1   Svrely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?

2   For who knoweth what is ^note good for man in the life and in the nomber of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, seeing he maketh them as a ^note shadowe? For who can shewe vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?

3    ^noteA good name is better then a good oyntment, and the day of ^note death, then the day that one is borne.

4   It is better to goe to the house of ^note mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting, because this is the ende of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart.

5   Anger is better then laughter: for by a sad looke the heart is made better.

6   The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning: but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth. No man is iust.

7   Better it is to heare þe; rebuke of a wise man, then that a man should heare the song of fooles.

8   For like þe; noyse of the ^note thornes vnder the pot, so is the laughter of the foole: this also is vanitie.

9   Surely oppression maketh a wise man ^note mad: and the rewarde destroyeth the heart.

10   The ^note ende of a thing is better then the beginning thereof, and the pacient in spirit is better then the proude in spirit.

11   Be not thou of an hastie spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles.

12   Say not thou, Why is it that the former dayes were better then these? for thou doest not enquire ^note wisely of this thing.

13   Wisedome is good with an ^note inheritance, and excellent to them that see the sunne.

14   For man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome, and in the shadowe of siluer: but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessers thereof.

15   Beholde the worke of God: for who can make ^note straight that which he hath made crooked?

16   In the day of wealth be of good comfort, and in the day of affliction ^note consider: God also hath made this contrary to that, to the intent that man shoulde finde ^note nothing after him.

17   I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie: there is a iust man that perisheth in his ^note iustice, and there is a wicked man that continueth long in his malice.

18   Be not thou iust ^note ouermuch, neither make thy selfe ouerwise: wherefore shouldest thou be desolate?

19   Be not thou wicked ^note ouermuch, neither be thou foolish: wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time?

20   It is good that thou lay hold on ^note this: but yet withdrawe not thine hand from ^note that: for he that feareth God, shall come forth of them all.

21   Wisedome shall strengthen the wise man more then ten mightie princes that are in þe; citie.

22    ^noteSurely there is no man iust in the earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.

23   Giue not thine ^note heart also to all þe; wordes that men speake, lest thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee.

24   For often times also thine heart knoweth that thou likewise hast ^note cursed others.

25   All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.

26   It is farre off, what may ^note it be? and it is a profound deepenesse, who can finde it?

27   I haue compassed about, both I and mine heart to knowe and to enquire and to search wisedome, and reason, and to knowe the wickednesse of follie, and the foolishnesse of madnesse,

28   And I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares, and her handes, as bands: he that is good before God, shalbe deliuered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

29   Beholde, sayth the Preacher, this haue I found, seeking one by one to ^note finde the count:

30   And yet my soule seeketh, but I finde it not: I haue found one man of a thousand: but a woman among them all haue I not founde.

31   Onely loe, this haue I founde, that God hath made man righteous: but they haue sought many ^note inuentions.

The wicked escape.

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