Ecclesiastes · Chapter 18

[ edit] He þat lyueþ in to wiþoute ende, made of noȝt alle þingus togidere; God alone ſhall be iuſtefied, and dwelleþ vnuenkuſhid king wiþoute ende. Who ſhal ſuffiſe to telle out þe werkis of hym? who ſhal enſerche þe grete wrþi þingis of hym? Þe vertue forſoþe of his gretneſſe who ſhal telle out? or who ſhal leyn to to tellen out þe merci of hym? Þere is not to laſſen, ne to echen; ne þer is to fynde þe grete wrþi þingus of God. Whan a man haþ ful endid, þanne he bigynneþ; and whan he haþ reſtid, he ſhal werchen. What is a man, and what is þe glorie of hym? and what is good, or what þe wicke þing of hym?

Þe noumbre of þe daȝes of men, as myche an hundrid ȝer, as dropis to þe watir of þe ſe þei ben ordeyned; and as a litil ſton of grauel, ſo fewe ȝeres in þe dai of þe ſpirituel world. For þat pacient is God in þem, and he ſchal heelde out vpon hem his mercy. He ſaȝ þe preſumpcioun, or pride, of þe herte of hem, for it ys euel; and he kneȝ þe turnyng vp ſo doun of hem, for it is ſhreude. Þerfore he fulfilde hys mercy in hem, and ſhewede to þem þe weie of equyte. Þe mercy doyng of man aboute his neȝhebore; þe merci forſoþe of þe Lord vp on alle fleſh.

He þat haþ mercy, and lerneþ, and techeþ as a ſhepperde his floc, haue he mercy, takende out doctrine of mercy doyng; and þat hieȝen in þe domes of hym. Sone, in goode þingus ȝyue þou not pleynt, and in alle ȝifte ȝyue þou not ſorewi ſlouþe, or heuyneſſe, of an euel wrd. Wheþer not brennende hete þe dew ſhal aȝeen keelen? ſo and a wrd betere þan a ȝifte. Lo! wheþer not a wrd ouer a good ȝifte? but eiþer wiþ a iuſtefied man. Þe fool ſharpli ſhal ȝyue repref; and þe ȝifte of þe vndiſciplyned makeþ eȝen to waxe failende. Bifor dom greiþe riȝtwiſneſſes to þee; and er þat þou ſpeke, lerne. Bifor ſicneſſe tac medicyne; and bifor dom aſke þou þiſelf, and in þe ſiȝte of God þou ſhalt finde mercy.

Bifor ſikneſſe meeke þee, and in tyme of infirmyte ſhew þou þi conuerſacioun, or lyuyng. Be þou not lettid to preȝen euermor, and drede þou not vnto þe dead to be iuſtefied; for þe meede of God dwelliþ in to wiþoute ende. Biforn oriſoun greiþe þou þi ſoule; and wile þou not be as a man þat tempteþ God. Haue mynde of wraþe in þe day of endyng; and tyme of ȝelding in conuerſacioun þou ſhalt make. Haue mynde of pouert in tyme of plente; and þe nede of pouert in þe dai of richeſſes. Fro erli vnto euen þe tyme ſhal ben chaungid; and alle þeſe þingus haſtid in þe eȝen of God. A wys man in alle þingis dredeþ; and in þe daȝes of giltes ſhal taken heed fro ſlouþe.

Eche witti knowiþ wiſdam; and to hym þat fyndeþ it, it ſhal ȝyue knoulechyng. Þe wel felende in wrdus and þei wiſly diden, and vnderſtoden treuþe, and riȝtwiſneſſe; and biſoȝten prouerbes and domes. After þi luſtis go þou not; and fro þi wil turne þee awei. If þou ȝyue to þi ſoule his luſtis, it ſhal make þee in to ioȝe to þin enemys. Ne delite þou in cumpanyes, ne in ſmale þyngus; ſoþeli þe treſpaſing of hem is contynuel. Ne be þou mene in ſtrif for monee, and þer is not to þee no þing in þe world; forſoþe þou ſhalt be enuyous to þy ſoule.