Ecclesiastes · Chapter 16

[ edit] Mac þou not myrie in vnpitous ſonus, if þei ben multeplied; ne delite þou vp on hem, if þer is not þe drede of God in hem. Ne ȝyue þou feiþ to þe lif of hem, and ne biholde þou in to þe trauailes of hem. Betere ys forſoþe oon dredende God, þan a þouſend vnpitous ſonus. And profitable it is to die wiþoute ſonus, þan to lefen vnpitous ſones. Of oon weel felende man ſhal ben enhabitid þe cuntre; and of þre vnpitous it ſhal be forſaken. Manye oþere þingis myn eȝe ſaȝ, and þe ſtrengere þingus of þeſe myn ere herde. In þe ſynagoge of ſynnende men fyr ſhal out brenne, and in þe vnbileeueful folc of kinde wraþe ſhal waxe ful out tend.

Olde ieauntis þat ben deſtroȝid, troſtende to þer vertue, fulli preȝeden not for þer ſynnes; and he ſparede not to þe pilgrimaging of hem, but ſmot hem, and wariede hem, for þe pride of þe word of hem. He dide not mercy to þem, deſtroȝende al þe folc of kinde and enhauncende itſelf in his ſynnes. And as ſixe hundrid þouſend of footmen, þat ben gadered in þe hardneſſe of þer herte; and if oon were rered vp þe nol, wnder if he hadde ben harmles. Mercy forſoþe and wraþe is wiþ hym; myȝty is þe ful out oriſoun, and heeldende out wraþe. After his mercy, ſo þe chaſtiſing of hym; he demeþ a man aftir his werkes.

Þe ſynnere ſhal not ſcapen out in to raueyn; and þe ſuffryng of þe doynge mercy ſchal not tary by hynde. Eche mercy ſhal make place to echon, aftir þe deſert of his werkis, and after þe vnderſtonding of þe pilgrimaging of hym. Sey þou not, Fro God I ſhal ben hid; and fro þe heiȝeſt, who of me ſhal han mynde? In a gret puple I ſhal not be knowen; what forſoþe is my ſoule in ſo gret a creature wiþ oute meſure? Loo! heuene, and heuenus of heuenus, þe ſe, or depneſſe, and al erþe, and þat in hem ben, in þe ſiȝte of hym ſhul be moued togidere; mounteynes togidere, and hilles, and þe foundemens of þe erþe; and whan God ſhal biholde þem, bi trembling þei ſhul be ſmyte togidere.

And in alle þeſe þingus mys felende, or vnwittie, is þe herte, and eche herte is vnderſtonden of hym. And þe weyes of hym who vnderſtondiþ? and þe tempeſt, þat nouþer þe eȝe ſaȝ of man? For whi manye werkis of hym ben in hid þingus, but þe werkis of þe riȝtwiſneſſe of hym who ſhal tellen out, or who ſhal ſuffren? Fer forſoþe is þe teſtament fro ſumme; and þe aſking of men is in þe ful ending. Who is laſſid in herte, þenkeþ idil þingus; and þe vnprudent man and errende þenkeþ folies. Heere me, ſone, and lerne diſciplyne of wit, and in my wrdis tac heed in þin herte; and I ſhal ſeyn in equite diſcyplyne, and enſerchen to tellen out wiſdam.

And in my wrdis tac heed in þin herte; and I ſey in equyte of ſpirit vertues, þat God putte in to his werkes fro þe bigynnyng, and in treuþe I telle out þe kunnyng of hym. In þe dom of God his werkis fro þe bigynnyng; and fro þe ordeynyng of þo men he ſeuerede þe partes of þem, and þe bigynnyngus of þem in þer folkis of kinde. He enournede in to wiþoute ende þe werkis of hem; and þei hungreden not, ne trauaileden, and lefeden not of fro þer werkis. Eche þe neȝhebore to hym ſhal not anguyſſhen, vnto þe ſpirituel world or aungelus duryng. Be þou not vnleeuable to þe wrd of hym. Aftir þeſe þingus God biheeld in to þe erþe, and fulfilde it wiþ his goodis.

Eche forſoþe ſoule ful of lif told of bifor þe face of hym; and it eft þe turnyng aȝeen of hem.