Ecclesiastes · Chapter 14

[ edit] Blisful þe man, þat is not ſliden in wrd fro his mouþ, and is not prickid in ſorewi ſlouþe of gilte. Sely, or bleſſid, þat hadde not ſorewi ſlouþe of his inwit, and falleþ not awei fro his hope. To þe coueitous man, and hard, wiþoute reſoun is ſubſtaunce; and to an enuyous man, wherto gold? Who hepiþ of his inwit vnriȝtwiſly, to oþere men gedereþ; and in þe goodis of hym an oþer ſhal don leccherie. Who to hymſelf is ſhreude, to what oþer ſhal he ben good? and he ſhal not ben merie in his goodus. No þing is wers, þan he þat enuyeþ to hymſelf; and þat is þe ȝelding of his malice. And if he ſhul weel don, vnwitendely, and not wilnende he doþ; and in þe laſte he ſhewiþ his malice.

Shreude is þe eȝe of þe pale, and turnende awei face, and diſpiſende his ſoule. Vnfillable þe eȝe of þe coueitous; in to þe part of wickidneſſe he ſhal not be fild, to þe tyme þat he fulli ende vnriȝtwiſneſſe, makende drie his ſoule. Þe euele eȝe to eueles, and nedy ſhal not ben fild wiþ bred; and in ſorewi ſlouþe he ſhal be vp on his bord. Sone, if þou haſt, wel do wiþ þee, and offre to God wrþi offringis. Be þou myndeful for deþ ſhal not tarien, and þe teſtament of helle, þat is ſhewid to þee; þe teſtament forſoþe of þis world bi deþ ſhal dien. Biforn deþ wel do to þi frend, and aftir þi ſtrengþis puttende out ȝif to þe pore.

Be þou not bigilid fro þe good day, and þe parcel of þe goode day paſſe þee not. Wheþer not to oþere þou ſhalt lefe þi ſorewis, and þi trauailes? In departing of lot ȝif, and tac; and iuſtefie þi ſoule. Bifor þi deþ werch riȝtwiſneſſe; for to finde mete is not anent helle. Eche fleſh as heiȝ ſhal waxe old, and as a lef beryng frut in a grene tree. Oþere ben iendred, and oþere fallen doun; ſo ieneracioun of fleſh and of blod, an oþer is endid, and an oþer is born. Eche coruptible werc in þe ende ſhal faile; and he þat wercheþ it, ſhal go wiþ it. And eche choſen werc ſhal be iuſtefied; and he þat wercheþ it, ſhal be wrſhipid in it.

Blisful þe man, þat ſhal dwelle in wiſdam, and þat in riȝtwiſneſſe ſweteli ſhal þenke, and in wit ſhal þenke þe looking aboute of God. Who þenkeþ out þe weies of hym in his herte, and in hid þingus of it vnderſtonding ſhal be; goende aftir it as enſerchere, and in þe weies of it beende ſtille. Who byholdeþ bi þe wyndowes of it, and in þe ȝatis of it is herende; who reſteþ biſide þe hous of it, and in þe walles of it piccheþ a pale.

He ſhal ordeyne his litle hous at þe hondis of it, and þer ſhuln reſte in þe litle houſes of it goodis, bi aungelis during; he ſhal ſetten his ſonus vnder þe roof of it, and vnder þe braunchis of it he ſhal wone; he ſhal be defendid vnder þe roof of it fro brennende hete, and in þe glorie of it he ſhal reſte.