Ecclesiastes · Chapter 51

[ edit] I ſhal knoulechen to þee, Lord king; and I ſhal al preiſen þee, God my ſaueour. I ſhal knoulechen to þi name, for helpere and defendere þou art mad to me; and þou haſt delyuered my body fro perdicioun, fro þe gnare of a wicke tunge, and fro þe lippes of men werkende leſyng; and in þe ſiȝt of men ſtondende neeȝ þou art mad to me an helpere.

And þou haſt delyuered me, after þe multitude of þe mercy of þi name, fro þe rorende men greiþed to mete; fro þe hondis of men ſechende my ſoule, and of manye tribulaciouns þat enuyrouneden me; fro þe tormenting of flaume þat cumpaſede me, and in þe myddel of þe fyr I am not brend out; fro þe heiȝte of þe wombe of helle, and fro þe defoulid tunge, and fro þe wrd of leſing; fro a wicke king, and fro an vnriȝtwis tunge. Shal preiſen vn to þe deþ my ſoule þe Lord; and my lif neȝhende was in helle beneþe. Þei cumpaſſeden me on eche ſide, and þer was not þat wolde helpen; biholdende I was to þe helpe of men, and þer was not.

I hadde mynde of þi mercy, Lord, and of þi wiþ werching, þat fro þe world ben; for þou takeſt out men ſuſtenende þee, and delyuereſt hem fro þe hond of Jentiles. Þou enhancedeſt vp on þe erþe my dwelling; and for þe deþ flowende doun I louly preȝede. I inwardly clepede þe Lord, fader of my Lord, þat he forſake not me in day of my tribulacioun, and in tyme of proude men, wiþ oute helpe. I ſhal preiſen þi name byſyly, and I ſhal wiþpreiſen it in confeſſioun; and ful out herd is myn oriſoun. And þou haſt delyuered me fro perdicioun, and þou haſt caȝt me out fro þe wicke tyme. Þerfore I ſhal knoulechen, and preiſyng I ſhal ſey to þee; and I ſhal bliſſe þe name of þe Lord.

Whan ȝit ȝungere I am, bifor þat aboute I ſhulde erre, I ſoȝte wiſdam openly in myn oriſoun. Biforn tyme I aſkede for it, and vn to in þe laſte þingus I ſhal gretli ſechen it; and it ſhal floure as a firſt rip grape. Myn herte gladide in it, my foot wente a riȝt weye; fro my ȝouþe I enſerchede it. I bowede in a litil myn ere, and I toc it. Myche I fond in myſelf wiſdam, and myche I profitede in it. To þe ȝyuende to me wiſdam I ſhal ȝyue glorie. I counſeilede forſoþe to don it; gretly I loouede good, and I ſchal not be confoundid. My ſoule wraſtled in it; and in doing it I am confermed.

My hondis I ſtraȝte out in to heiȝ; and in þe wiſdam of hym weilede my ſoule, and myn vnkunnyngus he liȝtede. My ſoule I riȝt reulede to it; and in knowyng I fond it. I weldede wiþ hem herte fro þe bigynnyng; for þat I ſhal not ben forſaken. My wombe is diſturbid in ſechyng it; þerfore good poſſeſſioun I ſhal welde. Þe Lord forſoþe ȝaf to me a tunge my meede; and in it I ſhal preiſen hym. Comeþ nyȝ to me, ȝee vntaȝt; and gedereþ ȝou togidere in þe hous of diſciplyne. What ȝit ȝee tarien? and what ſey ȝee in þeſe þingus? ȝoure ſoules þriſten hugely.

I openede my mouþ, and I ſpac, Bieþ to ȝou wiþoute ſiluer wiſdam, and ȝoure necke vnderleiþ to þe ȝoc of it, and ȝoure ſoule vndertake he diſcyplyne; in þe nexte forſoþe is to fynden it. Seeþ wiþ ȝoure eȝen, for a litil I trauailede, and I fond to me myche reſte. Takeþ to diſcyplyne in myche noumbre of ſyluer, and plenteuous gold weldeþ in it. Glade ȝoure ſoule in þe mercy of it; and ȝe ſchul not be confoundid in þe preiſing of it. Werkeþ ȝoure werk bifor tyme; and it ſhal ȝyue to ȝou ȝoure meede in his tyme. Here endiþ Eccleſiaſticus.