Ecclesiastes · Chapter 17

[ edit] God wiþ þe riȝt hond foormede man; and after his ymage made hym. And eft turnede hym in to it; and after hymſelf cloþide hym wiþ vertue. Noumbre of daȝes and time he ȝaf to hym; and ȝaf to hym power of þem þat ben vpon erþe. He putte þe drede of hym vpon alle fleſh, and lordſhipide of beſtes and of foules. He foormede of hym helpe lic to hymſelf; counſeil, and tunge, and eȝen, and eren, and herte, he ȝaf to þem, of þenking out; and þe diſcyplyne of vnderſtonding fulfilde þem. He foormede to þem kunnyng of þe ſpirit, bi wit he fulfilde þe herte of hem; and eueles and goodis he ſhewide to þem.

He putte þe eȝe of hem vpon þe hertes of hem, to ſhewen to þem þe grete þingus of his werkis, þat þe name of his halewing þei preiſe togidere; and to glorien in þe merueilous þingus of hym, þat þei telle out þe grete þyngus of his werkis. He addede to þem diſciplyne; and þe lawe of lif he eritagede þem. Euerlaſtende teſtament he ſette wiþ þem; and riȝtwiſneſſe and his domes he ſhewide to þem. And þe grete þingus of his wrſhipe þe eȝe of hem ſaȝ, and þe wrſhipe of vois herden þe eres of hem; and he ſeide to þem, Takeþ heed fro alle wicke þing. And he comaundide to þem, to eche of his neȝhebore. Þe weies of hem biforn hym ben euermor; and þei ben not hid fro þe eȝen of hym.

In to eche folc of kinde he beforn ſette a gouernour; and Irael þe part of God is mad open. And alle þe werkes of hem as þe ſunne in þe ſiȝte of God; and þe eȝen of hym wiþ oute ceſing biholdende in þe weies of hem. Þe teſtamentis ben not hid for þe wickidneſſe of hem; and al þe wickidneſſe of hem in þe ſiȝt of God. Þe almes deede of a man as a litil ſac wiþ hym, and þe grace of man as þe eȝe appil it ſhal kepen; and aftirward it ſhal riſe aȝeen, and ȝelde to þem ȝelding, to eche in to þe hed of hem; and turnen in to þe lowere partus of erþe. To men doende penaunce forſoþe he ȝaf þe weie of riȝtwiſneſſe, and confermede men failende to ſuffren, and ordeynede to þem þe lot of treuþe.

Turne þou to þe Lord, and lef þi ſynnes; preȝe þou bifor þe face of þe Lord, and make laſſe þe occaſiouns of giltis. Turne aȝeen to þe Lord, and turne awei fro þin vnriȝtwiſneſſe, and myche hate þou curſing. And knowe þou riȝtwiſneſſes, and þe domes of God; and ſtond in þe lot of putting forþ, and of oriſoun of þe heiȝeſt God. In to þe partes go of þe hoeli world, wiþ men on lyue, and ȝyuyng knouleching to God. Ne faſt abide þou in þe errour of vnpitous men. Bifor deþ kuouleche; fro þe deade as noȝt perſheþ confeſſioun. Þou ſhalt knoulechen lyuende, lyuende and hoel þou ſhalt knouleche, and preiſen God; and glorien in þe mercy doyngus of hym.

Hou gret þe merci of God, and þe mytigacioun, or helpe, of hym to men conuertende to hym. Ne forſoþe alle þingus mown ben in men; for þe ſone of man is not vndeadly, and in to vanyte of malice þei pleſeden. What more cleer þan þe ſunne? and þis ſhall faile; or what wers þan þat fleſh þoȝte out, and blod? and þat ſhal ben vndernomen. Þe vertue of þe heiȝneſſe of heuene he biholdiþ; and alle men erþe and aſken.