ I made couenaunt with myn iyen, that Y schulde not thenke of a virgyn.

⁸ But as Y se, spirit is in men, and the enspiryng `ether reuelacioun, of Almyyti God yyueth vndurstondyng.

¹² Forsothe the Lord blesside the laste thingis of Joob, more than the bigynnyng of hym; and fouretene thousynde of scheep weren maad to hym, and sixe thousinde of camels, and a thousynde yockis of oxis, and a thousynde femal assis.

³ And he schal be as a tree, which is plauntid bisidis the rennyngis of watris; which tre schal yyue his fruyt in his tyme. And his leef schal not falle doun; and alle thingis which euere he schal do schulen haue prosperite.

⁶ For noon is in deeth, which is myndful of thee; but in helle who schal knouleche to thee? ⁷ I traueilide in my weilyng, Y schal waische my bed bi ech nyyt; Y schal moiste, `ether make weet, my bedstre with my teeris.

⁶ The Lord axith a iust man, and vnfeithful man; but he, that loueth wickidnesse, hatith his soule.

¹ Lord, who schal dwelle in thi tabernacle; ether who schal reste in thin hooli hil?

¹⁴ And the Lord thundrid fro heuene; and the hiyeste yaf his vois, hail and the coolis of fier `camen doun.

¹⁰ Lord, make thou saaf the kyng; and here thou vs in the dai in which we inwardli clepen thee.

⁸ The Lord is the strengthe of his puple; and he is defendere of the sauyngis of his crist.

⁶ I bitake my spirit in to thin hondis; Lord God of treuthe, thou hast ayen bouyt me. ⁷ Thou hatist hem that kepen vanytees superfluli.

⁴ For the word of the Lord is riytful; and alle hise werkis ben in feithfulnesse.

⁶ Mi Lord God, thou hast maad thi merueils manye; and in thi thouytis noon is, that is lijk thee. I teld, and Y spak; and thei ben multiplied aboue noumbre.

⁶ Mi Lord God, thou hast maad thi merueils manye; and in thi thouytis noon is, that is lijk thee. I teld, and Y spak; and thei ben multiplied aboue noumbre. ⁷ Thou noldist sacrifice and offryng; but thou madist perfitli eeris to me. Thou axidist not brent sacrifice, and sacrifice for synne;

¹⁰ For alle the wyelde beestis of wodis ben myne; werk beestis, and oxis in hillis. ¹¹ I haue knowe alle the volatils of heuene; and the fairnesse of the feeld is with me.

² I schal opene my mouth in parablis; Y schal speke perfite resouns fro the bigynnyng. ³ Hou grete thingis han we herd, aud we han knowe tho; and oure fadris. telden to vs. ⁴ Tho ben not hid fro the sones of hem; in anothir generacioun. And thei telden the heriyngis of the Lord, and the vertues of hym; and hise merueilis, whyche he dide.

¹² Heuenes ben thin, and erthe is thin; thou hast foundid the world, and the fulnesse therof;

⁷ A thousynde schulen falle doun fro thi side, and ten thousynde fro thi riytside; forsothe it schal not neiye to thee. ⁸ Netheles thou schalt biholde with thin iyen; and thou schalt se the yelding of synneris. ⁹ For thou, Lord, art myn hope; thou hast set thin help altherhiyeste.

⁹ For thou, Lord, art myn hope; thou hast set thin help altherhiyeste. ¹⁰ Yuel schal not come to thee; and a scourge schal not neiye to thi tabernacle.

¹⁰ Yuel schal not come to thee; and a scourge schal not neiye to thi tabernacle. ¹¹ For God hath comaundid to hise aungels of thee; that thei kepe thee in alle thi weies. ¹² Thei schulen beere thee in the hondis; leste perauenture thou hirte thi foot at a stoon.

¹⁵ He criede to me, and Y schal here him, Y am with him in tribulacioun; Y schal delyuere him, and Y schal glorifie hym.

¹⁶ The trees of the feeld schulen be fillid, and the cedris of the Liban, whiche he plauntide;

² For thou schalt ete the trauels of thin hondis; thou art blessid, and it schal be wel to thee.

² Ofte thei fouyten ayens me fro my yongthe; and sotheli thei miyten not to me.

³ Herie ye hym in the soun of trumpe; herie ye hym in a sautre and harpe. ⁴ Herie ye hym in a tympane and queer; herie ye hym in strengis and orgun. ⁵ Herie ye hym in cymbalis sownynge wel, herye ye hym in cymbalis of iubilacioun;

¹³ Blessid is the man that fyndith wisdom, and which flowith with prudence. ¹⁴ The geting therof is betere than the marchaundie of gold and of siluer; the fruytis therof ben the firste and clenneste. ¹⁵ It is preciousere than alle richessis; and alle thingis that ben desirid, moun not be comparisound to this. ¹⁶ Lengthe of daies is in the riythalf therof, and richessis and glorie ben in the lifthalf therof. ¹⁷ The weies therof ben feire weies, and alle the pathis therof ben pesible. ¹⁸ It is a tre of lijf to hem that taken it; and he that holdith it, is blessid.

⁵ Welde thou wisdom, welde thou prudence; foryete thou not, nethir bowe thou awey fro the wordis of my mouth. ⁶ Forsake thou not it, and it schal kepe thee; loue thou it, and it schal kepe thee. ⁷ The bigynnyng of wisdom, welde thou wisdom; and in al thi possessioun gete thou prudence.

¹⁸ But the path of iust men goith forth as liyt schynynge, and encreessith til to perfit dai. ¹⁹ The weie of wickid men is derk; thei witen not where thei schulen falle.

²² A good man schal leeue aftir him eiris, sones, and the sones of sones; and the catel of a synnere is kept to a iust man.

⁸ The wisdom of a fel man is to vndirstonde his weie; and the vnwarnesse of foolis errith.

¹³ Leiyyng schal be medlid with sorewe; and morenyng ocupieth the laste thingis of ioye.

¹⁶ Welde thou wisdom, for it is betere than gold; and gete thou prudence, for it is precyousere than siluer.

²⁶ The soule of a man trauelinge trauelith to hym silf; for his mouth compellide hym.

²⁴ Wisdom schyneth in the face of a prudent man; the iyen of foolis ben in the endis of erthe.

¹ Wiyn is a letcherouse thing and drunkenesse is ful of noise; who euere delitith in these, schal not be wijs.

⁵ Reise not thin iyen to richessis, whiche thou maist not haue; for tho schulen make to hem silf pennes, as of an egle, and tho schulen flee in to heuene.

²⁹ To whom is wo? to whos fadir is wo? to whom ben chidingis? to whom ben dichis? to whom ben woundis with out cause? to whom is puttyng out of iyen? ³⁰ Whether not to hem, that dwellen in wyn, and studien to drynke al of cuppis? ³¹ Biholde thou not wyn, whanne it sparclith, whanne the colour therof schyneth in a ver. ³² It entrith swetli, but at the laste it schal bite as an eddre doith, and as a cocatrice it schal schede abrood venyms. ³³ Thin iyen schulen se straunge wymmen, and thi herte schal speke weiwerd thingis. ³⁴ And thou schalt be as a man slepinge in the myddis of the see, and as a gouernour aslepid, whanne the steere is lost. ³⁵ And thou schalt seie, Thei beeten me, but Y hadde not sorewe; thei drowen me, and Y feelide not; whanne schal Y wake out, and Y schal fynde wynes eft?

⁸ He that gaderith togidere richessis bi vsuris, and fre encrees, gaderith tho togidere ayens pore men.

⁴ A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth. ⁵ Lest perauenture thei drynke, and foryete domes, and chaunge the cause of the sones of a pore man.

² The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite. ³ What hath a man more of alle his trauel, bi which he traueilith vndur the sunne?

⁹ What is that thing that was, that that schal come? What is that thing that is maad, that that schal be maad? ¹⁰ No thing vndir the sunne is newe, nether ony man may seie, Lo! this thing is newe; for now it yede bifore in worldis, that weren bifore vs. ¹¹ Mynde of the formere thingis is not, but sotheli nether thenkyng of tho thingis, that schulen come afterward, schal be at hem that schulen come in the last tyme.

¹³ and Y purposide in my soule to seke and enserche wiseli of alle thingis, that ben maad vndur the sunne. God yaf this werste ocupacioun to the sones of men, that thei schulden be ocupied therynne. ¹⁴ I siy alle thingis that ben maad vndur the sunne, and lo! alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of spirit.

¹⁶ I spak in myn herte, and Y seide, Lo! Y am made greet, and Y passide in wisdom alle men, that weren bifore me in Jerusalem; and my soule siy many thingis wiseli, and Y lernede.

¹⁶ I spak in myn herte, and Y seide, Lo! Y am made greet, and Y passide in wisdom alle men, that weren bifore me in Jerusalem; and my soule siy many thingis wiseli, and Y lernede. ¹⁷ And Y yaf myn herte, that Y schulde knowe prudence and doctryn, and errours and foli. And Y knew that in these thingis also was trauel and turment of spirit;

¹⁷ And Y yaf myn herte, that Y schulde knowe prudence and doctryn, and errours and foli. And Y knew that in these thingis also was trauel and turment of spirit; ¹⁸ for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.

¹⁸ for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.

¹ Therfor Y seide in myn hertez, Y schal go, and Y schal flowe in delicis, and Y schal vse goodis; and Y siy also that this was vanyte. ² And leiyyng Y arrettide errour, and Y seide to ioye, What art thou disseyued in veyn? ³ I thouyte in myn herte to withdrawe my fleisch fro wyn, that Y schulde lede ouer my soule to wisdom, and that Y schulde eschewe foli, til Y schulde se, what were profitable to the sones of men; in which dede the noumbre of daies of her lijf vndur the sunne is nedeful. ⁴ Y magnefiede my werkis, Y bildide housis to me, and Y plauntide vynes; Y made yerdis and orcherdis,

⁴ Y magnefiede my werkis, Y bildide housis to me, and Y plauntide vynes; Y made yerdis and orcherdis, ⁵ and Y settide tho with the trees of al kynde;

⁵ and Y settide tho with the trees of al kynde; ⁶ and Y made cisternes of watris, for to watre the wode of trees growynge.

⁶ and Y made cisternes of watris, for to watre the wode of trees growynge. ⁷ I hadde in possessioun seruauntis and handmaidis; and Y hadde myche meynee, and droues of grete beestis, and grete flockis of scheep, ouer alle men that weren bifore me in Jerusalem.

⁷ I hadde in possessioun seruauntis and handmaidis; and Y hadde myche meynee, and droues of grete beestis, and grete flockis of scheep, ouer alle men that weren bifore me in Jerusalem. ⁸ Y gaderide togidere to me siluer and gold, and the castels of kingis and of prouyncis; Y made to me syngeris and syngeressis, and delicis of the sones of men, and cuppis and vessels in seruyce, to helde out wynes;

⁸ Y gaderide togidere to me siluer and gold, and the castels of kingis and of prouyncis; Y made to me syngeris and syngeressis, and delicis of the sones of men, and cuppis and vessels in seruyce, to helde out wynes; ⁹ and Y passide in richessis alle men, that weren bifor me in Jerusalem. Also wisdom dwellide stabli with me,

⁹ and Y passide in richessis alle men, that weren bifor me in Jerusalem. Also wisdom dwellide stabli with me, ¹⁰ and alle thingis whiche myn iyen desiriden, Y denyede not to hem; nether Y refreynede myn herte, that ne it vside al lust, and delitide it silf in these thingis whiche I hadde maad redi; and Y demyde this my part, if Y vside my trauel. ¹¹ And whanne Y hadde turned me to alle werkis whiche myn hondys hadden maad, and to the trauels in whiche Y hadde swet in veyn, Y siy in alle thingis vanyte and turment of the soule, and that no thing vndir sunne dwellith stabli.

¹¹ And whanne Y hadde turned me to alle werkis whiche myn hondys hadden maad, and to the trauels in whiche Y hadde swet in veyn, Y siy in alle thingis vanyte and turment of the soule, and that no thing vndir sunne dwellith stabli. ¹² I passide to biholde wisdom, errours, and foli; Y seide, What is a man, that he may sue the king, his maker?

¹⁴ The iyen of a wijs man ben in his heed, a fool goith in derknessis; and Y lernede, that o perisching was of euer either. ¹⁵ And Y seide in myn herte, If o deth schal be bothe of the fool and of me, what profitith it to me, that Y yaf more bisynesse to wisdom? And Y spak with my soule, and perseyuede, that this also was vanyte. ¹⁶ For mynde of a wijs man schal not be, in lijk maner as nether of a fool with outen ende, and tymes to comynge schulen hile alle thingis togidere with foryetyng; a lerned man dieth in lijk maner and an vnlerned man. ¹⁷ And therfor it anoiede me of my lijf, seynge that alle thingis vndur sunne ben yuele, and that alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of the spirit.

¹⁷ And therfor it anoiede me of my lijf, seynge that alle thingis vndur sunne ben yuele, and that alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of the spirit. ¹⁸ Eft Y curside al my bisynesse, bi which Y trauelide moost studiousli vndur sunne, and Y schal haue an eir after me,

¹⁸ Eft Y curside al my bisynesse, bi which Y trauelide moost studiousli vndur sunne, and Y schal haue an eir after me, ¹⁹ whom Y knowe not, whether he schal be wijs ether a fool; and he schal be lord in my trauels, for whiche Y swatte greetli, and was bisi; and is ony thing so veyn? ²⁰ Wherfor Y ceesside, and myn herte forsook for to trauele ferthere vnder sunne. ²¹ For whi whanne another man trauelith in wisdom, and techyng, and bisynesse, he leeueth thingis getun to an idel man; and therfor this is vanyte, and greet yuel. ²² For whi what schal it profite to a man of al his trauel, and turment of spirit, bi which he was turmentid vndur sunne?

²² For whi what schal it profite to a man of al his trauel, and turment of spirit, bi which he was turmentid vndur sunne? ²³ Alle hise daies ben ful of sorewis and meschefs, and bi nyyt he restith not in soule; and whether this is not vanyte? ²⁴ Whether it is not betere to ete and drynke, and to schewe to hise soule goodis of hise trauels? and this thing is of the hond of God.

²⁶ God yaf wisdom, and kunnyng, and gladnesse to a good man in his siyt; but he yaf turment, and superflu bisynesse to a synnere, that he encreesse, and gadere togidere, and yyue to hym that plesith God; but also this is vanyte, and veyn bisynesse of soule.

⁹ What hath a man more of his trauel?

¹² And Y knew that no thing was betere `to a man, `no but to be glad, and to do good werkis in his lijf. ¹³ For whi ech man that etith and drinkith, and seeth good of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.

¹⁶ I siy vndur sunne vnfeithfulnesse in the place of doom; and wickidnesse in the place of riytfulnesse. ¹⁷ And Y seide in myn herte, The Lord schal deme a iust man, and an vnfeithful man; and the tyme of ech thing schal be thanne. ¹⁸ I seide in myn herte of the sones of men, that God schulde preue hem, and schewe that thei ben lijk vnresonable beestis. ¹⁹ Therfor oon is the perisching of man and of beestis, and euene condicioun is of euer eithir; as a man dieth, `so and tho beestis dien; alle beestis brethen in lijk maner, and a man hath no thing more than a beeste.

²² And Y perseyuede that no thing is betere, than that a man be glad in his werk, and that this be his part; for who schal brynge hym, that he knowe thingis that schulen come after hym?

² And Y preiside more deed men than lyuynge men; ³ and Y demyde hym, that was not borun yit, and siy not the yuels that ben don vndur the sunne, to be blisfulere than euer eithir.

⁶ and seith, Betere is an handful with reste, than euer either hondful with trauel and turment of soule.

⁸ oon is, and he hath not a secounde; not a sone, not a brother; and netheles he ceesith not for to trauele, nether hise iyen ben fillid with richessis; nether he bithenkith, and seith, To whom trauele Y, and disseyue my soule in goodis? In this also is vanyte, and the worste turment.

² Dremes suen many bisynessis, and foli schal be foundun in many wordis. ³ If thou hast avowid ony thing to God, tarie thou not to yelde; for an vnfeithful and fonned biheest displesith hym; but `yelde thou what euer thing thou hast avowid;

⁶ Where ben many dremes, ben ful many vanytees, and wordis with out noumbre; but drede thou God.

⁸ and ferthermore the kyng of al erthe comaundith to the seruaunt.

¹⁰ Where ben many richessis, also many men ben, that eten tho; and what profitith it to the haldere, no but that he seeth richessis with hise iyen? ¹¹ Slepe is swete to hym that worchith, whether he etith litil ether myche; but the fulnesse of a ryche man suffrith not hym to slepe. ¹² Also anothir sijknesse is ful yuel, which Y siy vndur the sunne; richessis ben kept in to the yuel of her lord. ¹³ For thei perischen in the worste turment; he gendride a sone, that schal be in souereyn nedynesse. ¹⁴ As he yede nakid out of his modris wombe, so he schal turne ayen; and he schal take awei with hym no thing of his trauel.

¹⁷ Therfor this semyde good to me, that a man ete, and drynke, and vse gladnesse of his trauel, in which he trauelide vndir the sunne, in the noumbre of daies of his lijf, which God yaf to hym; and this is his part. ¹⁸ And to ech man, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and yaf power to hym to ete of tho, and to vse his part, and to be glad of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.

¹⁸ And to ech man, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and yaf power to hym to ete of tho, and to vse his part, and to be glad of his trauel; this is the yifte of God. ¹⁹ For he schal not bithenke miche on the daies of his lijf, for God ocupieth his herte with delicis.

² A man is, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and onour; and no thing failith to his soule of alle thingis which he desirith; and God yyueth not power to hym, that he ete therof, but a straunge man shal deuoure it. This is vanyte, and a greet wretchidnesse.

⁶ also thouy he lyueth twei thousynde yeeris, and vsith not goodis; whether alle thingis hasten not to o place? ⁷ Al the trauel of a man is in his mouth, but the soule of hym schal not be fillid with goodis. ⁸ What hath a wijs man more than a fool? and what hath a pore man, no but that he go thidur, where is lijf?

⁸ What hath a wijs man more than a fool? and what hath a pore man, no but that he go thidur, where is lijf? ⁹ It is betere to se that, that thou coueitist, than to desire that, that thou knowist not; but also this is vanyte, and presumpcioun of spirit.

² A good name is betere than preciouse oynementis; and the dai of deth is betere than the dai of birthe.

² A good name is betere than preciouse oynementis; and the dai of deth is betere than the dai of birthe. ³ It is betere to go to the hous of morenyng, than to the hous of a feeste; for in that hous `of morenyng the ende of alle men is monestid, and a man lyuynge thenkith, what is to comynge. ⁴ Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer.

⁴ Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer. ⁵ The herte of wise men is where sorewe is; and the herte of foolis is where gladnesse is. ⁶ It is betere to be repreued of a wijs man, than to be disseyued bi the flateryng of foolis;

¹¹ Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned. ¹² Forsothe wisdom with richessis is more profitable, and profitith more to men seynge the sunne.

¹⁸ Do thou not wickidli myche, and nyle thou be a fool; lest thou die in a tyme not thin. ¹⁹ It is good, that thou susteyne a iust man; but also withdrawe thou not thin hond from hym; for he that dredith God, is not necligent of ony thing.

²⁵ and the depthe is hiy, who schal fynde it?

¹⁵ Therfor Y preysid gladnesse, that no good was to a man vndur the sunne, no but to ete, and drynke, and to be ioiful; and that he schulde bere awei with hym silf oneli this of his trauel, in the daies of his lijf, whiche God yaf to hym vndur the sunne.

¹ I tretide alle these thingis in myn herte, to vndirstonde diligentli. Iust men, and wise men ben, and her werkis ben in the hond of God; and netheles a man noot, whether he is worthi of loue or of hatrede. ² But alle thingis ben kept vncerteyn in to tyme to comynge; for alle thingis bifallen euenli to a iust man and to a wickid man, to a good man and to an yuel man, to a cleene man and to an vnclene man, to a man offrynge offryngis and sacrifices, and to a man dispisynge sacrifices; as a good man, so and a synnere; as a forsworun man, so and he that greetli swerith treuthe. ³ This thing is the worste among alle thingis, that ben don vndur the sunne, that the same thingis bifallen to alle men; wherfor and the hertis of the sones of men ben fillid with malice and dispisyng in her lijf; and aftir these thingis thei schulen be led doun to hellis.

⁵ For thei that lyuen witen that thei schulen die; but deed men knowen no thing more, nether han meede ferthere; for her mynde is youun to foryetyng.

⁷ Therfor go thou, iust man, and ete thi breed in gladnesse, and drynke thi wiyn with ioie; for thi werkis plesen God. ⁸ In ech tyme thi clothis be white, and oile faile not fro thin heed. ⁹ Vse thou lijf with the wijf which thou louest, in alle the daies of lijf of thin vnstablenesse, that ben youun to thee vndur sunne, in al the tyme of thi vanyte; for this is thi part in thi lijf and trauel, bi which thou trauelist vndur the sunne.

⁹ Vse thou lijf with the wijf which thou louest, in alle the daies of lijf of thin vnstablenesse, that ben youun to thee vndur sunne, in al the tyme of thi vanyte; for this is thi part in thi lijf and trauel, bi which thou trauelist vndur the sunne.

¹¹ I turnede me to another thing, and Y siy vndur sunne, that rennyng is not of swift men, nethir batel is of stronge men, nether breed is of wise men, nether richessis ben of techeris, ne grace is of crafti men; but tyme and hap is in alle thingis.

¹³ Also Y siy this wisdom vndur the sunne, and Y preuede it the mooste.

¹⁶ And Y seide, that wisdom is betere than strengthe; hou therfor is the wisdom of a pore man dispisid, and hise wordis ben not herd?

² The herte of a wijs man is in his riyt side; and the herte of a fool is in his left side. ³ But also a fool goynge in the weie, whanne he is vnwijs, gessith alle men foolis.

⁷ The liyt is sweet, and delitable to the iyen to se the sunne.

⁹ Therfor, thou yonge man, be glad in thi yongthe, and thin herte be in good in the daies of thi yongthe, and go thou in the weies of thin herte, and in the biholdyng of thin iyen; and wite thou, that for alle these thingis God shal brynge thee in to doom.

⁹ Therfor, thou yonge man, be glad in thi yongthe, and thin herte be in good in the daies of thi yongthe, and go thou in the weies of thin herte, and in the biholdyng of thin iyen; and wite thou, that for alle these thingis God shal brynge thee in to doom. ¹⁰ Do thou awei ire fro thin herte, and remoue thou malice fro thi fleisch; for whi yongthe and lust ben veyne thingis.

¹³ Alle we here togydere the ende of spekyng. Drede thou God, and kepe hise heestis; `that is to seie, ech man.

¹⁴ Lo! my frendesse, thou art fair; lo! thou art fair, thin iyen ben the iyen of culueris.

¹² Mi sister spousesse, a gardyn closid togidere; a gardyn closid togidere, a welle aseelid.

² Y to my derlyng; and my derlyng, that is fed among the lilies, be to me.

⁴ Thi necke is as a tour of yuer; thin iyen ben as cisternes in Esebon, that ben in the yate of the douyter of multitude; thi nose is as the tour of Liban, that biholdith ayens Damask.

¹² Ryse we eerli to the vyner; se we, if the vyner hath flourid, if the flouris bryngen forth fruytis, if pumgranatis han flourid; there I schal yyue to thee my tetis.

¹¹ A vyner was to the pesible; in that citee, that hath puplis, he bitook it to keperis; a man bryngith a thousynde platis of siluer for the fruyt therof. ¹² The vyner is bifore me; a thousynde ben of thee pesible, and two hundrid to hem that kepen the fruytis therof.

¹⁰ Seie ye to the iust man, that it schal be to hym wel; for he schal ete the fruyt of hise fyndyngis. ¹¹ Wo to the wickid man in to yuel; for whi the yeldyng of hise hondis schal be maad to hym.

¹ I schal synge for my derlyng the song of myn vnclis sone, of his vyner. A vyner was maad to my derlyng, in the horne in the sone of oile.

⁵ And now Y schal schewe to you, what Y schal do to my vyner. Y schal take awei the hegge therof, and it schal be in to rauyschyng; Y schal caste doun the wal therof, and it schal be in to defoulyng; and Y schal sette it desert,

¹² And the Lord God of oostis schal clepe in that dai to wepyng, and to morenyng, and to ballidnesse, and to a girdil of sak; and lo! ¹³ ioie and gladnesse is to sle caluys, and to strangle wetheris, to ete fleisch, and to drynke wyn; ete we, and drynke we, for we schulen die to morewe.

⁵ The Lord God openede an eere to me; forsothe Y ayenseie not, Y yede not abak.

¹¹ Lo! alle ye kyndlynge fier, and gird with flawmes, go in the liyt of youre fier, and in the flawmes whiche ye han kyndlid to you. This is maad of myn hond to you, ye schulen slepe in sorewis.

⁸ And he schal be as a tre, which is plauntid ouer watris, which sendith hise rootis to moisture; and it schal not drede, whanne heete schal come; and the leef therof schal be greene, and it schal not be moued in the tyme of drynesse, nether ony tyme it schal faile to make fruyte.

¹⁴ Cursid be the dai where ynne Y was borun, the dai where ynne my modir childide me, be not blessid. ¹⁵ Cursid be the man, that telde to my fadir, and seide, A knaue child is borun to thee, and made hym glad as with ioye. ¹⁶ Thilke man be as the citees ben, whiche the Lord distriede, and it repentide not hym; ¹⁷ he that killide not me fro the wombe, here cry eerli, and yellynge in the tyme of myddai; that my modir were a sepulcre to me, and hir wombe were euerlastinge conseyuyng. ¹⁸ Whi yede Y out of the wombe, that Y schulde se trauel and sorewe, and that mi daies schulen be waastid in schenschipe?

¹⁵ Whether thou schalt regne, for thou comparisonest thee to a cedre? whether thi fadir eet not, and drank, and dide doom and riytfulnesse thanne, whanne it was wel to hym?

¹⁷ Forsothe thin iyen and herte ben to aueryce, and to schede innocent blood, and to fals caleng, and to the perfourmyng of yuel werk.

⁴ And whanne Sedechie, the kyng of Juda, and alle the men werriouris hadden seien hem, thei fledden, and yeden out bi niyt fro the citee, bi the weie of the gardyn of the kyng, and bi the yate that was bitwixe twei wallis; and thei yeden out to the weie of desert.

¹⁴ Also the spirit reiside me, and took me. And Y yede forth bittir in the indignacioun of my spirit; for the hond of the Lord was with me, and coumfortide me.

⁵ in the our in which ye heren the soun of trumpe, and of pipe, and of harpe, of sambuke, of sawtre, and of symphonye, and of al kynde of musikis, falle ye doun, and worschipe the goldun ymage, which the kyng Nabugodonosor made.

⁷ Therfor aftir these thingis, anoon as alle puplis herden the sown of trumpe, of pipe, and of harpe, of sambuke, and of sawtre, of symphonye, and of al kynde of musikis, alle puplis, lynagis, and langagis fellen doun, and worschipiden the golden ymage, which the kyng Nabugodonosor hadde maad.

¹⁵ Now therfor be ye redi, in what euer our ye heren the sown of trumpe, of pipe, of harpe, of sambuke, of sawtree, and of symphonye, and of al kynde of musikis, bowe ye doun you, and worschipe the ymage which Y made; that if ye worschipen not, in the same our ye schulen be sent in to the furneis of fier brennynge; and who is God, that schal delyuere you fro myn hond?

³⁰ In the same our the word was fillid on Nabugodonosor, and he was cast out fro men, and he eet hey, as an oxe doith, and his bodi was colouryd with the deew of heuene, til hise heeris wexiden at the licnesse of eglis, and hise nailis as the nailis of briddis.

¹⁸ Thanne the kyng yede in to his hous, and slepte with out soper, and metis weren not brouyte bifore hym; ferthermore and sleep yede awei fro hym.

³ And ye ben departid in to yuel dai, and neiyen to the seete of wickidnesse; ⁴ and ye slepen in beddis of yuer, and doen letcherie in youre beddis; and ye eten a lomb of the flok, and calues of the myddil of droue; ⁵ and ye syngen at vois of sautree. As Dauid thei gessiden hem for to haue instrumentis of song, and drynken wyn in viols;

⁵ and ye syngen at vois of sautree. As Dauid thei gessiden hem for to haue instrumentis of song, and drynken wyn in viols; ⁶ and with beste oynement thei weren anoynted; and in no thing thei hadden compassioun on the sorewe, ether defoulyng, of Joseph.

³ And now, Lord, Y preie, take my soule fro me; for deth is betere to me than lijf.

⁸ And whanne the sunne was risun, the Lord comaundide to the hoot wynd and brennyng; and the sunne smoot on the heed of Jonas, and he swalide. And he axide to his soule that he schulde die, and seide, It is betere to me for to die, than for to lyue.

³ Whi schewidist thou to me wickidnesse and trauel, for to se prey and vnriytwisnesse ayens me? Whi biholdist thou dispiseris, and art stille, the while an vnpitouse man defoulith a riytfulere than hym silf? And thou schalt make men as fischis of the see, and as crepynge thingis not hauynge a ledere; and doom is maad, and ayenseiyng is more miyti.

¹³ Whether not these thingis ben of the Lord of oostis? For puplis schulen trauele in myche fier, and folkis in veyn, and thei schulen faile.

² If ye wolen here, and if ye `wolen not putte on the herte, that ye yyue glorie to my name, seith the Lord of oostis, Y schal sende nedynesse in to you, and Y schal curse to youre blessyngis; and Y schal curse hem, for ye han not putte on the herte.

¹⁶ Thanne men dredynge God spaken, ech with his neiybore; and the Lord perseyuede, and herde, and a book of mynde is writun bifor hym to `men dredynge God, and thenkynge his name.

¹⁸ And ye schulen be conuertid, and ye schulen se, what is bitwixe the iust man and vnpitouse, bitwixe `the seruynge to the Lord and `not seruynge to hym.

¹¹ yyue to vs this dai oure `breed ouer othir substaunce;

²³ but if thin iye be weiward, al thi bodi shal be derk. If thanne the liyt that is in thee be derknessis, how grete schulen thilk derknessis be? ²⁴ No man may serue tweyn lordis, for ethir he schal hate `the toon, and loue the tother; ethir he shal susteyne `the toon, and dispise the tothir. Ye moun not serue God and richessis. ²⁵ Therfor I seie to you, that ye be not bisi to youre lijf, what ye schulen ete; nether to youre bodi, with what ye schulen be clothid. Whether lijf is not more than meete, and the bodie more than cloth?

³⁴ Therfor nyle ye be bisy in to the morew, for the morew shal be bisi to `hym silf; for it suffisith to the dai his owen malice.

²⁶ For what profitith it to a man, if he wynne al the world, and suffre peiryng of his soule? or what chaunging schal a man yyue for his soule?

⁶ And bothe weren iust bifor God, goynge in alle the maundementis and iustifiyngis of the Lord, withouten pleynt.

³⁴ The lanterne of thi bodi is thin iye; if thin iye be symple, al thi bodi schal be liyti; but if it be weyward, al thi bodi schal be derkful. ³⁵ Therfor se thou, lest the liyt that is in thee, be derknessis.

¹⁹ And Y schal seie to my soule, Soule, thou hast many goodis kept in to ful many yeeris; rest thou, ete, drynke, and make feeste.

¹⁹ And Y schal seie to my soule, Soule, thou hast many goodis kept in to ful many yeeris; rest thou, ete, drynke, and make feeste. ²⁰ And God seide to hym, Fool, in this nyyt thei schulen take thi lijf fro thee. And whos schulen tho thingis be, that thou hast arayed?

²⁰ And God seide to hym, Fool, in this nyyt thei schulen take thi lijf fro thee. And whos schulen tho thingis be, that thou hast arayed?

²² And he seide to hise disciplis, Therfor Y seie to you, nyle ye be bisy to youre lijf, what ye schulen ete, nether to youre bodi, with what ye schulen be clothid.

²⁹ And nyle ye seke, what ye schulen ete, or what ye schulen drynke; and nyle ye be reisid an hiy.

⁸ And the lord preiside the baili of wickydnesse, for he hadde do prudentli; for the sones of this world ben more prudent in her generacioun than the sones of liyt.

¹⁹ There was a riche man, and was clothid in purpur, and whit silk, and eete euery dai schynyngli.

²³ And the riche man was deed also, and was biried in helle. And he reiside hise iyen, whanne he was in turmentis, and say Abraham afer, and Lazarus in his bosum.

²⁷ And he seide, Thanne Y preie thee, fadir, that thou sende hym in to the hous of my fadir. ²⁸ For Y haue fyue britheren, that he witnesse to hem, lest also thei come in to this place of turmentis.

²⁷ Thei eeten and drunkun, weddiden wyues, and weren youun to weddyngis, til in to the dai in the whych Noe entride in to the schip; and the greet flood cam, and loste alle. ²⁸ Also as it was don in the daies of Loth, thei eeten and drunkun, bouyten and seelden, plauntiden and bildiden; but the dai that Loth wente out of Sodome, ²⁹ the Lord reynede fier and brymstoon fro heuene, and loste alle.

²⁴ `Til now ye axiden no thing in my name; `axe ye, `and ye schulen take, that youre ioie be ful.

¹⁷ And thei seiynge these thingis, vnnethis swagiden the puple, that thei offriden not to hem.

²² And whanne thei hadden ordeined prestis to hem bi alle citees, and hadden preied with fastyngis, thei bitoken hem to the Lord, in whom thei bileueden.

²⁹ Y woot, that aftir my departyng, rauyschinge wolues schulen entre in to you, `and spare not the flok; ³⁰ and men spekinge schrewid thingis schulen rise of you silf, that thei leden awei disciplis aftir hem.

¹⁷ For whi the rewme of God is not mete and drynk, but riytwisnesse and pees and ioye in the Hooli Goost. ¹⁸ And he that in this thing serueth Crist, plesith God, and is proued to men.

³⁰ But of hym ye ben in Crist Jhesu, which is maad of God to vs wisdom, and riytwisnesse, and holynesse, and ayenbiyng; that, ³¹ as it is wrytun, He that glorieth, haue glorie in the Lord.

¹⁰ Aftir the grace `of God that is youun to me, as a wise maistir carpenter Y settide the foundement; and another bildith aboue. But ech man se, hou he bildith aboue.

¹⁹ If in this life oneli we ben hoping in Crist, we ben more wretchis than alle men.

³² If aftir man Y haue fouyten to beestis at Efesi, what profitith it to me, if deed men risen not ayen? Ete we, and drynke we, for we schulen die to morewe.

⁸ For, britheren, we wolen that ye wite of oure tribulacioun, that was don in Asie; for ouer maner we weren greued ouer myyt, so that it anoiede vs, yhe, to lyue. ⁹ But we in vs silf hadden answere of deth, that we truste not in vs, but in God that reisith deed men. ¹⁰ Which delyuerede vs, and delyuerith fro so grete perelis, in to whom we hopen, also yit he schal delyuere,

¹⁵ and what acording of Crist to Belial? or what part of a feithful with the vnfeithful? ¹⁶ and what consent to the temple of God with mawmetis? And ye ben the temple of the lyuynge God, as the Lord seith, For Y schal dwelle in hem, and Y schal walke among hem; and Y schal be God of hem, and thei schulen be a puple to me. ¹⁷ For which thing go ye out of the myddil of hem, and be ye departid, seith the Lord, and touche ye not vnclene thing;

²² But the fruyt of the spirit is charite, ioye, pees, pacience, long abidyng, ²³ benygnyte, goodnesse, myldenesse, feith, temperaunce, contynence, chastite; ayen suche thingis is no lawe.

⁸ For ye weren sum tyme derknessis, but now `ye ben liyt in the Lord. Walke ye as the sones of liyt.

¹⁸ And nyle ye be drunkun of wyn, in which is letcherie, but be ye fillid with the Hooli Goost; and speke ye to you silf in salmes,

²³ But Y am constreyned of twei thingis, Y haue desire to be dissolued, and to be with Crist, it is myche more betere; but to dwelle in fleisch, ²⁴ is nedeful for you. ²⁵ And Y tristinge this thing, woot that Y schal dwelle, and perfitli dwelle to alle you, to youre profit and ioye of feith,

⁶ Be ye nothing bisi, but in al preyer and biseching, with doyng of thankyngis, be youre axyngis knowun at God.

⁹ Therfor we fro the dai in which we herden, ceessen not to preye for you, and to axe, that ye be fillid with the knowing of his wille in al wisdom and goostli vndurstondyng; ¹⁰ that ye walke worthili to God plesynge bi alle thingis, and make fruyt in al good werk, and wexe in the science of God, ¹¹ and ben coumfortid in al vertu bi the miyt of his clerenesse, in al pacience and long abiding with ioye, ¹² that ye do thankyngis to God and to the fadir, which made you worthi in to the part of eritage of hooli men in liyt.

¹⁶ The word of Crist dwelle in you plenteuousli, in al wisdom; and teche and moneste you silf in salmes, and ympnes, and spiritual songis, in grace synginge in youre hertis to the Lord. ¹⁷ Al thing, what euere thing ye don, in word or in dede, alle thingis in the name of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, doynge thankyngis to God and to the fadir bi hym.

³ that no man be mouyd in these tribulaciouns. For ye silf witen, that in this this thing we ben set. ⁴ For whanne we weren at you, we biforseiden to you, that we schulden suffre tribulaciouns; as it is don, and ye witen.

⁶ But a greet wynnyng is pitee, with sufficience.

⁸ But we hauynge foodis, and with what thingus we schulen be hilid, be we paied with these thingis.

¹⁷ Amen. Comaunde thou to the riche men of this world, that thei vndurstonde not hiyli, nether that thei hope in vncerteynte of richessis, but in the lyuynge God, that yyueth to vs alle thingis plenteuously to vse;

³ For we weren sum tyme vnwise, vnbileueful, errynge, and seruynge to desiris, and to dyuerse lustis, doynge in malice and enuye, worthi to be hatid, hatinge ech othere.

²⁷ And as it is ordeynede to men,

¹⁷ Ech good yifte, and ech perfit yifte is from aboue, and cometh doun fro the fadir of liytis, anentis whom is noon other chaungyng, ne ouerschadewyng of reward.

¹⁷ But wisdom that is from aboue, first it is chast, aftirward pesible, mylde, able to be counseilid, consentinge to goode thingis, ful of merci and of goode fruytis, demynge with out feynyng.

¹³ And who art thou, that demest thi neiybore? Lo! now ye, that seien, To dai ethir to morewe we schulen go in to thilke citee, and there we schulen dwelle a yeer, and we schulen make marchaundise, and we schulen make wynning;

¹ Do now, ye riche men, wepe ye, yellinge in youre wretchidnessis that schulen come to you.

⁵ Ye han ete on the erthe, and in youre letcheries ye han nurschid youre hertis. In the dai of sleyng ye brouyten,

² that that is left now in fleisch lyue not now to the desiris of men, but to the wille of God. ³ For the time that is passid is ynow to the wille of hethene men to be endid, whiche walkiden in letcheries, and lustis, in myche drinking of wyn, in vnmesurable etyngis, and drynkyngis, and vnleueful worschiping of mawmetis. ⁴ In whiche now thei ben astonyed, in which thing thei wondren, for ye rennen not togidere `in to the same confusioun of letcherie, and blasfemen.

⁷ and caste ye al youre bisynesse in to hym, for to hym is cure of you.

¹¹ But he that hatith his brother, is in derknessis, and wandrith in derknessis, and woot not whidir he goith; for derknessis han blindid hise iyen.

¹⁶ For al thing that is in the world, is coueitise of fleisch, and coueitise of iyen, and pride of lijf, which is not of the fadir, but it is of the world.

¹⁶ For al thing that is in the world, is coueitise of fleisch, and coueitise of iyen, and pride of lijf, which is not of the fadir, but it is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world schal passe, and the coueitise of it; but he that doith the wille of God, dwellith with outen ende.

⁷ As myche as sche glorifiede hir silf, and was in delicis, so myche turment yyue to hir, and weilyng; for in hir herte sche seith, Y sitte a queen, and Y am not a widewe, and Y schal not se weiling. ⁸ And therfor in o day hir woundis schulen come, deth, and mornyng, and hungur; and sche schal be brent in fier, for God is strong, that schal deme hir.