Ecclesiastes · Chapter 47

[ edit] Aftir þeſe þingus ros Naþan, þe profete, in þe daȝes of Dauid. And as talȝ ſeuered fro þe fleſh, ſo Dauid fro þe ſonus of Irael. Wiþ leouns he pleyede, as wiþ lombis; in beres lijc maner he dide, as in lombis of ſhep. In his ȝouþe wheþer he ſloȝ not a ieaunt, and toc awei repref fro þe folc? In takinge þe hond in þe ſton of þe ſlynge, he þreȝ doun þe ioȝe of Golie, where he inwardly clepede þe Lord almyȝty; and he ȝaf in his riȝt hond to don awey a ſtrong man in bataile, and to enhaunce þe horn of his folc. So in ten þouſendis he glorifiede hym, and preiſede hym in þe bleſſingus of þe Lord, in offringe to hym a croune of glorie.

Forſoþe he to-broſede þe enemys on eche ſide, and diſtroȝede Filiſteys contrarious, vnto þe day þat is now; he to-broſede þe horn of hem, vnto wiþ oute ende. In alle werk he ȝaf knouleching to þe hoely, and to þe heeȝe in þe wrd of glorie. Of alle his herte he preiſede God, and loouede þe Lord þat made hym, and ȝaf to hym aȝen þe enemyes myȝt. And he made to ſtonde ſyngeres aȝen þe auter; and in þe ſoun of hem he made ſweete motetes. And he ȝaf wrſhepe in ſolempnyſingus, and ournede þe tymes vnto þe ful endyng of lyf; þat þei ſhulden preiſen þe hoely name of þe Lord, and make large erly þe hoelyneſſe of God.

Criſt purgede þe ſynnes of hym, and enhauncede in to wiþ outen ende þe horn of hym; and he ȝaf to hym þe teſtament of kingus, and a ſete of glorie in Irael. After hym ros a ſon weel felende; and for hym he caſt doun alle þe myȝte of enemys. Salomon comaundide in daȝes of pes, to whom God ſogetede alle þe enemyes, þat he ſhulde maken an hous in his name, and greiþen hoelyneſſe in to euermor, as he was taȝt in his ȝouþe. And he is fulfild as a flod wiþ wiſdam; and his ſoule aȝeen couerede þe erþe. And þou fulfildiſt in compariſouns derk prouerbis; to ylis aferr is puppliſht þi name, and þou art looued in þi pes.

In ſongus, and in prouerbis, and compariſouns, and in remenyngus wndreden þe londis; and in þe name of þe Lord, to whom is þe toname God off Irael. Þou gedereſt as latoun gold, and as led þou fulfildiſt ſyluer. And þou bowediſt in þin hipes to wymmen; power þou haddeſt in þi body. Þou ȝeue a wem in þi glorie, and curſedeſt þi ſed, to bringen in wraþefulneſſe to þi free childer, and in oþere þingus þi folye; þat þou ſhuldiſt make þe empire partid on two, and of Effreym to comaunden an hard maundement. God forſoþe ſhall not leuen his mercy, and he ſhal not ſpille, ne don awey his werkes, ne leeſe fro þe ſtoc his choſun ſonus ſonus; and þe ſed of hym þat looueþ þe Lord he ſhall not ſhende.

He ȝaf forſoþe an oþer Jacob, and Dauid of þat lynage. And Salomon hadde ende wiþ his fadris. And he lafte after hym of his ſed þe folie of þe folc, and þe mynuſht fro prudence, Roboam; þe whiche turnede awey þe folc bi his counſeil. And Jeroboam, þe ſone of Naboþ, þat made to ſynnen Irael, and ȝaf þe weie of ſynnyng to Effraym; and ful manye redoundeden þe ſynnes of hem gretli, forſoþe þei turneden hem awei fro þer lond. And he ſoȝte alle wickidneſſes, vnto þe tyme þat defending ful cam to þem; and fro alle ſynnes he delyuerede þem.