Ecclesiastes · Chapter 34

[ edit] Veyn hope and leſyng to þe mys felende man; and vnprudent men enhaunſun ſweuenes. As he þat caccheþ ſhadewe, and purſueþ wynd, ſo and he þat takeþ heed to þe ſeen leſingus. Aftir þat þing þe ſiȝte of ſweuenes; beforn þe face of a man þe licneſſe of an oþer man. Of þe vnclene what ſhal ben clenſid, and of þe liere what ſoþ ſhal ben ſeid? Deuynyng of errour, and diuynyng bi chiteryng of briddis, leſingus, or falſe, and ſweuenes of euel doynge men is vanyte. And as of þe womman berende child, þin herte ſuffreþ fantaſies; no but of þe heȝeſt were ſent out viſityng ne ȝyue þou in hem þin herte. Manye men forſoþe ſweuenus maden to erre, and fellen awei hopende in hem.

Wiþ oute leſing ſhal be ful endid þe wrd of þe lawe; and wiſdam in þe mouþ of þe feiþful ſhal be maad pleyn. Who is not temptid, what kan he? A man in manye þingus expert, ſhall þenke manye þingus; and he þat manye þingus lernede, ſhal tellen out vndurſtonding. Who is not expert, fewe þingus knowiþ; who forſoþe in manye þingus is a fool, ſhal multeplien malice. Who is not temptid, what maner þingus kan he? Who is vnplauntid, ſhal abound ſhreudeneſſe. Manye þingus I ſaȝ in tellinge out, and manye cuſtomes of wrdis. Oþer while vn to þe deþ I was in perile, bi þe encheſoun of þeſe; and I was delyuered bi þe grace of God.

Þe ſpirit of men dredende God is ſoȝt, and in reſpyt of hym it ſhal be bliſſid. Þe hope forſoþe of þem in to þe ſauende hem; and þe eȝen of þe Lord in to men loouende hym. Who dredeþ God, no þing ſhal quaken, and he ſhal not inwardly dreden; for he is his hope. Of þe dredende þe Lord, bliſſid is his ſoule. To whom biholdiþ he, and who is þe ſtrengþe of hym? Þe eȝen of þe Lord vp on men dredende hym. Defendere of myȝt, firmament of vertue, coueryng of brennyng, and þe hilet, or þe ſchadowyng place, of þe mydday; louli preȝende of gilte, and helpe of falling, enhauncende þe ſoule, and liȝtnende eȝen, ȝyuende helþe, and lif, and bleſſing.

Of þe offrere of þe wicke þing þe offring is defoulid; and þe ſcornyng of vnriȝtwis men ben not wel pleſende. Þe Lord alone to men ſuſtenende hym in þe weie of treuþe, and of riȝtwiſneſſe. Þe ȝiftus of wicke men proueþ not þe heȝeſt, ne biholdeþ in þe offringus of wicke men, ne in þe multitude of ſacrifiſes of hem he ſhal han mercy to ſynnes. Who offreþ ſacrifiſes of þe ſubſtaunce of pore men, as he þat ſleþ to ſacrifiſe þe ſone in þe ſiȝte of his fader. Þe bred of nedy men is þe liff of þe pore; who bigiliþ hym, is a man of blod. Who doþ awei in ſwot bred, as he þat ſleþ his neȝhebore. Þat ſhedeþ blod, and þat doþ gile to þe hirid man, ben breþern.

Oon bildende, and oon diſtroȝende; what profiteþ to þem, no but trauaile? Oon preȝende, and oon curſende; whos vois ſhal þe Lord ful out heren? Þat is baptiſid fro þe deade, and eft towcheþ þe deade, what profitiþ his waſhing? So a man þat faſteþ in his ſynnes, and eft þe ſame þingus doende, what profitiþ he mekende hymſelf? þe oriſoun of hym who ſhal ful out heren?