Ecclesiastes · Chapter 1

[ edit] Alle wiſdam of þe Lord God is, and wiþ hym was euermor, and is biforn aungelis during. Þe grauel of þe ſe, and þe dropis of reyn, and þe daȝes of þe world, who diſtinctli haþ noumbrede? Þe heiȝte of heuene, and þe brede of erþe, and þe depþe of þe ſe, who diſtinctli meſurede? Þe wiſdam of God goende beforn alle þingus, who enſerchede? Firſt of alle formed is wiſdam, and þe vnderſtonding of prudence, fro þe during of aungelis. Þe welle of wiſdam þe wrd of God in heiȝtes; and þe ingoyng of it euere laſtende maundemens. Þe roote of wiſdam to whom is it ſhewyd? and þe ſutil wittis of it who kneȝ?

Þe diſcyplyne of wiſdam, to whom is it ſhewid, and opened? and þe multepliyng of þe incomyng of it who vnderſtod? Oon is þe heiȝeſt makere of noȝt of alle þingus, al myȝti, and a myȝti king, and wrþi to be drad ful myche, ſittende vp on þe trone of hym, and Godd lordſhipende. He formede it in þe Hoeli Goeſt, and ſaȝ, and diſtinctli noumbrede, and meſurede; and helde out it vpon alle his werkes, and vp on alle fleſh aftir his ȝifte; he ȝyueþ it to men loouende itſelf. Þe drede of þe Lord glorie, and ioȝyng, and gladneſſe, and coroun of outward ioȝyng. Þe drede of þe Lord ſhal delyten þe herte; and ſhal ȝyue gladneſſe and ioȝe in to þe lengþe of daȝes.

To þe dredende God, wel ſhal be in þe laſte endys; and in þe dai of his diyng he ſhal be bliſſid. To whom forſoþe it ſhal aperen in ſiȝt, þei loouen it in ſeeyng, and in þe knowing of his grete þingus. Þe loouyng of God wrſhepeful wiſdam. Þe bigynnyng of wiſdam drede of þe Lord; and wiþ feiþful men in þe wombe he is togidere formed, and wiþ choſen wymmen he goþ, and wiþ riȝtwis and feiþful men he is knowen. Þe drede of þe Lord religioſite of kunnyng. Religioſite ſhal kepen, and iuſtefien þe herte; ful myrþe and ioȝe it ſhal ȝyue. To þe dredende God wel ſhal be; and in þe daȝes of endynge of hym he ſhal be bleſſid. Plente of wiſdam to dreden God; and plente of þe frutes of it.

Eche hous of hym it ſhal fulfille fro ieneraciouns, and þe reſceyuyng places fro þe treſores of hym. Þe croune of wiſdam drede of þe Lord, fulfillende pes, and þe frut of helþe. And it ſaȝ, and diſtinctli noumbrede it; boþe forſoþe ben þe ȝiftis of God. Kunnyng and vnderſtonding of prudence wiſdam ſhal wiþ departen; and þe glorie of men holdende itſelf it enhaunceþ. Þe roote of wiſdam is to dreden God; þe braunches forſoþe of it long lyuyng. In þe treſores of wiſdam vnderſtonding, and religioſite of kunnyng; kurſyng forſoþe to ſynneres wiſdam.

Þe drede of þe Lord putteþ awei ſynne, for who wiþoute drede is, ſhal not moun be iuſtefied; wraþefulneſſe forſoþe of wilfulneſſe or hardyneſſe of hym is his turnyng vp ſo doun. Vn to tyme þe pacient ſhal ſuffre; and aftirward is ȝeldynge aȝeen of ful myrþe. Good wit vnto time ſhal hide his wrdis; and þe lippis of manye ſhuln tellen out þe wit of hym. In þe treſores of wiſdam is tocnyng of diſcyplyne; curſing forſoþe to þe ſynnere is þe heriyng of God. Sone, coueitende wiſdam, kep riȝtwyſneſſe, and God ſhal ȝyue it to þee. Wiſdam forſoþe and diſciplyne þe drede of þe Lord, and þat weel pleſid is to hym, feiþ and debonerneſſe; and it ſhal fulfille þe treſores of hym.

Be þou not rebel, and mys leeful to þe dred of þe Lord; and ne neȝhe þou to hym wiþ double herte. Ne be þou an ipocrite in þe ſiȝte of men; and be þou not ſclaundred in þi lippes. Tac heed in þo þingus, leſt parauenture þou falle, and bringe to þi ſoule vnwrſheping; and God openeþ in hid þingus, and in þe myddel of þe ſynagoge he hurtle þee; for þou neȝhediſt maliciouſly to þe Lord, and þin herte is ful of treccherie and deſceyt.