The wrdis of Ecclesiastes, sone of Dauid, king of Jerusalem. Vanite of vanites, seide Eclesiastes; vanite of vanytes, and alle thingus vanyte. What hath a man more ouer of al his trauaile, that he trauaileth vnder the sunne? Jeneracioun goth, and ieneracioun cometh; the erthe forsothe in to with oute ende stant. The sunne risith vp, and goth doun, and to his place turneth aȝeen; and there aȝeen risende goth aboute bi the south, and turneth aȝeen to the north. Enuyrounende alle thingus the spirit in cumpas passeth, and in to his cercles turneth aȝeen. Alle flodis entren in to the se, and the se redoundith not; to the place whennes the flodis wenten out, thei turnen aȝeen, that eft thei flowen out. Alle thingus harde, and a man mai not them tellen out pleynli with wrd; the eȝe is not fild with siȝte, ne fulfild is the ere with heering. What is that was, it that is to come? What is that is mad, it that is to be maad? No thing vnder the sunne newe, ne any man mai seyn, Lo! this is fresh newe; now forsothe it wente beforn in worldis, the whiche weren beforn vs. Ther is not mynde of the rathere thingus, but and of tho thingis forsothe, that ben aftir to come, shal not ben recording anent hem that be to come in the laste time. I Eclesiastes was king of Irael in Jerusalem; and I purposide in myn inwit to seche and enserchen wisli of alle thingus, that ben mad vnder sunne. This werste ocupacioun ȝaff God to the sonus of men, that thei shulden ben ocupied in it. I saȝ alle thingus that ben mad vnder the sunne, and, lo! alle thingus vanite and tormenting of spirit. Peruertid men of hard ben amendid; and withoute ende is the noumbre of foolis. I spac in myn herte, seiende, Lo! gret I am mad, and I wente beforn alle in wisdam, that weren beforn me in Jerusalem; and my mynde beheeld manye thingus wisli, and I lernede. And I ȝaf myn herte, that I knewe prudence and doctrine, and errouris and folie. And I knewȝ that in these thingis also was trauaile and tormenting of spirit; for thi that in myche wisdam is myche indignacioun, and that addith kunnyng, addeth and trauaile.
I seide in myn herte, I shal go, and flowe delices, and I shal take the frutis in goodis; and I saȝ also that that was vanyte. And laȝhing I heeld errour, and to ioȝe I seide, Wherto in veyn thou art bigilid? I thoȝte in myn herte to withdrawe fro wyn my flesh, and myn inwit to bern ouer to wisdam, and that I shulde eschewe folie, to the tyme that I shulde seen, what were profitable to the sonus of men; the whiche thing don, nede is to ther lif in the noumbre of daȝes vnder the sunne. I magnefiede my werkis, I bilde to me houses, and plauntide vynes; I made gardynes and appil gardynes, and I plauntide them with the trees of alle kinde; and I made out to me cysternes of watris, that I shulde watren the wode of the buriounynge tres. I weldide seruauns and hand wymmen, and myche meyne I hadde; droues also, and grete flockis of sheep, ouer alle men that weren befor me in Jerusalem. I hepede to me siluer and gold, and substaunces of kingus and of prouynces; I made to me singeris and singeresses, and the delices of sonus of men, cuppis and pottis in seruise, to wynes to ben held; and I passede in richesses alle, that beforn me weren in Jerusalem. Wisdam also abod stille with me, and alle thingus that desireden myn eȝen, I denyede not to them; ne I forfendide myn herte, but that of alle voluptuouste he shulde take frut, and al delicen hym self in these thingus that I hadde greithid; and this I alouwide my part, for I shulde vsen my trauaile. And whan me I hadde turned to alle the werkis that myn hondis hadden don, and to the trauailes in whiche in veyn I hadde swat, I saȝ in alle thingus vanyte and tormenting of inwit, and no thing to dwelle stille vnder the sunne. I passede, and to ben beholden wisdam, and erroures, and folie; what is forsothe a man, that he mowe folewen the king, his makere? And I saȝ, that so myche wisdam wente beforn folie, hou myche liȝt is in difference fro dercnesses. Of the wise man the eȝen in his hed, the fool goth in dercnesses; and I lernede, that o diyng was of euere either. And I seide in myn herte, If oon and of the fool and my diyng shal be, what to me profiteth, that more bisynesse I ȝaf to wisdam? And spoken with my mynde, I toc heed, that that also was vanyte. Forsothe ther shal not be the mynde of the wise man, lic maner as of the fool in to withoute ende, and the times to come with forȝeting alle thingus shul couere togidere; the taȝt man dieth also and the vntaȝt. And therfore it noȝede me of my lif, seende alle euelis to ben vnder the sunne, and alle thingus vanytes and tormenting of spirit. Eft I wlatede alle my bisynesse, that vnder the sunne most studiousli I trauailede, to han an eir after me, whom I knowe not, whether wis or fool he be to ben; and shal lordshipen in my trauailes, in the whiche I haue myche swat, and ben bisy; and alle thing is so veyn. Wherfore I cesede, and myn herte forsoc more to trauailen vnder the sunne. For whan an other shal trauailen in wisdam, and doctrine, and besynesse, and to an idil man the purchasid thingus lefeth; and that thanne vanyte, and gret euel. What forsothe shal profite to a man of al his trauaile, and of the tormenting of spirit, that vnder the sunne he is tormentid? Alle the daȝes of hym of sorewes and myseyse ben ful, and bi the nyȝt in mynde he resteth not; and whether is not that vanyte? Whether is it not betere to eten and drinke, and to shewe to his lif the goodis of his trauailes? and that is of the hond of God. Who shal so deuouren, and delicis flowen, as I? To a good man in his siȝte God ȝaf wisdam, and kunnyng, and vnderstonding; to the synnere forsothe he ȝaf tormenting, and wast bisynesse, that he adde, and gedere togidere, and take to hym that shal plesen to God; but and this vanite, and wast besynesse of mynde.
Alle thingus han time, and in ther spaces passen alle thingus vnder the sunne. Time of hauyng birthe, and time of diyng; time of plaunting, and time of pulling vp that is plauntid. Time of sleying, and time of heling; time of destroȝing, and time of bilding. Time of weping, and time of laȝhing; time of weiling, and time of leping. Time of sprenging abrod stones, and time of gadering togidere; time of clipping, and time to ben maad aferr fro clippingus. Time of purchasing, and time of leesing; time of keping, and time of casting awei. Time of kutting, and time of souwing togidere; time of holding pes, and time of speking. Time of loouing, and time of hate; time of bataile, and time of pes. What hath a man more of his trauaile? I saȝ the affliccioun, that God ȝaf to the sonus of men, that thei be tormentid in it. Alle thingus he made goode in ther time, and the world he toc to the disputisoun of them, that a man finde not the werc that God wroȝte fro the bigynnyng to the ende. And I kneȝ that ther was not betere, but to gladen, and to do good in ther lif. Eche man forsothe that etith and drinketh, and seeth good of his trauaile; that the ȝifte of God is. I lernede that alle werkis, that God made, dwellen stille in to with oute ende; wee moun not to them any thing adden, or taken awei, that God made, that he be drad. That is maad, it dwellith stille; that ben to come, now weren; and God restoreth that, that ȝide awei. I saȝ vnder sunne in the place of dom vnpitousnesse; and in the place of riȝtwisnesse wickidnesse. And I seide in myn herte, The riȝtwise and the vnpitouse the Lord shal demen; and tyme of alle thing thanne shal be. I seide in myn herte of the sonus of men, that God shulde prouen hem, and shewen to ben lic to bestis. Therfore oon is the diyng of men and of bestis, and euene the condicioun of euere either; as a man dieth, so and tho dien; lic maner brethen alle thingus, and no thing hath a man more than a beste. Alle thingus vnderlin to vanyte, and alle thingus gon to o place; of erthe thei ben maad, and in to erthe togidere thei turnen aȝeen. Who kneȝ, if the spirit of the sonus of Adam steȝe vp aboue, and if the spirit of bestis go doun bynethe? And I parceyuede no thing to ben betere, than a man to gladen in his werc, and that to ben the part of hym; who forsothe hym shal leden to, that aftir hym he knowe thingis to come?
I turnede me to othere thingus, and I saȝ chalenges, that vnder the sunne ben don, and the teres of innocens, and no man coumfortende; ne to moun withstonde the violence of them, benomen the helpe of alle. And I preisede more the deade than the liuende; and I demede hym welsumere than either, that ȝit is not born, ne saȝ the euelis that ben don vnder the sunne. Eft I beheeld alle the trauailis of men, and the besynesses I tooc heed to ben opened to the enuye of neȝhebore; and in that thanne vanyte, and wast besynesse is. The fool foldeth togidere his hondis, and eteth his flesh, seiende, Betere is a litil handful with reste, than ful either hond with trauaile and tormenting of inwit. Beholdende I founde and an other vanyte vndir the sunne; oon is, and the secunde hath not; nouther sone, ne brother; and ner the latere to trauailen he ceseth not, and ner the latere his eȝen ben not fild with richesses; ne he thenketh aȝeen, seiende, To whom trauaile I, and begile my soule of goodis? In that also ys vanyte, and werst tormenting. Betere is that two ben togidere than oon; forsothe thei han auauntage of ther felashipe. If oon shul fallen, of the tother he shal ben holden vp; wo to the alone, for whan he shal fallen, he hath not a man rerende hym vp. If two shul slepe, thei shul ben nurshid togidere; oon, what maner shal he be maad hot? If any man haue the ouere hond aȝen oon, two withstonden to hym; a thre fold corde hard is to-broken. Betere is a child pore and wis than a king old and fool, that cannot seen beforn in to aftir. That and fro prisoun and cheynes otherwhile sum man goth out to a reume; and an other born into a reume with myseise is wastid. I saȝ alle liuende men that gon vnder the sunne, with the ȝunge ful waxynge the secunde, that shal rise for hym. With oute ende is the noumbre of puple, of alle that weren beforn hym, and that aftir ben to comen, shul not gladen in hym; but and this vanyte and tormenting of spirit.
Kep thou thi foot, goende in to the hous of God, and neȝhe that thou heere; forsothe myche betere is obeisaunce than victorie sacrifises of foolis, that wite not what thei don of euel. And speke thou not folili any thing, ne thin herte be swift to bringe forth a wrd beforn God; God forsothe in heuene, and thou vp on erthe, and therfore fewe be thi wrdis. Sweuenus folewen manye besynesses, and in manye wrdis shal ben founde folie. If any thing thou haue vouwid to God, ne tarie thou to ȝelde; forsothe displesith to hym vnfeithful and fool beheste; but what euere thou auouwist, ȝeeld; and myche betere it is to not auouwen, than aftir the vow the bihestis to not ȝelde. Ne ȝiue thou thi mouth, that thou make thi flesh to synnen; ne sey thou biforn the aungil, There is not purueying; lest parauenture the Lord, wroth vp on thi wrdis, scatere alle the werkis of thin hondis. Wher many sweuenes ben, many vanytes, and wrdis vnnoumbreable; thou forsothe dred God. If thou shalt seen wronge chalengis of nedi men, and violent domes, and riȝtwisnesse to be turned vpso doun in prouynce, wndre thou not vp on this nede; for than the heeȝ an other is heȝere, and vp on these othere also ben heȝere stondende; and ferthermore the king of al erthe comaundith to the seruende. The auerouse shall not ben fulfild with monee; and that looueth richesses, frut shal not take of them; and this thanne vanyte. Wher ben many richesses, and manye that eten hem; and what profiteth to the weldere, but that he seeth the richesses with his eȝen? Swete is slep to the werchere, whether litil or myche he ete; fulnesse forsothe of the riche man suffrith hym not to slepen. Ther is and an other infirmyte werst, that I saȝ vndir the sunne; richesses kept in to euel of his lord. Forsothe thei pershen in the werste tormenting; he gat a sone, that in heȝest nedynesse shal be. As he wente out nakid of the wombe of his moder, so he shal turne aȝeen; and no thing he shal take with hym of his trauaile. Wreccheful forsothe infirmyte; what maner he cam, so he shal turne aȝeen. What thanne profiteth to hym, that he trauailede in to wind? Alle the daȝes of his lif he eet in dercnesses, and in many besynesses, and in myseise, and sorewe. And so this to me is seen good, that a man ete, and drinke, and vse gladnesse of his trauaile, that he trauailede vnder the sunne, in noumbre of the daȝes of his lif, the whiche God ȝaf to hym; and this is his part. And to eche man, to whom God ȝaf richesses, and substaunce, and power he ȝaf to hym, that he ete of hem, and take the frut of his part, and glade of his trauaile; this is the ȝifte of God. Forsothe not a seeth he shal recorde of the daȝes of his lif, ther thurȝ that God ocupie in delicys his herte.
Ther is and an other euel, that I saȝ vnder the sunne; and forsothe ofte anentis men. A man to whom God ȝaf richesses, and substaunce, and wrshepe; and no thing lacketh to his soule of alle thingis that he desireth; and God ȝyueth not power to hym, that he ete of it, but a straunge man shal deuouren it. This is vanyte, and gret wrecchidnesse. If any man geete an hundred free childer, and liue many ȝeris, and many daȝes of his age hadde, and the soule of hym vse nott the goodis of his substaunce, and lacke sepulture; of that I pronounce, that betere than he be maad a dead born. In veyn forsothe he cam, and wente to dercnesses; and bi forȝeting shal be don awei the name of hym. He saȝ not the sunne, ne kneȝ the distaunce of good and euel; also if two thousend ȝeer he shulde liue, and hadde not ful vsid the goodis; whether not to o place gon alle? Al the trauaile of man in the mouth of hym, but the soule of hym shal not be fulfild with goodis. What more hath a wis man than a fool? and what a pore, but that he go thider, wher is lif? Betere is to seen that thou coueitist, than to desire that thou wost not; but and this is vanyte, and presumpcioun of spirit. Who is to come, now is clepid the name of hym, and is knowen, that he be a man, and mai not aȝen a strengere than hymself striuen with in dom. Wrdis ben manye, and myche in disputing vanyte hauende. What nede is to a man more thingus than hymself to sechen; whan he vnknowith, what it bringe to hym in his lif, bi noumbre of daȝes of his pilgrimage, and bi time that as shadewe passede? or who to hym shal moun shewen, what after hym be to come vnder the sunne?
Betere is a good name than precious oynementes; and the dai of deth than the dai of birthe. Betere is to go to the hous of weiling, than to the hous of a feste; in it forsothe the ende of alle men is warned, and liuende he thenketh, what be to come. Betere is wrathe than laȝhing; for bi sorewe of the chere the wil of the trespasere is amendid. The herte of wise men where is sorewe; and the herte of foolis where is gladnesse. Betere is to be chastisid of a wis man, than bi flatering of foolis to be desceyued; for as the soun of brennende thornes vnder a pot, so the laȝhing of a fool. But and this vanyte. Chaleng disturbeth the wise man, and shal leesen the strengthe of his herte. Betere is forsothe the ende of orisoun than the begynnyng. Betere is a pacient man than the enhauncende hymself. Be thou not swift to wrathen; for wrathe in the bosum of a fool restith. Ne seye thou, What wenest thou of cause is, that the rathere tymes betere weren than now ben? folie forsothe is such a maner asking. Profitablere forsothe is wisdam with richesses, and more profitith to men seende the sunne. Forsothe as wisdam defendith, so monee; this forsothe more hath lernyng and wisdam, that lif thei ȝeelden to ther weldere. Behold the werkes of God, that no man mai amende, whom he despiside. In the goode dai vse goodes, and the euele dai be war biforn; as forsothe this, so and it God made, that a man finde not aȝen hym riȝtwis pleyntes. These thingus also I sawȝ in the daȝes of my birthe; the riȝtwis pershede in his riȝtwisnesse, and the vnpitous myche time liueth, and in his malice. Wile thou not ben myche riȝtwis, ne more sauouren than is nede; lest thou become stoneid. Ne myche vnpytousli do thou, and wile thou not ben a fool; lest thou die in the time not thin. Good is, thee to sustenen the riȝtwis; but and fro hym ne withdrawe thou thin hond; for who dredeth God, no thing necgligentli leueth. Wisdam coumfortede the wise, ouer ten princes of the cite. Ther is not forsothe a riȝtwis man in the erthe, that do good, and not synne. But and to alle wrdis, that ben seid, ne leeue thou thin herte; lest parauenture thou heere a seruaunt cursende to thee; thi conscience forsothe wot, for and thou ofte sithes cursedist to othere. Alle thingis I saȝede in wisdam; I seide, Wis I shal be maad, and it ferthere wente awei fro me, myche more than it was; and heeȝ depnesse, who shal finde it? I cumpassede alle thingus in myn inwit, that I shulde witen, and beholde, and sechen wisdam and resoun, and that I shulde knowe the vnpitousnes of the fool, and the errour of vnprudent men. And I fond a womman bitterere than deth, the whiche is the grene of hunteres, and a net the herte of hir, bondis ben the hondis of hir; who plesith to God, shal ascapen hir, who forsothe is a synnere, shal be caȝt of hir. Lo! this I fond, seide Eclesiastes, oon and other, that I shulde finde resoun, that ȝit sechith my soule; and I fond not. A man of a thousend oon I fond, a womman of alle I fond not. Onli this I fond, that God made man riȝt; and he hymself mengde with questiouns with oute ende. Who such oon as the wise is? and who kneȝ the solucioun of the wrd?
The wisdam of a man liȝtneth in the chere of hym; and the most myȝti the face of hym shal chaungen. I the mouth of the king kepe, and hestes and the othis of God. Ne heȝe thou to gon awei fro the face of hym, ne abide thou stille in euel werc. For al that he wille, he shal do; and the sermoun of hym is ful of power, ne any man mai sey to hym, Whi dost thou thus? Who kepeth the hest, shal not ben expert any thing of euel; time and answering the herte of the wise man vnderstant. To alle nede time is and couenablenesse; and myche tormentyng of a man, that vnknowith the passide thingus, and the to comen bi no messager he may wite. It is not in a mannys power to defende the spirit, ne he hath power in the dai of deth, ne it is suffrid to resten, bataile aȝencomende; ne vnpitousnesse shal saue the vnpitouse. Alle these thingus I beheeld, and ȝaf myn herte in alle werkis, that ben mad vnder sunne. Otherwhile a man lordshipeth to a man, in to his euel. I saȝ vnpitous men biried, that alsoo, whan ȝit thei liueden, in holi place weren; and thei weren preised in the cite, as of riȝtwis werkis; but and this is vanyte. Forsothe for ther is not broȝt forth anoon aȝen euele men sentence, withoute any drede the sones of men werchen eueles. And ner the latere the synnere, of that, that an hundrid sithes he doth euel, and bi pacience is sustened, I kneȝ that ther was good to men dredende God, that reuerentli dreden the face of hym. Be ther not good to the vnpitouse, ne be ther aferr longid the daȝes of hym; but as shadewe passe they, that dreden not the face of the Lord. Ther is and an other vanyte, that is don vp on erthe. Ther ben riȝtwis men, to the whiche eueles comen forth, as werkes thei diden of vnpitous men; and ther ben vnpitous men, that ben so sikir, as thoȝ thei hadden the deedis of riȝtwis men; but and this most veyn I deme. I preisede therfore gladnesse, that ther was not to man good vnder sunne, but that he ete, and drinke, and ioȝe; and that onli with hym he take of his trauaile, in the daȝes of his lif, that God ȝaf to hym vnder the sunne. And I leide to myn herte, that I wite wisdam, and vnderstande distincioun, that goth on erthe. Ther is a man, that daȝes and niȝtus slep taketh not to his eȝen. And I vnderstod, that of alle the werkis of God, no resoun of them mai a man finde, that ben mad vnder the sunne; and hou myche more he trauailede to sechen, so myche lasse he shal finde; also if the wise man shal sei hymself to han knowen, he shal not moun finde.
Alle these thingus I tretede in myn herte, that I vndirstonde curyously. Ther ben riȝtwise and wise men, and the werkis of hem in the hond of God; and ner the latere a man wot not, whether looue or hate he be wrthi. But alle thingus in to time to come ben kept vncerteyn; for thi that alle thingus euenli comen to the riȝtwis and to the vnpitous, to the goode and to the euele, to the clene and to the vnclene, to the offrende ostis and victorie sacrifises, and to the despisende sacrifises; as a good man, so and a synnere; as a forsworn, so and he that soth swerth. This is the werste among alle thingis, that vnder the sunne ben don, for the same thingus to alle men fallen; wherfore and the hertes of the sonus of men ben fulfild with malice and with dispising in ther lif; and aftir these to helle thei shul ben broȝt doun. No man is, that euermor liue, and that of this thing haue trost; betere is a quyc dogge thanne a leoun dead. Lyuende men forsothe witen themself to be to dien; deade forsothe no thing knewen more, ne han ouer meede; for to forȝeting taken is the mynde of hem. Looue also, and hate, and enuyes togidere persheden; and thei han not part in this world, and in the werk that vnder the sunne is don. Go thanne, and ett in gladnesse thi bred, and drinc with ioȝe thi win; for to God plesen thi werkis. Alle times be thi clothis white, and oile fro thin hed faile not. Parfitli vse lif with the wif that thou loouest, alle the daȝes of thi lif of thin vnstablenesse, that ben ȝyue to thee vnder sunne, al the time of thi vanyte; this is forsothe part in lif, and in thi trauaile, that thou trauailist vnder sunne. What euere thing mai thin hond don, besili werc; for nouther werc, ne resoun, ne wisdam, ne kunnyng is anent helle, whider thou gost. I turnede me to an other thing, that I saȝ vnder sunne neither cours to ben of swifte men, ne bataile of stronge men, ne bred of wise men, ne richesses of taȝt men, ne grace off craftis men; but time and chauns in alle thingus. A man wot not his ende; but as fisshis ben take with the hoc, and as briddes ben caȝt with the grene, so ben taken men in euel time, whan to them sodeynli it cometh ouer. This also vnder sunne I saȝ wisdam, and prouede the moste. A litil cite, and fewe men in it; ther cam aȝen it a gret king, and besegede it, and made out strengthis bi enuyroun; and ful mad is the sege. And ther is founden in it a pore man and a wis; he delyuerede the cite bi his wisdam, and no man therafter recordede of that pore man. And I seide, betere to ben wisdam than strengthe; what maner thanne the wisdam of the pore man is despisid, and the wrdis of hym ben not herd? The wrdis of wise men ben herd in silence, more than the cri of a prince among foolis. Betere is wisdam than armes for bataile; and who in oon shal synnen, many goodis shal leese.
Fleȝis diende leesen the swotnesse of the oynement. More precious is wisdam and litil glorie at tyme, than folie. The herte of the wise man in the riȝthalf of hym; and the herte of the fool in the lifthalf of hym. But and in the weie a fool goende, whan he be an vnwis man, alle foolis eymeth. If the spirit of the hauende power steȝe vp vp on thee, thi place ne lefe thou; for kuring maketh to cese most synnes. Ther is euel, that I saȝ vnder the sunne, as bi errour goende out fro the face of the prince; a fool set in heeȝ dignete, and riche men to seete benethe. I saȝ seruauntis in hors, and princes goende as seruauns vp on erthe. Who delueth a dich, fallith in to it; and who scatereth the hegg, shal biten hym the shadewe eddere. Who berth ouer stones, shal be tormentid in hem; and who hewith trees, shal be woundid of hem. If aȝeen smyten were the iren, and that not as bifore, but were bluntid, with myche trauaile shall be whettid out; and aftir the besynesse shal folewe wisdam. If the eddere bijte in silence, no thing lasse than he hath, that priueli bacbiteth. The wrdis of the wise mouth grace; and the lippis of the vnwise shuln stumblen hym doun. The bigynnyng of the wrdis of hym folie; and the last thing of the mouth of hym werst errour. A fool multeplieth wrdes; a man vnknowith what beforn hym was, and what after is to come, who to hym shal moun shewe? The labour of foolys shal tormenten hem, that kunnen not in to the cite gon. Wo to thee, thou lond, whos king is a child, and whos princes erli eten. Blisful the lond, whos king is noble; and whos princes eten in ther time, to fillen, and not to leccherie. In slouthis shal be mekid the ioynyng of sparres; and in infirmyte of hondis the hous shal droppe thurȝ. In laȝhing thei make bred and wyn, that thei ete drinkende; and to monee obeshen alle thingus. In thi thenking ne bacbite thou to the king, and in the priuyte of thi bed, ne curse thou to the riche man; for and the foulis of heuene shuln bern thi vois, and that hath federes, shal telle out sentence.
Send thi bred vp on men passende watris, for after manye times thou shalt finden it. Ȝif partis seuene, and also eiȝte; for thou knowist not, what be to comen of euelis vp on erthe. If the cloudis weren fulfild, weder vp on erthe thei shul heelden out; if the tree shul falle to the south, or to the north, in what euere place it shul falle, there it shal be. Who waiteth wind, sowith not; and who biholdith cloudis, neuermore shal repe. What maner wise thou knowest not, what be the weie of the spirit, and bi what resoun bones ben ioyned in the wombe of the womman with childe, so thou wost not the werkes of God, that is forgere of alle thingus. Erli sowe thi seed, and at eue ne cese thin hond; for thou wost neuer, whiche more growe, this or that; and if either togidere, the betere shal be. Sweete the tree, and delitable is to eȝen to seen the sunne. If manye ȝeres a man lyuede, and in alle these thingus were glad, he owith to han mynde of the derke tyme, and of many daȝes; the whiche whan thei shul come, of vanyte shul ben vndernomen the passed tymes. Thanne glade thou, ȝunge man, in thi waxende age, and in good be thin herte in the daȝes of thi ȝouthe, and go in the weies of thin herte, and in the siȝte of thin eȝen; and wite thou, that for alle these thingus God shal bringe thee in to dom. Do awei wrathe fro thin herte, and put awei malice fro thi flesh; forsothe waxende age and voluptuouste ben veyn.
Haue mynde of thi creatour in the daȝis of thi ȝouthe, and er time come of tormenting, and neȝhen the ȝeres, of the whiche thou seye, Thei plesen not to me. Er the sunne waxe derc, and liȝt, and sterres, and moone; and the cloudis turnen aȝeen after reyn. Whan shul be moued the keperes of the hous, and the most strong men wageren; and idil shuln ben the wymmen grindende in a litil noumbre, and seende bi holes shul waxe derc; and closen the dores in the strete, in the meknesse of the vois of hir grindende; and thei shul rise at the vois of the brid, and alle the doȝtris of the song shul become doumb. Heȝe thingus also shul dreden, and quaken in the weie; the almaunder shal flouren, and the locust shal be mad fat, and the erbe caperis shal be scatered; for a man shal gon in to the hous of his euerlastingnesse, and men weilende shul gon aboute in the strete. Er be to-broke the silueren corde, and aȝeen come the goldene filet, and the stene be to-brosid vp on the welle, and to-broke be the wheel vp on the cisterne; and pouder turne aȝeen in to his erthe, whenes he was, and the spirit go aȝeen to God, that ȝaf it. Vanyte of vanytes, seide Eclesiastes, vanyte of vanytes, and alle thingus vanyte. And whan Eclesiastes was most wis, he taȝte the puple, and tolde out what he hadde do, and enserchende made manye parablis; he soȝte profitable wrdis, and wrot most riȝt sermounes, and ful of treuthe. The wrdis of wise men as prickes, and as nailes in to heiȝte piȝt, that bi the counseiles of maistris ben ȝiuen of oon shepperde. More than these, sone myn, ne seche thou; of making manye bokis is noon ende, and ofte bethenking is tormenting of the flesh. Eende of speking alle heere wee togidere. Dred God, and his hestis kep; that is, eche man. Alle thingus that ben mad, he shal bringe in to dom; for eche errid thing, whether good or euel it be.
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