1   The wordes of Ecclesiastes, the sonne of Dauid, king of Ierusalem.

2   Vanitie of vanities, sayd Ecclesiastes: vanitie of vanities, & al thinges vanitie.

3   What hath a man more of al his labour, wherby he laboreth vnder the sunne.

4   Generation passeth, and generation cometh: but ^note the earth standeth. for euer.

5   The sunne riseth, and goeth downe, and returneth to his place: and there rising againe,

6   compasseth by the South, and bendeth to the North: compassing al thinges, goeth forward in circuite, & returneth vnto his circles.

7   Al riuers enter into the sea, and the sea ouerfloweth not: to the place, whence the riuers issueforth, they do returne, that they may flow againe.

8   Al thinges are hard: man can not explicate them in word. The eye is not filled with seing, neither is the eare filled with hearing.

9   What is that hath bene? the same thing that shal be. What is that hath bene done? the same that is to be done.

10    ^noteNothing vnder the sunne is new, neither is anie man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages, that were before vs.

11   There is no memorie of former thinges: but neither of those thinges verily, which hereafter are to come, shal there be remembrance with them, that shal be in the later end.

12   I Ecclesiastes haue bene king of Israel in Ierusalem,

13   and haue proposed in my mind, to seke and search wisely of al thinges, that are done vnder the sunne. This very euil occupation hath God geuen to the children of men, that they might be occupied in it.

14   I haue sene al thinges, that are done vnder the sunne, and behold ^note al are vanitie, & affliction of spirit.

15   The peruerse are hardly corrected, and the number of fooles is infinite.

16   I haue spoken in my hart, saying: Loe I haue bene made great, and haue gone beyond al in wisdom, that were before me in Ierusalem: and my minde hath contemplated manie thinges wisely, and I haue lerned.

17   And I haue geuen my hart to know prudence, and doctrine, and errors and follie: and I haue perceiued that in these also there was labour, and affliction of spirite,

18   for that09Q0293 in much ^note wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowlege, addeth also labour. ^note

Chap. II. Humane deligthes are al vaine: 4. as gorgious buildinges, fruitful vinyards, plentie of fish, cattle, seruantes, siluer, gold, musike: 11. not satisfying mans desire. 18. Neither can anie man know, how his heyre wil behaue himself.

1   I sayde ^note therfore in my hart: I wil goe, & flow in delightes, and enioy good thinges. ^noteAnd I saw that this also was vanitie.

2   Laughter I haue reputed errour: and to ioy I haue saide: Why art thou deceiued in vaine?

3   I haue thought in my hart, to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I might transferre my minde to wisdom, and might auoid follie, til I might see what should be profitable for the children of men: what is nedeful to be done vnder the sunne, in the number of the dayes of their life.

4   I haue magnified my workes, I haue built me houses, & planted vineyards,

5   I haue made gardens, and orchards, and set them with trees of al kindes,

6   and I haue made me ponds of waters, to watter the wood of springing trees,

7   I haue possessed menseruants and wemenseruants, and haue had a great familie: heardes also, and great flockes of shepe, aboue al that were before me in Ierusalem:

8   I haue heaped together to myself siluer, and gold, and the substance of kinges, and prouinces: I made me singingmen, & singingwemen, and the delightes of the children of men: cuppes, and goblets to serue to powre out wines:

9   and I surpassed in riches al, that were before me in Ierusalem: wisdom also hath perseuered with me.

10   And al thinges, that myne eies desired, I haue not denied to them: neither haue I stayed my hart, but that it enioyed al pleasure, & delighted itself in these thinges, which I had prepared: and this I estemed my portion, if I did vse my labour.

11   And when I had turned myself to al the workes, which my handes had done, & to the laboures, wherin I had swette in vaine, I saw in al thinges vanitie, and affliction of minde, & nothing to be permanent vnder the sunne.

12   I passed further to contemplate wisdom, and errors, and follie (what is man, quoth I, that he can folow the king his Maker?)

13   and I saw that wisdom so much excelled follie, as light differeth from darknes.

14   The ^note eyes of a wiseman are in his head: the foole walketh in darknes: and I haue lerned that there was one death of both.

15   And I sayd in my hart: If the fal of the foole & myne shal

be one, ^note what doth it profite me, that I haue bestowed greater labour for wisdom? And speaking with my minde, I perceiued that this also was vanitie.

16   For there shal be no memorie of the wise in like maner as of the foole for euer, and the times to come shal couer al thinges together with obliuion: the lerned dieth in like maner as the vnlerned.

17   And therfore I haue bene wearie of my life, seing al thinges vnder the sunne to be euil, and al thinges vanitie and affliction of spirite.

18   Againe I detested al myne industrie, wherwith I haue laboured vnder the sunne most studiously, being like to haue an heyre after me:

19   whom I know not, whether he wil be a wiseman or a foole, and he shal rule in my labours, wherewith I haue swette and haue bene careful: and is there anie thing so vaine?

20   Wherfore I ceased, and my hart hath renounced to labour anie more vnder the sunne.

21   For whereas one laboreth in wisdom, and doctrine, and carefulnes, he leaueth the thinges gotten to an idle man: aud this therfore is vanitie, and great euil.

22   For what profite shal be to a man of al his labour, and affliction of spirite, wherwith he is vexed vnder the sunne?

23   Al his daies are ful of sorowes and miseries, neither by night doth he rest in minde, and is not this vanitie?

24   Is it not better to eate and drinke, and shew vnto his soule good thinges of his laboures? ^note & this is of the hand of God.

25   Who shal so deuour, and flow with delightes as I?

26   To a man good in his sight, God hath geuen wisdom, and knowlege, and ioy: but to the sinner he hath geuen affliction, and superfluous care, to adde, and to gather together, and deliuer it to him that hath pleased God: but this also is vanitie, & vaine carefulnes of the minde. Chap. III. Contrarie thinges succede in their seasons, and passe away, 9. wherof man getteth no perfect knowlege, how long soeuer he liueth, and laboreth to know them: 16. neither wil there be equitie where it ought to be in this world: 21. but in the next, good and euil shal be separated, and iudged according to their desertes.

1   Al thinges haue a time, and in their spaces al thinges passe vnder ^note heauen.

2   A time to be borne, & a time to dye. A time to plant, & a time to pluck vp that which was planted.

3   A time to kil, and a time to heale. A time to destroy, and a time to builde.

4   A time to wepe, & a time to laugh. A time to mourne, and a time to dance.

5   A time to disperse stones, and a time to gather.

5   A time to embrace, and a time to be farre from embracings.

6   A time to gette, and a time to lose.

6   A time to kepe, and a time to cast away.

7   A time to rent, and a time to sow together.

7   A time to kepe silence, & a time to speake.

8   A time of loue, and a time of hatred. A time of warre, and a time of peace.

9    ^noteWhat hath man more of his labour?

10   I haue sene the affliction, which God hath geuen to the children of men, that they may be distracted in it.

11   He hath made al thinges good in their time, and hath deliuered the world to their disputation, and that man can not finde the worke, which God hath wrought from the beginning vnto the end.

12   And I haue knowne that there was no better thing then to reioyce, and to do wel in his life.

13   For euerie man, that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of God.

14   I haue lerned that al the workes, which God hath made, perseuere for euer: we can not adde anie thing, nor take away from those thinges, which God hath made that he may be feared.

15   That which hath bene made, the same is permanent: the thinges that shal be, haue already bene: and God restoreth that which is past.

16   I saw vnder the sunne in the place of iudgement impietie, and in the place of iustice iniquitie.

17   And I sayde in my hart: the iust and the impious God wil iudge, and then shal be the time of euerie thing.

18   I sayd in my hart of the children of men, that God would proue them, and shew them to be like beastes.

19   Therfore there is one death of man, and beastes, and the condition of both equal: as man dieth, so they also dye: al thinges breath alike, and man hath nothing more then beast: al thinges are subiect to vanitie,

20   and al thinges passe to one place: of earth they were made, and into earth they returne together.

21   Who knoweth if the spirit of the children of Adam ascend vpward, and if the spirite of beastes descend downward?

22   And I haue found that nothing is better then for a man to reioyce in his worke, and that this is his portion. For who shal bring him, to know the thinges that shal be after him?

Chap. IIII. ^note In this world manie innocents are oppressed, 4. The potent sometimes enuied, contemned, 15. and forsaken by their subiectes, 17. especially when the superiors obey not God.

1   I turned myself to other thinges, and I saw the oppressions, that are done vnder the sunne, and the ^note teares of the innocents, and no comforter: & that they can not resist their violence, being destitute of al mens helpe.

2   And I praised rather the dead, then the liuing:

3   and happier then both haue I iudged him, that is not yet borne, nor hath sene the euils that are done vnder the sunne.

4   Againe I haue contemplated al the labours of men, and their industries I haue perceiued to lie open to the enuie of their neighbour: and in this therfore there is vanitie, and superfluous care.

5   A foole foldeth his handes together, and eateth his owne flesh, saying: ^note

6   Better is an handful with rest, then both handes ful with labour, and affliction of mind.

7   Considering I found also an other vanitie vnder the sunne:

8   There is one, and he hath not a second, not a sonne, not a brother, and yet he ceaseth not to labour, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches, neither doth he recount, saying: For whom do I labour, and defraud my soule of good thinges? in this also is vanitie, and very il affliction.

9   09Q0294It is better therfore that two be together, then one: for they haue profite of their societie:

10   if one fal, he shal be stayed vp of the other. Woe to him that is alone: because when he falleth, he hath none to lift him vp.

11   And if two sleepe together, they shal warme eche other: one how shal he be warmed?

12   And if a man preuaile against one, two resist him: a ^note triple coard is hardly broken.

13   Better is a child that is poore and wise, then a king old and foolish, that knoweth not to foresee for hereafter

14   Because out of the prison, and cheynes sometime there cometh one forth to a kingdom: and an other borne in his kingdom, is consumed with pouertie.

15   I saw al men aliue, that walke vnder the sunne, with the second yongman, which shal rise vp for him.

16   The number of the people, of al that haue bene before him is infinite: and they that shal be afterward, shal not reioyce in him. But this also is vanitie, and affliction of spirite.

17   Take heede to kepe thy foote, when thou entrest into the house of

God, and approch thou to heare.

18   For much better is obedience, then the victimes of fooles, who know not what euil they doe. ^{note note} Chap. V. ^note An exhortation to speake discretly, and reuerently of God; 3. to performe vowes; 6. not to be trubled with imaginations, nor present oppressions of the poore. 9. Auarice is neuer satiate, 11. riches sometimes cause sicknes, ruine of the bodie, 18. and obliuion of God.

1   Speake ^note not anie thing rashly, neither let thy hart be swift to vtter a word before God. For God is in heauen, and thou vpon the earth: therfore let thy wordes be few.

2   Dreames do folow manie cares, and in manie wordes follie wil be found.

3    ^noteIf thou hast vowed anie thing to God, differre not to pay it: for an vnfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth him. But what soeuer thou hast vowed, pay it:

4   and it is much better not to vow, then after a vow not to performe the thinges promised.

5   Geue not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sinne: neither say thou before ^note the Angel: There is no prouidence: lest perhaps God being wrath against thy wordes, dissipate al the workes of thy handes.

6   Where manie dreames are, there are manie vanities, and wordes innumerable: but do thou feare God.

7   If thou shalt see the

oppressions of the poore, and violent iudgements, and iustice to be subuerted in the prouince, meruel not at this matter: because there is an other higher then the high, and ouer these also there are others more eminent:

8   and besides the king of al the earth reigneth ouer his seruant.

9   A couetous man shal not be filled with money: and he that loueth riches, shal take no fruite of them: and this therfore is vanitie.

10   Where great riches are, there are also manie that eate them. And what doth it profite the owner, but that he seeth the riches with his eyes?

11   Sleepe is swete to him that worketh, whether he eate much or litle: but the satietie of the rich doth not suffer him to sleepe.

12   There is also an other very il infirmitie, which I haue sene vnder the sunne: riches kept to the hurt of the owner.

13   For they perish in very euil affliction: he ^note hath begotten a sonne, which shal be in great pouertie.

14   As he came forth naked from his mothers wombe, so shal he returne, and shal take nothing away with him of his labour.

15   An infirmitie vtterly miserable: as he came, so shal he returne. What doth it then profite him, that he hath labored into the winde?

16   Al the dayes of his life he eateth in darknes, and in miserie, and in heauines.

17   This therfore hath semed good to me, that a man eate, and drinke, and take ioy of his labour, wherwith he hath labored vnder the sunne, the number of the dayes of his life, which God hath geuen him, and this is his portion.

18   And to euerie man, vnto whom God hath geuen riches, and substance, and hath geuen him powre to eate of them, and to enioy his portion, and to reioyce of his labour: this is the gift of God.

19   For he shal not greatly remember the dayes of his life, because God doth occupie his hart with delightes. Chap. VI. Riches make not men happie, because manie dye shortly: 3. and manie rich men wil not vse their riches. 8. Likewise studie to know al secrete thinges is vanitie, not felicitie.

1   There is also an other euil, which I haue sene vnder the sunne, and that frequent with men:

2   A man to whom God hath geuen riches, and substance, and honour, and nothing is lacking to his soule of al thinges, which he desireth: neither doth God geue him powre to eate therof:

but a strange man shal eate it vp. This is ^note vanitie and great miserie.

3   If a man shal begette an hnndred children, and shal liue manie yeares, and haue manie dayes of age, and his soule vse not the goods of his substance, and he lacke burial: of this man I pronounce, shat the vntimely borne is better then he.

4   For he came in vaine, and passeth to darknes, and his name shal be cleane forgotten.

5   He hath not sene the sunne, nor knowen the distance of good and euil:

6   although he liued two thousand yeares, and hath not enioyed good thinges: do not al thinges hasten to one place?

7   Al the labour of man is in his mouth: but his soule shal not be filled.

8   What hath the wiseman more then the foole? and what the poore man, but to passe thither, where life is?

9   Better it is to see that, which thou maist couete, then to desire that, which thou canst not know. But this also is vanitie, and presumption of spirite.

10    ^noteHe that shal be, his name is already called: and it is knowne, that he is a man, and can not contend in iudgement against a stronger then himself.

11   There be manie wordes, that haue much vanitie in disputing. Chap. VII. ^note It is in vaine to seke, and vnpossible to know al natural thinges. 2. It importeth to leade this shorte life in mortification, 4. pœnance, 8. and patience: 12. seeking wisdom, with competent temporal meanes; 15. prouiding for the next world; 24. not yelding to concupiscence.

1   VVhat nedeth a man to seke thinges greater then himself, wheras he is ignorant, what is profitable for him in his life, in the number of the dayes of his peregrination, and the time that passeth as a shadow? ^note Or who can tel him what shal be after him vnder the sunne?

2   Better is a good name then precious ointments: and the day of death, then the day of natiuitie. ^note

3   It is better to goe to the house of mourning, then to the house of banketing: for in that the end of al men is signified, and he that liueth thinketh what shal be.

4    ^noteAnger is better then laughter: because by sadnes of the countenance, the mind of the offender is corrected.

5   The hart of wisemen where sadnes is, and the hart of fooles where mirth.

6   It is better to be rebuked of a wiseman, then to be deceiued with the flaterie of fooles.

7   Because as the sound of thornes burning vnder a potte, so

the laughter of a foole: but this also is vanitie.

8   Oppression trubleth the wise, and shal destroy the streingth of his hart.

9   Better is the end of a speach, then the beginning. ^noteBetter is the patient man then the arrogant.

10   Be not quickly angrie, because anger resteth in the bosom of a foole.

11   Say not: What is the cause thinkest thou that the former times were better then they are now? for this maner of question is foolish.

12   Wisdom with ^note riches is more profitable, and doth more profite them that see the sunne.

13   For as wisdom protecteth, so money protecteth. But lerning and wisdom haue this much more, that they geue life to their owner.

14   Consider the workes of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.

15   In the good day enioy good thinges, and beware before of the euil day. For as this, so that also hath God made, that man finde not against him iust complants.

16   These thinges also I saw in the dayes of my vanitie: The iust man perisheth in his iustice, and the impious liueth a long time in his malice.

17   Be not iust too much: neither be more wise, then is necessarie, lest thou be come more dul.

18   Doe not impiously much: and be not foolish, lest thou dye not in thy time.

19   It is good that thou hold vp the iust; yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: because he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.

20   Wisdom hath streingthned the wise aboue tenne princes of the citie.

21   For there is no iust man in the earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.

22   But to al wordes also, that are spoken, do not applie thy hart: lest perhaps thou heare thy seruant cursing thee.

23   For thy conscience knoweth, that thou also hast cursed others.

24   I haue proued al thinges in wisdom. I haue sayd: I wil become wise, & it departed farder from me

25   much more then it was: and a depe profunditie, who shal finde it?

26   I haue vewed al thinges with my minde, that I might know, and consider, and might seke wisdom, and reason: and that I might know the impietie of the foole, and the errour of the imprudent:

27   and I haue found that a woman is more bitter then death, who is the snare of hunters, and her hart a nette, her handes are bandes. He that pleaseth God, wil auoide her: but he that is a sinner, wil be caught of her.

28   Loe this haue I found, sayd ^note Ecclesiastes, one thing and an other, that I might finde reason,

29   which yet my soule seketh, and I haue not found it. ^noteA man of a thousand I haue found one, ^note a woman of al I haue not

found.

30   Only this I haue found, that ^note God made man right, and he hath intangled himself with infinite questions. Who is such a one as the wise? and who hath knowne the resolution of ^note the word. Chap. VIII. A signe of true wisdom appereth in obseruing Gods commandments, 6. in this shorte time of meriting eternal reward. 9. Rule of others, 11. and want of feare hurt manie. 14. why God suffereth the wicked to prosper, and the iust to be afflicted in this life, no mortal man can know.

1   The wisdom of a man ^note shineth in his countenance, and the most mightie wil change his face,

2   I obserue the mouth of the king, and the precepts of the oath of God.

3   Hasten not to depart from his face, nor continew thou in an euil worke: because al that he pleaseth, he wil doe,

4   and his word is ful of powre: neither can anie man say to him. Why dost thou so?

5   He that kepeth the precept, shal finde no euil. The hart of a wiseman vnderstandeth time and answer.

6   There is a time for al busines, and opportunitie, and much affliction of man:

7   because he is ignorant of thinges past, and thinges to come he can know by no messenger.

8   It is not in mans powre to prohibite the spirite, neither hath he powre in the day of death, neither is he suffered to rest when warre is at hand, neither shal impietie saue the impious.

9   Al these thinges I haue considered, and gaue my hart on al the workes, that are done vnder the sunne. Sometime man ruleth ouer man to his owne hurt.

10   I saw the impious buried: who also when they yet liued, were in holie place, and were praised in the citie as men of iust workes. But this also is vanitie.

11   Because sentence is not speedely pronounced against the euil, the children of men committe euils without anie feare.

12   But yet a sinner by this that he doth euil an hundred times, & by patience is borne withal, I know that it shal be good to them that feare God, which dread his face.

13   Let there be no good to the impious, neither let his dayes be prolonged, but as a shadow let them passe, that feare not the face of our Lord.

14   There is also an other ^note vanitie, which is done vpon the earth. There are iust men, to whom euils happen, as though they had done the workes of the impious: and there are impious men, which are so

secure, as though they had the dedes of the iust. But this also I iudge most vaine.

15   I therfore haue praised mirth that there was no good thing for a man vnder the sunne, but that he should eate, and drinke, and be glad: and this only he should take away with him of his labour in the dayes of his life, which God hath geuen him vnder the sunne.

16   And I haue set my hart to know wisdom, and to vnderstand the ^note distraction that is in the earth: There is a man that dayes and nightes taketh no slepe with his eyes.

17   And I vnderstood that man can finde no reason of al those workes of God, that are done vnder the sunne: and the more he shal labour to seke, so much the lesse he can finde: yea if the wisman shal say, that he knoweth, he is not able to finde it. Chap. IX. None knoweth (certainly and ordinarily) whether they be in Gods grace or no. 4. The euil are in worse case dead then aliue, 11. neither can we know the euent of temporal thinges, nor the terme of our life, nor how gratful others wil be towards vs. 16. Sure it is, that wisdom is better then streingth.

1   Al these thinges haue I discoursed in my hart, that I might curiously vnderstand them: there are iust men and wise, and their workes are in the hand of God: and yet ^note man knoweth not, whether he be worthie of loue, or hatred:

2   but al thinges are reserued vncertaine for the time to come, because al thinges do equally chance to the iust and impious, to the good and the euil, to the cleane and vncleane, to him that immoleth victimes, and him that contemneth sacrifices. As the good so also is the sinner: as the periured, so he also that sweareth truth.

3   This is a very euil thing among al, which are done vnder the sunne, that the same thinges chance to al men. Wherby also the hartes of the children of men are filled with malice, and with contempt in their life, and after that they shal be brought downe to hel.

4   There is no man that may liue alwayes, and that can haue confidence of this thing: better is ^note a dog liuing then a lion dead.

5   For the liuing know that they shal dye, but the dead know nothing more, neither haue they reward anie more: because the memorie of them is forgotten.

6   Loue also, and hatred, and enuies haue perished together, neither haue they part in this world, and in the worke, that is done vnder the sunne.

7   Goe therfore and eate thy bread in ioy, & drinke thy wine with gladnes: because thy workes please God.

8   At al time let thy garmeuts be white, and let not oyle fal from of thy head.

9   Enioy life, with thy wife whom thou louest, al the dayes of the life of thy instabilitie, which are geuen to thee vnder the sunne, al the time of thy vanitie: for this is the portion in life, and in thy labour, wherwith thou laborest vnder the sunne.

10   Whatsoeuer thy hand is able to doe, worke it instantly: for neither worke, nor reason, nor wisdom nor knowlege shal be in hel, whither thou dost hasten.

11   I turned me to an other thing, and I saw vnder the sunne, that neither running is of the swift, nor warre of the strong, nor bread of the wise, nor riches of the lerned, nor grace of the artificers: but time and chance in al.

12   Man knoweth not his owne end: but as fishes are taken with the hooke, and as birdes are caught with the snare: so men are taken in the euil time, when it shal sudenly come vpon them.

13   This wisdom also I haue sene vnder the sunne, and haue proued it to be very great:

14   A litle citie, and few men in it: there came against it a great king, and compassed it, and builded fortes round about, and the siege was perfited.

15   And there was found in it a man poore and wise, and he deliuered the citie by his wisdom, and no man afterward remembred that pooreman.

16   And I sayd, that wisdom is better then streingth: how then was the wisdom of the pooreman contemned, & his wordes were not heard?

17   The wordes of the wise are heard in silence, more then the crie of a prince among fooles.

18   Better is wisdom, then weapons of warre: and he that shal offend in one point, shal lose manie good thinges. Chap. X. Considering the great difference betwen wisdom and follie, 4. it behoueth to resist vehement tentations diligently. 5. As when euil, & ignorant men haue auctoritie ouer the wise. 8. The wicked often fal into their owne snares, 10. are hard, yet not vnpossible to be corrected. 11. Detracters are like serpents. 12. Wise graue princes are profitable; childish are hurtful to the commonwealth; 18. which by their negligence tendeth to ruine: 20. yet subiectes ought not to iudge euil of them.

1   Flies ^note dying marre the sweetnes of ointment. Wisdom and glorie is more precious, then a litle and temporal follie.

2   The hart of a wiseman is in his righthand, and the

hart of a foole is in his lefthand.

3   Yea and the foole walking in the way, wheras himself is vnwise, estemeth al men fooles.

4   If the spirite of him that hath powre, ascend vpon thee, leaue not thy place: because carefulnes wil make the greatest sinnes to cease.

5   There is an euil that I haue sene vnder the sunne, as it were by errour proceding from the face of the prince:

6   a foole set in high dignitie, and the rich to sitte beneth.

7   I haue sene ^note seruants vpon horses: and princes walking on the ground as seruants.

8   He ^note that diggeth a pitte, shal fal into it: and he that breaketh the hedge, a serpent shal bite him.

9   He that remoueth stones, shal be afflicted in them: and he that cutteth trees, shal be wounded of them.

10   If the iron shal be blunt, and that not as before, but shal be made blunt, it shal be sharpened by great labour, and after industrie shal wisdom folow.

11   If a serpent bite in silence, nothing lesse then it hath he, that detracteth secretly.

12   The wordes of the mouth of a wiseman grace: and the lippes of the vnwise shal throw him downe headlong.

13   The beginning of his wordes is follie, and the later end of his mouth is most wicked errour.

14   A foole multiplieth wordes. A man is ignorant what hath bene before him: and what shal be after him, who can tel him?

15   The labour of fooles shal afflict them, that know not to goe into ^note the cittie.

16   09Q0295Woe to thee ô land, whose king is a childe, and whose princes eate in the morning.

17   Blessed is the land, whose king is noble, & whose princes eate in their time to refection, and not to riotousnes.

18   In slouthfulnes the roofe of the house shal goe to ruine, & in the infirmitie of the handes the house shal droppe through.

19   They make bread for laughter, and wine that liuing they may make merie: and to money al thinges obey.

20   In thy cogitation detract not from the king, and in the secret of thy chamber curse not the richman: because euen the birdes of the ayre wil carie thy voice, and he that hath winges wil declare the sentence. ^{note note}

Chap. XI. workes of mercie are necessarie, whiles we haue time, ^note 3. because after death none can merite: 4. neither must we differ to beginne, nor cease from good dedes, 8. but stil be mindful of death and iudgement: 10. auoiding wrath and malice.

1   Cast thy bread vpon the passing waters: ^note because after much time thou shalt finde it.

2   Geue a portion ^note to seuen, and also to eight: because thou knowest not what euil shal be vpon the earth:

3   If the cloudes be ful, they wil powre out raine vpon the earth. If the tree shal fal to the South, or to the North, in what place soeuer it shal fal, ^note there shal it be.

4   He that obserueth the winde, soweth not: and he

that considereth the cloudes, shal neuer reape.

5   As thou art ignorant which is the way of the spirite, & how the bones are framed together in the wombe of her that conceiueth childe: so thou knowest not the workes of God, who is the maker of al.

6   In ^note the morning sow thy seede, and in the euening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring, this or that: and if both together, it shal be the better,

7   The light is sweete: and it is delectable for the eyes to see the sunne.

8   If a man shal liue manie yeares, and shal haue reioyced in them al, he must remember the darkesome time, and manie dayes: which when they shal come, the thinges past shal be reproued of vanitie.

9   Reioyce therfore yongman in thy youth, and let thy hart be in good, in the dayes of thy youth, and walke in the wayes of thy hart, and in the sight of thyne eyes: and know that for al these God wil bring thee into iudgement.

10   Take away anger from thy hart, and remoue malice from thy flesh. For youth and pleasure are vaine. Chap. XII. In youth is fittest time, and most meritorious to serue God. In age the same is more and more necessarie, but harder then to beginne, and lesse gratful. 8. In this booke the preacher hath shewed, that al worldlie this gesare vanitie, 13. and that true felicitie is only procured by wisdom, which consteth in the feare of God; and obseruation of his commandments.

1   Remember thy Creator in the dayes ^note of thy youth, before the time of affliction come, & the yeares approch, of which thou maist say: They please me not,

2   before the sunne, and light, and moone, and starres be darke, and the cloudes returne after the raine:

3   when the kepers of the house shal be moued, and the strongest men shal stagger, and the grinders shal be idle in a smal number: and they shal waxe darke that looke through the holes:

4   and they shal shut the doores in the streate, at the basenes of the grinders voice, and they shal rise vp at the voice of the birde, and al the daughters of song shal be deafe.

5   The high thinges also shal feare, and they shal be afrayd in the way, the almondtree shal florish, the locust shal be fatted, and the capertree shal be destroyed: because man shal goe into the house of his eternitie, and the mourners shal goe round about in the streate.

6   Before the siluer coard be broken, and the golden headband recurre,

and the water pot be broken vpon the fountaine, and the wheele be broken vpon the cesterne,

7   and the dust returne into his earth, from whence it was, and the spirite returne to God, who gaue it.

8   Vanitie of vanities, sayd ^note Ecclesiastes, and al thinges vanitie.

9   And wheras Ecclesiastes was most wise, he taught the people, and declared the thinges that he had done: and searching forth made manie parables.

10   He sought profitable wordes, and wrote wordes most right, and ful of truth.

11   The wordes of wisemen are as prickes, and as nailes deepely stricken in, which by the counsel of maisters are geuen of one pastour.

12   More then these my sonne require not. Of making manie bookes there is no end: and often meditation is affliction of the flesh.

13    ^noteLet vs al heare together the end of speaking. Feare God, and obserue his commandments: for this is euerie man:

14   and al thinges that are done, God wil bring into iudgement for euerie ^note errour, whether it be good, or euil.

Previous section

Next section