Ecclesiastes · Chapter 2

[ edit] Sone, neȝhende to þe ſeruage of God, ſtond in riȝtwiſneſſe, and drede; and greiþe þou þi ſoule to tempting. Ber doun þin herte, and ſuffre, and bowe in þyn ere, and vndertac þe wrdis of vndirſtonding, and heeȝe þou not in tyme of opreſſing. Suſtene þe ſuſtenyngus of God; be þou wiþ ioyned to God, and ſuffre, þat þi lif waxe in þe laſte. Alle þat to þee ſhul ben leid to, tac, and in ſorewe ſuſtene, and in þi mecneſſe haue pacience. For in fyr is preued gold and ſiluer; men forſoþe reſceyuable in þe chymne of mecneſſe. Ȝif feiþ to God, and he ſhal rekure þee; and dreſſe þi weye, and hope in to hym.

Kep þe drede of hym, and in hym wax old. Ȝee dredende þe Lord, ſuſteeneþ þe mercy of hym, and bowiþ not doun fro hym, leſt ȝee falle. Ȝee þat dreden þe Lord, ȝyueþ feiþ to hym, and þere ſhal not be voidid awei ȝoure meede. Ȝee þat dreden þe Lord, hopeþ in to hym, and in to liking ſhal come to ȝou mercy. Ȝee þat dreden þe Lord, looueþ hym, and ȝoure hertes ſhul be liȝtned. Beholdeþ, ȝee ſonus, þe naciouns of men, and witeþ, for no man hopide in þe Lord, and is ſhent; abod ſtille in his heſtes, and is forſaken; or who inwardli clepede hym, and he diſpiſede hym?

For piteuous, and mercyful is God, and he ſhal forȝyue in þe day of tribulacioun ſynnes; and defendere he is to alle men, ful out ſechende hym in treuþe. Wo to þe double in herte, and to þe lippis of þe hidouſly giltende, and to þe hondes euele doende; and to þe ſynnere goende in to þe erþe two weies. Wo to þe diſſolut or vnſtable in herte, þat ȝyuen not feiþ to God; and þerfore þei ſchul not ben defendid of hym. Wo to þem þat han loſt ſuffring, and þat han forſake riȝt weies, and han turned aſide in to ſhreude weies. And what ſhul þei do, whan þe Lord ſhal begynne to inwardli looken?

Who dreden þe Lord, ſhul not ben of mysfeiþ to þe wrd of hym; and who loouen hym, ſhuln holli kepe þe weie of hym. Who dreden þe Lord, ſhuln inwardli ſechen, þat ben wel pleſid þingus to hym; and þat loouen hym, ſhul be fulfild wiþ þe lawe of hym. Who dreden þe Lord, ſhul greiþe þer hertes, and in þe ſiȝte of hym þei ſhul halewen þer ſoules. Who dreden þe Lord, ſhul kepen þe heſtis of hym, and pacience ſhuln han vnto þe inwardly looking of hym; ſeiende, If penaunce wee ſhul not do, wee ſhul falle in to þe hondus of þe Lord, and not into þe hondis of men. Forſoþe aftir þe mykilneſſe of hym, ſo and his mercy is wiþ hym.