A   These are the wordes of the Preather, þe; sonne of Dauid, kynge of Ierusal&ebar;. ^noteAll is but moste vayne vanite (sayeth þe; Preacher) ∧ al is moste vayne (I say) ∧ but plaine vanite. For what els hath a m&abar;, of all þe; labour þt; he taketh vnder þe; Sunne? One generacyon passeth awaye, another c&obar;meth, but þe; earth abydeth styll. The Sunne aryseth, þe; sunne goeth downe, ∧ returneth to hys place, þt; he maye there rise vp againe. The w&ibar;de goeth toward þe; South, ∧ turneth vnto the northe, fetchith his c&obar;passe, whirleth aboute, ∧ goth forth, ∧ his circuite returneth agayne to him selfe. ^note B   All floudes r&ubar;ne into the see, ∧ yet þe; see yt selfe is not fylled: for loke vnto what place þe; waters r&ubar;ne, thence they come to flowe agayne. All th&ibar;ges are so harde to be knowen, þt; no m&abar; can expresse th&ebar;. ^noteThe eye is not satisfyed &wt; syght, the eare is not fylled &wt; hearinge. ^noteThe thing þt; hath bene, c&obar;meth to passe agayne: ∧ þe; thinge þt; hath bene done, shall be done agayne, there is no new th&ibar;g vnder þe; sunne. Is there eny th&ibar;g wherof it maye be sayde: lo, this is new? For it was longe agoo in þe; times þt; haue bene before vs. The thing þt; is past, is out of rem&ebar;braunce: C   Euen so the thinges þt; are for to come, shal no more be thought vpon am&obar;ge them þt; come after. I my selfe þe; Preacher, was kyng of Israel at Ierusal&ebar;, ∧ dyd applie my mynde to seke out ∧ search for þe; knowledge of all thinges that are done vnder heau&ebar;. Soch trauayle and labour hath God geu&ebar; vnto &rhand; þe; children of men, to excercyse them selues therin.

D   Thus I haue consydred all the thinges þt; come to passe vnder the Sunne, and lo, they are all but vanite, ∧ vexaci&obar; of minde. The croked c&abar;not be made strayght, nor þe; th&ibar;ge þt; is vnperfecte, c&abar;not be ac&obar;pted &wt; thinges þt; are perfecte. I c&obar;moned &wt; mine awne herte, say&ibar;ge: lo, I am come to a great estate, ∧ haue gott&ebar; more wysdome, th&ebar; all they þt; haue bene before me in Ierusal&ebar;. Yee my herte had greate experi&ebar;ce of wisdome ∧ knowledge, for there vnto I applied my mynde: þt; I myght knowe what were wisdome ∧ vnderst&abar;ding, what were errour ∧ folishnes: ∧ I perceaued, þt; this also was but a vexacy&obar; of m&ibar;de: for where moch wisdome is, there is also greate trauaile ∧ disquietnes: ∧ &club; þe; more knowledge a man hath, þe; more is hys care. ¶ The .ii. Chapter. ¶ Aboundaunce of rychesse, of pleasure ∧ of buyldinge are vayne thynges.

A   Th&ebar; sayd I thus in my herte: Now go to, I wil take mine ease ∧ haue good dayes. But lo, þt; is vanite: also in so moch þt; I sayd vnto þe; m&abar; gyu&ebar; to laughter: þu; arte madd, ∧ to myrth: what doest thou?

So I thought &ibar; my hert, to gyue my flesh vnto wyne and agayne to applie my mynde vnto wysdome, and to compreh&ebar;de folyshnes vntyll the tyme þt; (am&obar;ge all þe; thinges whych are vnder the Sunne) I myght se what were best for men to do, so longe as they lyue vnder heauen.

^noteI made gorgious fayre worckes. I buylded me houses, and planted vyneyardes. I made me ortchardes and gard&ebar;s of pleasure, and planted trees in them of al maner frutes. ^note B   I made poles of water, to water þe; grene and fruteful trees withall. I bought seruauntes and maydens, and had a greate housholde. As for catell and shepe, I had more substaunce of them, then all they that were before me in Ierusal&ebar;. I gathered syluer ∧ golde together, eu&ebar; a treasure of kynges and landes.

I prouyded me syngers ∧ wemen, which coulde playe of instrumentes, to make men myrth and pastime. I gat me psalteries ∧ songes of musicke. And I was greater and in more worshipe, th&ebar; all my predecessours in Ierusalem. For wisdome remained with me: ∧ loke whatsoeuer myne eyes desyred, I let th&ebar; haue it: and wherin soeuer my hert delyted, or had eny pleasure, I with helde it not fr&obar; it. Thus my herte reioysed in all that I dyd, and this was my porcion of all my trauayle. But when I c&obar;sydred all the workes that my handes had wrought, and all þe; laboure that I had tak&ebar; therin: lo, all was but vanite and vexacion of mynd, and nothing of eny value vnder þe; Sunne. Th&ebar; turned I me to considre wysdome, erroure, and folyshnesse (for what is he among men that myght be compared to me the kyng in soch worckes?) and I sawe: that wysdome excelleth foolishnesse, as farre as light doth darcknesse. C   For a wyse man hath his eyes in his head, but the foole goeth in the darkenesse: I perceaued also, þt; they both had one ende. Th&ebar; thought I &ibar; my mynde, If it happen vnto the foole as it doth vnto me, what nedeth me then to labour eny more for wisdome? So I confessed within my hert, that this also was but vanite. For the wyse are euer as lytle in remembra&ubar;ce as the folish, for þe; dayes shal come wh&ebar; all shal be forgotten, yee þe; wise man dieth as well as þe; foole. Thus beganne I to be weery of my lyfe, in so moch that I coulde awaye with nothing that is done vnder the Sunne, for all was but vanite ∧ vexacion of minde: Yee I was

weery of all my labour, whych I had taken vnder the Sunne, because I shulde be fayne to leaue them vnto another man that commeth after me: And who knoweth, whether he shalbe a wyse m&abar; or a fole? And yet shall he be lord of all my labours, which I with soch wysdome haue taken vnder the S&ubar;ne Thys is also a vayne thyng.

So I turned me to refrayne my mynde from all soch trauayle, as I toke vnder the Sunne: for so moch as a man shulde weery hym selfe with wysdome, D   with vnderstanding and oportunite, ∧ yet be fayne to leaue his labours vnto another that neuer swett for th&ebar;. This is also a vayne thing ∧ greate misery. For what getteth a m&abar; of all the laboure and trauayle of his mynde, that he taketh vnder the Sunne, but heuynesse, sorowe and desquyetnes all the dayes of hys lyfe? In so moch that his hert c&abar;not rest in the nyght, this is also a vayne thing? ^noteIs it not better then for a m&abar; to eate ∧ drynche, ∧ his soule to be mery in his labour? Yee I sawe that thys also was a gyfte of God: For who will eat or go more lustely to hys worcke then I? And why? God gyueth to the man that is good before him, wysdome, vnderstandyng, ∧ gladnesse. But vnto the synner he geueth weerynes (and superfluous care) that he maye gather and heape together the thynge, that afterwarde shalbe geuen vnto him, whom it pleaseth God. This is now a vayne thinge, yee a very disquietnesse and vexacyon of mynde. ¶ The .iii. Chapter. ¶ All thynges come in their tyme, and passe awaye in their tyme.

A   Euery thinge hath a tyme, yee all þt; is vnder the heauen, hath his c&obar;uenient season. There is a tyme to be borne, and a tyme to dye.

There is a tyme to plante and a tyme to pleke vp the thing, that is planted.

A time to slaye, and a time to make whole. A tyme to breake downe, ∧ a tyme to build vp. A tyme to wepe, and a tyme to laugh: A tyme to mourne, and a tyme to daunse. A time to cast awaye stones, and a tyme to gather stones together. A tyme to embrace, and a tyme to refrayne from embracing. A tyme to wynne, and a tyme to lese. A tyme to spare, and a tyme to sp&ebar;de. B   A tyme to cut in peces, and a tyme to sowe together. ^noteA tyme to loue, and a tyme to hate.

What hath a man els þt; doth any thing) but werynesse ∧ labour? For as touchinge the trauayle and carefulnesse whych God hath geuen vnto men, I se þt; he hath geuen it them, to be excercised in it. All thys hath he ordened maruelous goodly, to euery th&ibar;g his due tyme. He hath planted ignoraunce also in the hertes of m&ebar;, that they shuld not comprehende the ground of hys worckes, which he doth from the begynning to þe; ende. C   So I perceaued, þt; in these thinges there is nothing better for a man, then to be mery and to do well so longe as he lyueth. For all that a m&abar; eateth ∧ dryncketh, yee whatsoeuer a m&abar; enioyeth of all his labour, that same is a gyfte of God. I consydered also þt; whatsoeuer God doth, it c&obar;tinueth for euer and that nothing can be put vnto it, nor taken from it, and that God doth it to the intent, that m&ebar; shuld feare hym. ^noteThe thing that hath bene is nowe: and the thyng that is for to come, hath bene afore time, for God restoreth agayne the thynge that was past Moreouer, I sawe vnder the S&ubar;ne vngodlynesse in the steade of iudgement, and iniquyte in steade of ryghteousnesse. Then thought I in my minde: God shal separate the ryghteous from the vngodly, and then shalbe the tyme and iudgement of all councels and worckes. I commened with myne awne hert also, concernynge the children of men: D   how God hath chosen them, ∧ yet letteth them apeare: as though they were beastes: for it happeneth vnto men as it doth vnto beastes, and as the one dyeth, so dyeth the other: yee they haue both one maner of breth: so þt; (in this) a man hath no preemynence aboue a beast, but all are subdued vnto vanytie. They go all vnto one place, for as they be all of dust, so shall they all turne vnto dust agayne. ^noteWho knoweth þe; sprete of m&abar; that goeth vpwarde, and the breth of the beast that goeth downe into þe; earth? Wherfore I perceaue, that there is nothing better for a man, th&ebar; to be ioyfull in hys laboure, for that is hys porcyon. But who wyll brynge him to se the thinge that shall come after hym? ¶ The .iiii. Chapter. ¶ The myseryes of the innocent. The superfluous labours of men. The chylde that is poore, and wyse, ∧c.

A   So I turned me, ∧ ^note considred all þe; violent wrong that is done vnder the sunne, ∧ beholde, the teares of soch as were oppressed, ∧ there was no man to conforte th&ebar;, or þt; wolde delyuer ∧ defende th&ebar; from the violence of their oppressours. Wherfore I iudged those that are deed, to be more happye then soch as be alyue: yee, him that is yet vnborne to be better at ease then they both, because he seyth not the miserable worckes that are done vnder the sunne.

B   Agayne, I sawe that all trauayle, ∧ dilygence of labour, þt; euery man taketh in hande, was done of enuy agaynst his neyboure

This is also a vaine thinge, and a vexacion of mynde. The foole foldeth his handes together, and eateth vp hys awne fleshe. One h&abar;de full (sayeth he) is better with rest, then both the handes full with laboure ∧ trauayle of minde. Moreouer, I turned me, ∧ beholde yet another vanyte vnder the Sunne.

There is one man, no mo but hym selfe alone, hauyng nether chylde ner brother: yet is there no ende of his carefull trauayle, his eyes can not be satysfyed with riches, (yet doth he not remembre hym selfe, and saye.) C   For whom do I take soch trauayle? For whose pleasure do I thus consume awaye my lyfe? This is also a vayne ∧ myserable thinge? Therfore, two are better then one, for they maye well enioye the profyt of theyr laboure.

For If one of them fall, his c&obar;panyon helpeth him vp agayne: But wo is him that is alone, for yf he fall, he hath not another to helpe him vp. Agayne, when two slepe together, they are warme: but how c&abar; a body be warme alone? One maye be ouercome, but two maye make resista&ubar;ce: A threfold cable is not lyghtly broken. A poore childe beynge wyse, is better then an olde kynge, þt; doteth, and c&abar;not beware in tyme to come. ^note D   Some one commeth out of preson, and is made a kynge: and another which is borne in the kyngdome, commeth vnto pouerte. And I perceaued, that all men lyuynge vnder the sonne, go with þe; seconde childe, that shall stonde vp in the steade of the other.

As for the people þt; haue bene before him, and þt; come after hym, they are innumerable: And they þt; come after him shall not reioyse of him. This is also a vayne thynge ∧ a vexacyon of mynde. When þu; commest into þe; house of God, kepe thy fote ∧ draw nye þt; God which is at h&abar;de may heare: ^note þt; thou gyue not the offeringes of fooles, for they knowe nowght, but to do euell. ¶ The .v. Chapter. ¶ A monicyon to beware of rashe communicacyon: we ought not to meruell at the oppressy&obar; of the poore. The couetous is not satisfyed with his ryches.

A   Be not hastye with thy mouth, and let not thine hert speake eny thing rashly before God. For God is in heauen, and þu; vpon earth, therfore let thy wordes be few. For where moch carefulnesse is, there are many dreames: and where many wordes are, there men maye heare fooles. ^noteIf thou make a vowe vnto God, be not slacke to perfourme it. As for folysh vowes, he hath no pleasure in th&ebar;: If thou promyse eny thinge, paye it: for better it is that thou make no vowe, th&ebar; that thou shuldest promyse, and not paye. &rhand; Suffre not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to synne, nether saye thou before the angell, þt; it is thy ignora&ubar;ce. For then God wilbe angrie at thy voyce, ∧ destroye all the worckes of thyne handes. And why? where as are many dreames and many wordes, there are also diuerse vanytes: but loke that thou feare God. ^note B   If thou seyst the poore to be oppressed and wrongeously dealt withall, so that equite ∧ the ryght of the lawe is wrasted in the l&abar;de: maruell not thou at soch a thyng, for one greate man kepeth touch with another, ∧ þe; myghtie men are in auctorite ouer the pore. The encrease of þe; erth vpholdeth all thinge, yea the kynge himselfe is mayntened by husb&abar;drye. He that loueth money, wyll neuer be satisfyed &wt; money: ∧ who so deliteth &ibar; riches, shal haue no profyt therof. This is also a vayne thinge. Where as moche ryches is, there are many also that spende them awaye. And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth th&ebar;, sauynge that he maye loke vpon them with his eyes? C   A labouringe m&abar; slepeth swetely, whether it be lytle or moch that he eateth: but the abounda&ubar;ce of the ryche will not suffre him to slepe. Yet is there a sore plage, which I haue sene vnder the sunne (namely) ryches kepte to the hurte of him that hath th&ebar; in possession. For oft tymes they perysh with his greate misery ∧ trouble: ∧ yf he haue a chylde, it getteth nothynge. ^noteLyke as he came naked out of hys mothers wombe, so goeth he thither agayne, ∧ carieth nothing awaye with hym of all his laboure. This is a miserable plage, that he shall go awaye euen as he came. What helpeth it hym then, that he hath laboured in the wynde? D   All the dayes of his lyfe also he dyd eate in þe; darcke, with greate carefulnesse, sycknesse and sorow. ^noteTherfore me thincke it a better ∧ as fayrer thyng, a man to eate and dryncke, and to be refreshed of all hys laboure, þt; he taketh vnder the Sunne all þe; dayes of his lyfe which God geueth hym, for this is hys porcyon.

For vnto wh&obar;soeuer God geueth riches goodes and power, he geueth it hym to enioye it, to take it for hys porcyon, and to be refreshed of hys laboure: thys is þe; gyfte of God. For he thincketh not moch howe l&obar;ge he shall lyue, for so moch as God fylleth his herte with gladnesse. ¶ The .vi. Chapter. ¶ The myserye of the ryche and couetous. The difference of a fole and a wyse man.

A   There is yet a plage vnder the sunne, ∧ it is a generall thing among men: when God geueth a man ryches, goodes and honoure, so that he wanteth nothynge of all that hys herre c&abar; desyre: and yet God geueth him not leaue to enioye þe; same, but another man spendeth

them. This is a vayne thinge ∧ a miserable plage. B   If a m&abar; begett an h&ubar;dred children, ∧ lyue many yeares, so þt; his dayes are many in nombre, and yet can not enioye his good, nether be buryed: as for him I saye, þt; an vntymely byrth is better then he. For he commeth to naught, ∧ sp&ebar;deth his tyme in darrknes, ∧ his name is forgott&ebar;. Moreouer, he seeth not þe; sonne, ∧ knoweth not of it: ∧ yet hath he more rest th&ebar; the other. Yee though he lyued two thousande yeares, yet hath he no good lyfe. B   Come not all to one place? All the labour þt; a man taketh, is for him selfe, ∧ yet his desire is neuer fylled after his minde. For what hath þe; wyse more th&ebar; þe; foole? What helpeth it the poore, þt; he knoweth to walke &wt; fooles before the lyu&ibar;g? The cleare syght of the eyes is better, th&ebar; þt; the soule shulde walke after desires of þe; luste. Howbeit, this is also a vayne th&ibar;ge ∧ a dysquietnesse of mynde. The th&ibar;ge þt; hath bene: is named allready, ∧ knowen þt; it is euen m&abar; him selfe: nether maye he go to lawe &wt; hym þt; is myghtier th&ebar; he. D   Many th&ibar;ges ther be þt; increace vanite, ∧ what hath a man els. For who knoweth what is good for m&abar; lyu&ibar;ge, &ibar; the dayes of hys vayne lyfe, which is but a shadowe? Or who wyl tell a m&abar;, what shal happen after him vnder the Sunne? ¶ The .vii. Chapter. ¶ That whych passeth our strengthes and wyttes ought we not to seke after.

A    ^noteA Good name is more worth then ^note a precyous oyntment, and the daye of death is better th&ebar; the daye of byrth. It is better to go &ibar;to an house of mourninge, then into a b&abar;cketinge house. For there is the ende of all men, ∧ he þt; is liu&ibar;g, taketh it to hert: grauytie is better then to laugh: for when the countena&ubar;ce is heuy, the herte is refourmed. The hert of the wyse is in the mournyng house, but the hert of the folysh is in the house of myrth. ^noteIt is better to geue care to the chastenynge of a wyse man then to heare the songe of fooles. For the laughinge of foles is lyke the crackynge of thornes vnder a pot. And that is but a vayne thynge.

The wyse man hateth wronge delynge: ∧ abhorreth the harte þt; couetith rewardes. Better it is to c&obar;sydre, the ende of a thinge then the begynnynge. The paci&ebar;t of sprete is better th&ebar; the hye mynded. Be not hastely angrie in thy mynde, for wrath resteth in the bosome of fooles. B   Saye not þu;: What is the cause, þt; the dayes of the olde tyme were better, th&ebar; they þt; be nowe? for þt; were no wyse questi&obar;. Wysdome &wt; enherita&ubar;ce is good yet better is it &wt; them þt; without care may beholde the sonne. For wysdome defendeth as well as moneye, ∧ the excell&ebar;t knowledge ∧ wysdome geueth lyfe vnto him þt; hath it in possession. Considre the worke of God how þt; no man can make the thing straight which he maketh croked. Use wel the tyme of prosperite, ∧ rem&ebar;bre the tyme of mysfortune: for God maketh the one by the other, so þt; a man c&abar; fynde nothing els. C   All th&ibar;ges haue I considred in the tyme of my vanite: þt; the iust m&abar; perisheth for his righteousnes sake, ∧ the vngodly lyueth in hys wyckednesse. Therfore ^note be þu; nether to ryghteous ner ouer wyse, þt; thou perishe not: be nether to vnryghteous also ner to folysh, lest thou dye before thy tyme. It is good for the to take holde of this, ∧ not to let that go out of thy hand. For he that feareth God, commeth forth with them all.

Wysdome geueth more corage vnto the wyse, th&ebar; ten myghtie m&ebar; of the citye: ^note for there is not one iust vp&obar; earth, þt; doth good, and synneth not. Take not hede vnto euery worde that is spok&ebar;, lest thou heare thy serua&ubar;t curse þe;: for thine awne hert knoweth that þu; thy selfe also hast oft tymes spoken euell by other m&ebar;. All these thinges haue I proued &ibar; wysdome: for I thought to be wyse ^note but she w&ebar;t farther fro me then she was before, yee ∧ so depe that I might not reach vnto her. D   I applyed my mynde also vnto knowledge, ∧ to seke ∧ searche oute science, wysdome ∧ vnderst&abar;ding: to knowe the foolyshnesse of the vngodly, ∧ the errour of dotinge fooles. And I founde, þt; ^note a woman is bytterer th&ebar; death: for she hath cast abrode, her herte as a nett that men fishe with, and her handes are cheynes. Who so pleaseth God, shall escape from her: but the synner will be taken with her.

Beholde (sayeth the preacher) thys haue I diligently searched oute ∧ proued. One thinge must be c&obar;sidred with another, that a man may come by knowledge: whych as yet I seke, ∧ fynde it not. Am&obar;g a thousande m&ebar; I haue fo&ubar;de one, but not one wom&abar; amonge all. Lo, this onely haue I founde, þt; ^note God made man iust and ryght, but they sought many inuencions. ¶ The .viii. Chapter. ¶ The kynges commaundement ought to be obeyed. Gladnes is one of the chefe thynges vnder þe; sonne.

A   Who is wyse? Who hath knowledge to make answere? A mans wysdome ^note maketh hys face to shine: but vnshamefastnes putteth it out of fauoure. I must kepe the kynges comma&ubar;dement, and the oth that I haue made vnto God. Be not hastye to go out of hys syght, and se thou continue in no euell thinge: for whatsoeuer it pleaseth hym, that doeth he. Lyke as when a kynge geueth a charge, his commaundement is myghtye: Euen so ^note who

maye saye vnto him: what doest þu;? ^noteWho so kepeth the commaundem&ebar;t: shall fele no harme: but a wyse mans herte discerneth þe; tyme ∧ iudgem&ebar;t: For euery thing will haue oportunite ∧ iudgement, and this is the thynge that maketh men full of carefulnes and sorowe. And why? a man knoweth not what is for to come: for who wyll tell him? Nether is there eny man þt; hath power ouer the sprete, to kepe styll þe; sprete, ner to haue eny power in the tyme of death: is it not he also that can make an ende of the battayle, nether maye vngodlynes deliuer them that medle with all.

All these thinges haue I considered, and applied my mynde vnto euery worcke that is vnder the sonne: howe one m&abar; hath lordshype vp&obar; another to his awne harme. For ^note I haue seane often þe; vngodly brought to ther graues: and yet they haue retorned into the citye ageyne, and came from the place of holy men, which in the citye were growen out of memory as were those also that lyued well. C   Thys is also a vayne thynge. Because now that euell worckes are not hastely punysshed, the hert of man geueth hym selfe ouer vnto wyckednesse. But though an euell persone offende an hundred tymes, ∧ God differ gyuinge him l&obar;ge lyfe: yet am I sure, þt; it shal go well &wt; them that feare God, because they haue h&ibar; before their eyes. Agayne, as for þe; vngodly it shall not be well &wt; him, nether shall he prolonge his dayes: but euen as a shadowe, so shall he be that feareth not God.

Yet is there a vanyte vpon earth: There be iust men, vnto whom it happeneth, as though they had the worckes of the vngodly: Agayne, there be vngodly, with whom it goeth as though they had the workes of the ryghteous. Thys haue I called also a vayne thyng. Therfore I commende gladnesse, because a m&abar; hath no better thing vnder the Sunne, then to eate and dryncke, ∧ to be mery: for þt; shall he haue of his labour all the dayes of his lyfe, which God geueth him vnder the sunne. D   And so I applied my mynde to learne wysdome, ∧ to knowe the trauayle that is &ibar; the worlde (and þt; of soch a fassyon, þt; I suffred not myne eyes to slepe nether daye ner nyght) I vnderstode of all the workes of God, but it is not possible for a m&abar;, to attayne vnto the workes þt; are done vnder the S&ubar;ne: and though he bestowe his laboure to seke them out, yet can he not reach vnto them: yee though a wyse man wolde vntertake to knowe them, yet shall he not fynde them. ¶ The .ix. Chapter. ¶ A m&abar; wotteth not, by þe; ryghtwesnes of hys awne workes, whether he be worthye of loue or hate. A m&abar; ought to lyue merely with his wyfe. A prayse of wysdome

A   For all these th&ibar;ges purposed, I in my mynde to seke out. The ryghteous and wyse, yee and theyr seruauntes also, are in þe; h&abar;de of God: and &club; &rhand; there is no man þt; knoweth ether loue or hate, but all thynges are before th&ebar;. It happeneth vnto one as vnto another: it goeth with þe; ryghteous as with þt; the vngodly: ^note with the good and cleane as wyth the vncleane: wyth hym that offereth as with him that offereth not: lyke as it goeth wyth þe; vertuous, so goeth it also with the synner: As it happeneth vnto the periured, so happeneth it also vnto him that is afrayed to be forsworne. Amonge all thynges that come to passe vnder the Sunne, thys is a misery þt; it happeneth vnto all a lyke. This is the cause also that the hertes of m&ebar; are full of wyckednesse, ∧ madd foolishnesse is in their hertes as longe as they lyue, vntyll they dye.

B   And why? As l&obar;ge as a m&abar; lyueth, he hath a hope: for a quyck dogg (saye they) is better th&ebar; a deed li&obar;: for they þt; be lyu&ibar;g, knowe þt; they shall dye: but they þt; be deed: knowe nothing, nether deserue they eny more. For their memorial is forgott&ebar;, so that they be nether loued, hated ner enuyed: nether haue they enymore parte in the world, &ibar; all that is done vnder þe; Sunne. Go thou thy waye then, eate thy bred wyth ioye, and dryncke thy wyne with a glad hart, for thy workes please God. Let thy garmentes be allwaye whyte, ∧ ^note let thy head lack none oyntm&ebar;t. ^noteUse thy self to liue ioyfully with thy wife whom thou louest, all the dayes of thy lyfe which is but vayne, þt; God geueth the vnder the Sunne, all the dayes of thy vanite: for that is thy porcion in this lyfe, of al thy laboure and trauyle that thou takest vnder the Sunne. C   Whatsoeuer thou takest in hande to do, that do with all thy power, for in the graue that þu; goest vnto, there is nether worcke, councell, knowledge ner wysdome.

So I turned me vnto other thinges vnder the Sunne, ∧ I sawe, that in runnyng, it helpeth not to be swyft: in batayle, it helpeth not to be str&obar;ge: to fedynge, it helpeth not to be wyse, so riches, it helpeth not to be suttell: to be had &ibar; fauoure, it helpeth not to be c&obar;nyng: but that all lyeth in tyme ∧ fortune. For ^note a man knoweth not hys tyme, but lyke as the fyshe are tak&ebar; with the angle, and as the byrdes are catched with the snare: Euen so are men tak&ebar; in the perlous tyme, when it c&obar;meth sodenly vpon them.

D   Thys wysdome haue I sene also vnder the Sunne, ∧ me thought it a greate th&ibar;g. There was a lytle citie, ∧ a fewe m&ebar; with&ibar; it: so there came a greate kyng and beseged it, and made greate bulwarkes agaynst it.

And in þe; citie there was fo&ubar;de a poore m&abar;, (but he was wyse) which with hys wysdome delyuered the citye: yet was there no body, that had eny respect vnto soch a simple man. Then sayde I: wysdome is better th&ebar; str&ebar;gth. Neuertheles, a symple mans wysdome is despised, ∧ hys wordes are not herde. A wyse mans co&ubar;cell that is folowed in sylence, is farre aboue the cryenge of a captayne am&obar;ge fooles. ^noteFor wysdome is better th&ebar; harnesse: but one vnthryst alone destroyeth moch good. ¶ The .x. Chapter. ¶ The difference betwyxt a foole and a wyse man. Fortunate and happye is that realme which hath a wyse prince.

A   A Deed flye doth corrupt swete oyntement ∧ maketh it to stynk: Euen so oft tymes he that is made for wysdome ∧ honour, is abhorred because of a lytle foolishnes. &rhand; A wyse m&abar;s herte is vp&obar; þe; ryght h&abar;de, but a fooles herte vp&obar; þe; left. A foole will shewe him self wh&ebar; he goeth by þe; way, yet th&ibar;kethe he þt; euery m&abar; doth as foolyshly as h&ibar; selfe. If a pr&ibar;cipal sprete be geu&ebar; þe; to beare rule, ^note be not necglig&ebar;t th&ebar; in thine office: for he þt; can take cure of him selfe, auoydeth great offences. B   Another plage is there, which I haue sene vnder the sonne: namely, þe; ignoraunce þt; is c&obar;menly amonge princes: in that a foole sytteth in greate dignite, ∧ the rych are sett downe beneth: I haue sene seruauntes ryde vpon horses, and princes goyng vpon their fete as it were seruauntes. ^noteBut he þt; dyggeth vp a pyt, shal fall therin him selfe: and who so breaketh downe the hedge, a serp&ebar;t shall byte hym. Who so remoueth stones, shall haue trauayle withall: ∧ he þt; heweth wood, shalbe hurt therwith.

When an yr&obar; is blont, and the poynt not sharpened, it must be whet agayne, and þt; &wt; myght: Eu&ebar;so doth wysdome folowe diligence. C   A babler of hys t&obar;ge is no better, th&ebar; a serpent that styngeth wythout hyssynge. The wordes out of a wyse m&abar;s mouth are gracious, but the lyppes of a foole wyll destroye him selfe. The beginnyng of his talkynge is foolyshnes, ∧ the last worde of his mouth is starke madnesse. A foole is full of wordes, ∧ a man cannot tell what shall come to passe: who wyll then warne him of it that shall folow after him? The laboure of the folysh is greuous vnto th&ebar;, whyle they knowe not howe to go into the citye.

Wo be vnto the (O thou lande) whose kynge is but a child, and whose princes are early at their banckettes. D   But well is the (O thou lande) whose kynge is come of nobles, ∧ whose princes eate in due season, for necessyte ∧ not for lust. Thorow slouthfulnesse the balckes fall downe, ∧ thorow ydle h&abar;des it rayneth in at the house. Meat maketh men to laugh, and ^note wyne maketh th&ebar; mery: but vnto money are all thinges obedient. Wish þe; kyng no euell in thy thought ∧ speake no hurte of the ryche in thy preuy ch&abar;bre: for a byrd of the ayre shall betraye thy voyce, and with hir fethers shal she bewraye thy wordes. ¶ The .xi. Chapter. ¶ Rychesse ought to be distribute vnto the neady.

A   Lay thy brede vpon weate faces, ∧ so shalt thou fynde after many dayes. Geue parte .vii. dayes, and also vp&obar; the eyght, for þu; knowest not what misery shall come vp&obar; earth. When þe; cloudes are full, they powre out rayne vpon the earth. And when the tre falleth (whether it be toward þe; South or North) in what place soeuer it fall, there it lyeth. B   He that regardeth the w&ibar;de, shall not sowe and he that hath respecte vnto the cloudes, shal not reape. Now lyke as þu; knowest not the waye of þe; spirite howe he entred into þe; body beinge yet in a mothers w&obar;be: Eu&ebar; s&obar; þu; knowest not the worckes of God, whych is the worckemaster of all.

Cease not thou therfore with thy handes to sowe thy sede, whether it be in the morninge or in the euenynge: for thou knowest not whether this or that shal prospere, and yf they both take, it is þe; better. The lyght is swete, ∧ a pleasaunt thynge is it for the eyes to loke vpon the S&ubar;ne. If a man lyue many yeares, and be glad in th&ebar; all, let him remembre the dayes of darckenesse, whych shalbe many: and that foloweth, all th&ibar;ges shall be but vanyte. Be glad then (O thou yonge m&abar;) in thy youth, D   and let thyne hert be mery in thy yong dayes, folowe þe; wayes of thyne awne herte, ∧ the lust of thine eyes but be thou sure, that God shall brynge the into iudgement for all these thynges. ¶ The .xii. Chapter. ¶ From oure youth ought we to consyder, and regarde the goodnes of God.

A   Put a waye displeasure out of thyne herte, ∧ remoue euell from thy body: for chyldehode ∧ youth is but vanyte. Remembre thy maker the soner in thy youth, or euer the dayes of aduersytie come ∧ or þe; yeares drawe nye, when þu; shalt saye: I haue not pleasure in them: before þe; sunne the lyght, þe; moone ∧ starres be darckned, ∧ or the cloudes turne agayne after þe; rayne, when the kepers of þe; house shall tremble, ∧ when þe; stronge m&ebar; shall bowe them selues: when þe; myllers st&abar;de styll, B   because they be so fewe, ∧ wh&ebar; þe; syght of þe; wyndowes shall

waxedymme, when the dores in the stretes shalbe shutt, and when the voyce of the myller shalbe layed downe: when men shall ryse vp at the voyce of the byrde, and when all þe; daughters of musyke shalbe brought lowe: when men shall feare in hye places, and be afrayed in the stretes: when the Almonde tree shall florishe and be laden with the greshopper, and when all lust shall passe (because man goeth to his longe home, and the mourners go aboute the stretes.) C   Or euer the syluer lace be taken awaye, and or the golden well be broken. Or the pot be broken at the well, and the whele vpon the cysterne: Then shall the dust be turned agayne vnto earth from whence it came, and the sprete shall returne vnto God, which gaue it. ^noteAll is but vanite (sayth the Preacher) all is but playne vanyte. The Preacher was yet more wyse, and taught the people knowledge: he gaue good hede, sought out the gro&ubar;de, and set forth many parables. D   Hys diligence was to fynde out acceptable wordes, ryght scripture, and the wordes of trueth. For ^note the wordes of þe; wyse are lyke pryckes and nayles that goo thorow, wherwith þe; stuffe gathered is holden vp: for they are geuen of one shepherde onely. Therfore beware (my sonne) of that doctrine that is besyde thys: for to make many bokes it is an endles worke: and to loude cryinge weryeth the bodye.

Let vs heare the conclusyon of all thynges: Feare God, and kepe hys commaundementes: For that toucheth all men. For God shall iudge all worckes and secrete thynges, whether they be good or euell. The ende of the boke of the Preacher / other wyse called / Ecclesiastes.

Previous section

Next section