Ecclesiastes · Chapter 43

[ edit] The firmament of þe heiȝte is þe fairneſſe of hym; and þe fairnes of heuene in þe ſiȝte of glorie. Þe ſunne in þe ſiȝte, ſhewende out in þe iſſue, a merueilous veſſel, þe werk of þe heȝe. In þe myddai it brenneþ out þe erþe; and in þe ſiȝte of his brennyng who ſhal moun ſuffre? Kepende þe furneys in þe werkis of brennyng; þre maner þe ſunne brennende oute hillis, blaſtende out fyrene bemes, and aȝeen ſhynende wiþ his bemes, blendeþ þe eȝen. Gret þe Lord, þat made it; and in þe wrdis of it he heeȝede þe weye. And þe moone in alle þingus in his tyme ſhewende of tyme, and tokne of þe ſpirituel world. Of þe moone þe ſigne of þe holy day; a liȝt ȝyuere þat is laſſid in þe ending.

Þe mooneþ aftir his name is waxende, merueylouſly in to þe ful endyng. A veſſel of tentes in heiȝe þingis, in þe firmament of heuene ſhynende gloriouſly. Þe fairneſſe of heuene glorie of ſterres; þe Lord liȝtnende þe world in heiȝtes. In woordis hoely men ſhuln ſtonden at þe dom; and þei ſhul not failen in þer wacches. See þe bowe, and bliſſe hym þat made it; ful fair it is in his ſhynyng. He cumpaſide heuene in þe circuyt of his glorie; þe hondus of þe heȝe openeden it. Bi his maundement heeȝede þe ſnoȝ; and he heeȝeþ liȝtnyngus to ſenden out of his dom. Þerfore opened ben þe treſores, and flowen awey þe litle cloudys as briddes.

In his mykilneſſe he putte þe cloudus; and ben to-broke þe ſtones of þe hail. In his ſiȝte ſhul ben ſtired togidere þe hillis; and in his wil ſhal ſpiren, or breþen, out þe ſouþ. Þe vois of his þunder ſchal beten þe erþe; and þe tempeſt of þe norþ, and þe gederyng of wynd. And as a brid puttende doun to ſitten ſprengeþ þe ſnoȝ, and as a locuſt drenchende þe deſcendingus of it. Þe fairneſſe of þe ſhynyng of it þe eȝe ſhal merueilen; and vp on þe weder of hym þe herte quakeþ. Froſt as ſalt he ſhal heelden out vp on þe erþe; and whil he blowiþ, he ſhal be mad as þe coppis of þe brembil.

Þe cold norþerne wind bleeȝ, and þe criſtal freeſede fro þe watyr; vp on al þe gederyng of watris it reſteþ, and as an habirioun, it cloþide hymſelf watris. And it ſhal deuouren hillis, and brennen out þe deſert; and quenchen out þe greene as fyr. Medecyne of alle þingus in þe heeȝyng of þe litle cloude; þe dew, metende to þe comende brennyng, lowȝ ſhal maken it. In his wrd þe wynd heeld his pes; bi his þenking he ſhal peſe þe ſe; and þe Lord Jheſus plauntide yt. Who ſeilen þe ſe, ſhuln tellen out þe periles of it; and herende wiþ oure eres wee ſhuln wndre. Þere ful cleer werkis, and merueilous, and dyuers kindis of noȝouſe beſtes, and of alle helpely beſtes, and þe creature of beſtes.

For hym is confermed þe ende of þe wey; and in þe wrd of hym alle þingus ben mad togidere. Many þinges we ſeyn, and failen in wrdis; ful endyng forſoþe of wrdis he is. In alle þingus gloriende, to what ſhul we be myȝty? he forſoþe almyȝti ouer alle his werkes. Ferful þe Lord, and gret hugely; and merueilous þe power of hym. Glorefiende þe Lord hou myche euere ȝee ſchul moun, he ſhal ben ouer wrþi ȝit; and ful merueilous þe gret doyng of hym. Bliſſende þe Lord, enhaunce ȝee hym as myche as ȝee moun; more forſoþe he is þan alle preiſing. Enhauncende hym ȝee ſhul be fulfild wiþ vertue; ne trauaile ȝee, forſoþe ȝee ſhul not ful comen.

Who ſaȝ hym, and ſhal tellen out? and who ſhal magnefien hym, as he is fro þe bigynnyng? Many hid þingus ben more þan þeſe; forſoþe fewe þingus wee han ſeen of his werkes. Alle þingus forſoþe þe Lord made; and to men pitouſly doende he ȝaf wiſdam.