Ecclesiastes · Chapter 30

[ edit] Who looueþ his ſone, biſily ȝeueþ to hym ſcourgis, þat he glade in his laſte, and þat he grope not þe dores of neȝhebores. Who techeþ his ſone, ſhal be preiſid in hym; and in þe myddel of homli men in hym he ſhal glorien. Who techeþ his ſone, in to enuye ſendiþ þe enemy; and in þe myddel of frendus he ſhal glorien in hym. Dead is þe fader of hym, and he is as not dead; lic forſoþe to hym he haþ laft aftir hym. In his lif he ſaȝ, and gladide in hym; and in his deþ he ſorewede not, ne is confoundid bifor þe enemys. Forſoþe he haþ laft þe defendere of þe hous aȝen þe enemys; and to frendus þe ȝelding of grace.

For þe ſoulis of þe ſonus he ſhal binde togidere his woundis; and ouer al vois ſhul be diſturbid þe boweles of hym. Þe vntame hors ſhal ſcapen hard, and þe ſlowe ſone ſhal ſcape ſtumbling doun. Flatere þe ſone, and he ſhal make þee dredende; pley wiþ hym, and he ſhall ſorewen þee. Ne wiþ laȝhe þou to hym, ne wiþ ſorewe, and in þe laſte þi teþ ſhal waxe ſtoneyd. Ȝyue þou not to hym power in ȝouþe, and ne diſpiſe þou þe þoȝtus of hym. Crooke þe nol of hym in ȝouþe, and bet þe ſidis of hym, whil he is a faunt; leſt parauenture he inwardly hardne, and leeue not to þee, and he ſhal be to þee ſorewe of ſoule. Tech þi ſone, and werk in hym; leſt in to þe filþehed of hym þou gilte.

Betere is a pore man hool, and ſtrong in ſtrengþis, þan a riche man feble, and ſcourgid wiþ malice. Helþe of ſoule in hoelyneſſe of riȝtwiſneſſe, and betere is þan alle gold and ſiluer; and a ſtrong body þan monee wiþoute meſure. Þer is not monee ouer þe monee of þe helþe of body; and þer is not liking ouer þe ioȝe of herte. Betere is deþ þan bittere lyf, and euere laſtende reſte þan durende ſickneſſe. Goodis hid in a mouþ cloſid, as leiyngis to of plenteuous metes, ſet aboute wiþ a ſepulcre. What ſhal profiten ſacrifiſe to þe maumet? and forſoþe he ſhal not eten, ne ſauouren.

So he þat is dryuen awei fro þe Lord, and berende meedis of ſhreudeneſſe, ſeende wiþ eȝen and weilende, ſo a geldyng clippende a maiden, and ſiȝhende. Sorewi idilneſſe ȝyue þou not to þi ſoule, ne tormente þou þiſelf in þi counſeil. Myrþe of herte, þat is þe lif of man, and treſor wiþoute failing of hoelyneſſe; and ful out ioȝing of a man ys long lyuyng. Haue mercy to þi ſoule, pleſende to God; and wiþhold and gedere togidere þin herte in þe holyneſſe of hym, and ſorewi idilneſſe fer put awei fro þee. Manye forſoþe ſorewy idilneſſe ſleþ; and þer is not profit in it. Enuye and wraþe ſhuln laſſen daȝes; and bifor tyme þenking ſhal bringe to elde.

A briȝt herte good in meteſhipes; þe meteſhipis forſoþe of hym diligentli ben made.