Ecclesiastes 6
1 Also another yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne; and certis it is oft vsid anentis men.
There is an euill, which I sawe vnder the sunne, and it is much among men:
2 A man is, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and onour; and no thing failith to his soule of alle thingis which he desirith; and God yyueth not power to hym, that he ete therof, but a straunge man shal deuoure it. This is vanyte, and a greet wretchidnesse.
A man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth: but God giueth him not power to eate thereof, but a strange man shall eate it vp: this is vanitie, and this is an euill sicknesse.
3 If a man gendrith an hundrid fre sones, and lyueth many yeris, and hath many daies of age, and his soule vsith not the goodis of his catel, and wantith biriyng; Y pronounce of this man, that a deed borun child is betere than he.
If a man beget an hundreth children and liue many yeeres, and the dayes of his yeeres be multiplied, and his soule be not satisfied with good things, and he be not buried, I say that an vntimely fruite is better then he.
4 For he cometh in veyn, and goith to derknessis; and his name schal be don a wei bi foryetyng.
For he commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse: and his name shall be couered with darkenesse.
5 He siy not the sunne, nether knew dyuersyte of good and of yuel;
Also he hath not seene ye sunne, nor knowen it: therefore this hath more rest then the other.
6 also thouy he lyueth twei thousynde yeeris, and vsith not goodis; whether alle thingis hasten not to o place?
And if he had liued a thousand yeeres twise tolde, and had seene no good, shall not all goe to one place?
7 Al the trauel of a man is in his mouth, but the soule of hym schal not be fillid with goodis.
All the labour of man is for his mouth: yet the soule is not filled.
8 What hath a wijs man more than a fool? and what hath a pore man, no but that he go thidur, where is lijf?
For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth how to walke before the liuing?
9 It is betere to se that, that thou coueitist, than to desire that, that thou knowist not; but also this is vanyte, and presumpcioun of spirit.
The sight of ye eye is better then to walke in ye lustes: this also is vanitie, and vexation of spirit.
10 The name of hym that schal come, is clepid now, and it is knowun, that he is a man, and he mai not stryue in doom ayens a strongere than hym silf.
What is that that hath bene? the name thereof is nowe named: and it is knowen that it is man: and he cannot striue with him that is stronger then he.
11 Wordis ben ful manye, and han myche vanyte in dispuytinge.
Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?
12 What nede is it to a man to seke grettere thingis than hym silf; sithen he knowith not, what schal bifalle to hym in his lijf, in the noumbre of daies of his pilgrimage, and in the tyme that passith as schadowe? ether who may schewe to hym, what thing vndur sunne schal come aftir hym?
For who knoweth what is good for man in the life and in the nomber of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, seeing he maketh them as a shadowe? For who can shewe vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?
