Ecclesiastes 6
1 Also another yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne; and certis it is oft vsid anentis men.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on 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 gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
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 fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;
4 For he cometh in veyn, and goith to derknessis; and his name schal be don a wei bi foryetyng.
for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
5 He siy not the sunne, nether knew dyuersyte of good and of yuel;
Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
6 also thouy he lyueth twei thousynde yeeris, and vsith not goodis; whether alle thingis hasten not to o place?
Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go 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 labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite 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 advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?
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.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
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.
Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
11 Wordis ben ful manye, and han myche vanyte in dispuytinge.
For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit 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 knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
