Ecclesiastes · Chapter 41

[ edit] O! deþ, hou bitter is þi mynde to an vnriȝtwis man, and hauende pes in his ſubſtaunces; to a quyete man, and whos weies ben riȝt ſtraȝt in alle þingus, and ȝit myȝti to taken mete. O! deþ, good is þi dom to a man nedy, and þat is laſſid in ſtrengþe, failende þurȝ age, and to whom of alle þingus is cure, and to þe vnbeleeueful, þat leeſeþ wiſdam. Wile þou not dreden þe dom of deþ; haue mynde what biforn þee weren, and what vp on ben to come to þee; þis dom fro þe Lord to alle fleſh. And þat ſhuln ouercomen to þee in þe wel pleſid þing of þe heȝeſt; wheþer ten, or an hundred, or a þouſend ȝer. Forſoþe þer is not in helle acuſing of lif.

Þe ſonus of abhominaciouns ben mad þe ſonus of ſynneres; and þat wonen biſide þe houſis of vnpitous men. Þe eritage of þe ſonus of ſynneres ſhal perſhen; and wiþ þe ſed of hem þe beſyneſſe of repref. Of þe vnpitouſe fader pleynen, or weilen, ſonus, for for hym þei ben in repref. Wo to ȝou, vnpitous men, þat han forſaken þe lawe of þe heȝeſt Lord. And if ȝee ſhul ben born, in curſing ȝee ſhul ben born; and if ȝee ſhul dien, in curſing ſhal be ȝoure part. Alle þingus þat of þe erþe ben, in to erþe ſhul ben turned; ſo vnpitouſe men fro curſing in to perdicioun. Þe weylyng of men in þe body of hem; þe name forſoþe of vnpitous men ſhal ben don awey.

Cure haue þou of a good name; þat forſoþe more ſhal abide ſtille wiþ þee, þan a þouſend grete treſores and precious. Of good lif þe noumbre of daȝes; forſoþe good name ſhal abide ſtille in to þe ſpirituel world. Diſciplyne in pes kepeþ, ȝee ſonus; hid forſoþe wiſdam, and treſor vnſeen, what profit in euere eiþer? Betere is a man þat hidiþ hys folie, þan a man þat hidiþ his wiſdam. Ner þe latere turneþ aȝeen in þeſe þingus þat gon out of my mouþ. Forſoþe it is not good to waiten aboute, or to kepen, alle vnreuerence, and not alle þingus in alle pleſen in feiþ.

Shame ȝee of þe fader, and of þe moder, of fornycacioun; and fro þe cheef ſittere, and of þe myȝty, of leſyng; and of þe prince, and of þe domes man, of gilte; of þe ſynagoge, and of þe folc, of wickidneſſe; of felawe, and of frend, of vnriȝtwiſneſſe; and of þe place in þe whiche þou dwelliſt, of þefte; of þe treuþe of God, and þe teſtament; of ſitting doun in loeues, and of þe derknyng of þe ȝoue þing, and of taken; fro men ſalutende, of ſtillneſſe; fro biholdyng of a fornycarie womman, and fro þe turnyng awei of þe chere of þe coſyn. Ne turne þou awei face fro þi neȝhebore; and fro taking awei part, and not reſtoring.

Bihold þou not a womman of an oþer man; and ne enſerche þou þe hand womman of hym, and ſtonde þou not at þe bed of hir. Bewar of frendus, of wrdus of repref; and whan þou haſt ȝyue, ne vpbreide þou.