Ecclesiastes · Chapter 15

[ edit] Who dredeþ God, ſhal do goode þingus; and who wiþholding is of riȝtwiſneſſe, ſhal taken it. And it ſhal meete to hym as a moder wrſhipid, and as a womman fro maidynhed it ſhal vndirtake hym. It ſhal feede hym wiþ þe bred of lif, and of vnderſtonding; and wiþ þe water of holſum wiſdam it ſhal ȝyue drinke to hym; and it ſhal be faſtned in hym, and not ben bowed. And it ſhal wiþholden hym, and he ſhal not be confoundid; and it ſhal enhaunce hym anent his neȝhebores. And in þe myddel of þe chirche it ſhal opene his mouþ, and ſhal fulfille hym wiþ ſpirit of wiſdam, and of vnderſtonding; and wiþ ſtoele of glorie it ſhall cloþin hym.

Myrþe and ful out ioȝing it ſhal treſoren vp on hym; and in euerlaſtende name it ſhal eritagen hym. Men foolis ſhul not take it, and men wel feelende ſhul meete to it. Men foolis ſhul not ſeen it; ferr forſoþe it is, ferre awei fro pride, and fro treccherie. Men lieres ſhul not be myndeful of it, and ſoþfaſt men ben founden in it; and welſum aftir comyng þei ſhul han vnto þe looking in of God. Feir preiſing is not in þe mouþ of þe ſynnere, for he is not ſent of þe Lord. For gon forþ is wiſdam of God; forſoþe to þe wiſdam of God preiſing ſhal ſtonden at, and in þe feiþful mouþ ſhal abounde, and þe lordſhipere ſhal ȝyuen it to hym.

Þou ſhalt not ſeyn, Bi God it is awey; þo þingis forſoþe þat it hateþ, þou ſhalt not do. Ne ſey þou, He me diſceyuede; forſoþe vnpitous men ben not nedeful to hym. Þe Lord hateþ al curſing of errour, and it ſhal not ben looueful to men dredende hym. God fro þe bygynnyng ordeynede man, and lafte hym in þe hond of his counſeil. He leide to maundemens, and his heſtes; if þou wilt þe maundemens kepen, þei ſhul kepe þee, and to kepen pleſid feiþ in to wiþoute ende. He putte to þee watir and fyr; to what þou wilt, put forþ þin hond. Bifor man is lif and deþ, good and euel; þat pleſiþ to hym, ſhal be ȝoue to hym. For myche is þe wiſdam of God, and ſtrong in myȝt, and ſeende alle men wiþoute ceſing.

Þe eȝen of þe Lord to þe dredende hym; and he knowiþ al þe beſyneſſe of man. To no man he comaundide vnpitouſly to do; and to no man he ȝaf ſpace of ſynnyng. Forſoþe he coueiteþ not þe multitude of vnfeiþful ſonus and vnprofitable.