Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is betere than preciouse oynementis; and the dai of deth is betere than the dai of birthe.
A [good] name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2 It is betere to go to the hous of morenyng, than to the hous of a feeste; for in that hous `of morenyng the ende of alle men is monestid, and a man lyuynge thenkith, what is to comynge.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: in that that is the end of all men, and the living taketh it to heart.
3 Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer.
Vexation is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The herte of wise men is where sorewe is; and the herte of foolis is where gladnesse is.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of mirth.
5 It is betere to be repreued of a wijs man, than to be disseyued bi the flateryng of foolis;
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise, than to hear the song of fools.
6 for as the sown of thornes brennynge vndur a pot, so is the leiyyng of a fool. But also this is vanyte.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
7 Fals chalenge disturblith a wijs man, and it schal leese the strengthe of his herte.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Forsothe the ende of preyer is betere than the bigynnyng. A pacient man is betere than a proud man.
Better is the end of a thing than its beginning; better is a patient spirit than a proud spirit.
9 Be thou not swift to be wrooth; for ire restith in the bosum of a fool.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be vexed; for vexation resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned.
Say not, How is it that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Forsothe wisdom with richessis is more profitable, and profitith more to men seynge the sunne.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, and profitable to them that see the sun.
12 For as wisdom defendith, so money defendith; but lernyng and wisdom hath this more, that tho yyuen lijf to `her weldere.
For wisdom is a defence [as] money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, [that] wisdom maketh them that possess it to live.
13 Biholde thou the werkis of God, that no man may amende hym, whom God hath dispisid.
Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
14 In a good day vse thou goodis, and bifore eschewe thou an yuel day; for God made so this dai as that dai, that a man fynde not iust playnyngis ayens hym.
In the day of prosperity enjoy good, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath also set the one beside the other, to the end that man should find out nothing [of what shall be] after him.
15 Also Y siy these thingis in the daies of my natyuyte; a iust man perischith in his riytfulnesse, and a wickid man lyueth myche tyme in his malice.
All [this] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous [man] that perisheth by his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his days] by his wickedness.
16 Nyle thou be iust myche, nether vndurstonde thou more than is nedeful; lest thou be astonyed.
Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Do thou not wickidli myche, and nyle thou be a fool; lest thou die in a tyme not thin.
Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 It is good, that thou susteyne a iust man; but also withdrawe thou not thin hond from hym; for he that dredith God, is not necligent of ony thing.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God cometh forth from them all.
19 Wisdom hath coumfortid a wise man, ouer ten pryncis of a citee.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty [men] that are in a city.
20 Forsothe no iust man is in erthe, that doith good, and synneth not.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.
21 But also yyue thou not thin herte to alle wordis, that ben seid; lest perauenture thou here thi seruaunt cursynge thee;
Also give not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
22 for thi conscience woot, that also thou hast cursid ofte othere men.
For also thine own heart knoweth that oftentimes thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 I asayede alle thingis in wisdom; Y seide, I schal be maad wijs, and it yede awei ferthere fro me, myche more than it was;
All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 and the depthe is hiy, who schal fynde it?
Whatever hath been, is far off, and exceeding deep: who will find it out?
25 I cumpasside alle thingis in my soule, to kunne, and biholde, and seke wisdom and resoun, and to knowe the wickidnesse of a fool, and the errour of vnprudent men.
I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;
26 And Y foond a womman bitterere than deth, which is the snare of hunteris, and hir herte is a net, and hir hondis ben boondis; he that plesith God schal ascape hir, but he that is a synnere, schal be takun of hir.
and I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is nets and snares, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 Lo! Y foond this, seide Ecclesiastes, oon and other, that Y schulde fynde resoun, which my soule sekith yit;
See this which I have found, saith the Preacher, [searching] one by one to find out the reason;
28 and Y foond not. I foond o man of a thousynde; Y foond not a womman of alle.
which my soul yet seeketh, and I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 I foond this oonli, that God made a man riytful; and he medlide hym silf with questiouns with out noumbre. Who is siche as a wijs man? and who knowith the expownyng of a word?
Only see this which I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
