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: for that [is] the end of all men; and the living will lay [it] to his heart.
3 Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer.
Sorrow [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 [is] 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 to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man 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: [and] the patient in spirit [is] better than the proud in 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 angry: for anger 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 thou, What is [the cause] 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] good with an inheritance: and [by it there is] profit 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 defense, [and] money [is] a defense: but the excellence of knowledge [is], [that] wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
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 [that] straight, which 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 be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing 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 [things] have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just [man] that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked [man] that prolongeth [his life] in his wickedness.
16 Nyle thou be iust myche, nether vndurstonde thou more than is nedeful; lest thou be astonyed.
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldst 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 over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldst 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 shouldst take hold of this; yes, also from this withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall escape 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] who are in the city.
20 Forsothe no iust man is in erthe, that doith good, and synneth not.
For [there is] not a just 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 take no heed to 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 often also thy own heart knoweth that 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 proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
24 and the depthe is hiy, who schal fynde it?
That which is far off, and exceedingly deep, who can 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 applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] 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 find more bitter than death the woman whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoever pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Lo! Y foond this, seide Ecclesiastes, oon and other, that Y schulde fynde resoun, which my soule sekith yit;
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, [counting] one by one, to find out the account:
28 and Y foond not. I foond o man of a thousynde; Y foond not a womman of alle.
Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: 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?
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
