Ecclesiastes · Chapter 36

[ edit] Haue mercy of vs, God of alle þingus; and behold vs, and ſhew to vs þe lyȝt of þi mercy doyngus. And ſend in þi drede vp on Jentilis, þat ſoȝten not þee, þat þei knowe for þer is not God, but þou; þat þei telle out þi grete wrþi deedis. Rere vp þin hond vp on aliene folkis, þat þey ſee þi myȝt. As forſoþe in þe ſiȝte of hem þou art halewed in vs, ſo in oure ſiȝte þou ſhalt be magnefied in hem; þat þei knowe þee, as and wee han knowe, for þer is noon oþer God, ſaue þee, Lord. Ennewe þou ſignes, and chaunge merueiles; glorifie þe hond, and þe riȝt arm. Rere vp wodneſſe, and heeld oute wraþe; enhaunce þe aduerſarie, and tormente þe enemye.

Heeȝe þou þe tyme, and haue mynde of þe ende, þat þei telle out þi merueilis. In þe ire of flaume be he deuoured þat is ſaued; and þat werſt treten þi folc, finde þei perdicioun. To-broſe þou þe hed of princes, and of þe enemy, ſeiende, Þer is noon oþer, ſaue wee. Gedere togidere alle þe lynagis of Jacob, and knowe þei for þer is no God but þou, þat þei telle out þi grete wrþi deedis; and þou ſhalt eritage þem, as fro þe bigynnyng. Haue mercy to þi puple, vp on þe whiche is inwardli clepid þi name; and to Irael, whom þou haſt euened to þi firſt goten. Haue mercy to Jeruſalem, þe cyte of þin halewing, þe cite of þi reſte.

Fulfil Syon wiþ þin vntellable vertues, and þi puple wiþ þi glorie. Ȝif witneſſing, for fro þe bigynnyng þi creatures þei ben; and rere þe preȝeres, þat þe raþere profetes ſpeeken in þi name. Ȝif meede, Lord, to men ſuſtenende þee, þat þi profetes feiþful bee founden; and heere þou þe oriſoun of þi ſeruauns. Aftir þe bliſſing of Aron ȝif to þi puple, and riȝte reule vs in to þe weie of riȝtwiſnes; þat þei alle wite, þat dwellen þe erþe, for þou art God, biholdere of worldis. Eche mete þe wombe ſchal ete, and þer is mete betere þan mete. Cheekes touchen neȝh þe mete, and þe mysfelende herte leſyng wrdys. Þe ſhreude herte ſhal ȝyue ſorewy ſlouþe, and þe wiſe man ſhal wiþſtonde to it.

Þe womman ſchal taken eche male child, and þer is a doȝter betere þan þe ſone. Þe fairneſſe of a womman gladiþ out þe face of hyr man, and ouer alle luſt of þe man ſhe ſhal ouer leden deſyr. If þer is tunge of curing, þer is and of ſwaging, and of mercy; þe man of hir is not aftir þe ſonus of men. Who weldiþ a good womman, bigyneþ poſſeſſioun; helpe aftir hym ſhe is, and a piler as reſte. Wher is not hegge, ſhal ben to-broken þe poſſeſſioun; and where is not a womman, weileþ þe nedy. To whom byleeueþ he þat haþ not a neſt, and bowing doun wher euere ſhal ben derk, as a gird vp þef, lepende out fro cite in to cyte?