Ecclesiastes 1
1 Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Jerusalem.
The wordis of Ecclesiastes, sone of Dauid, the kyng of Jerusalem.
2 Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes; vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.
The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite.
3 Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quo laborat sub sole?
What hath a man more of alle his trauel, bi which he traueilith vndur the sunne?
4 Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit; terra autem in æternum stat.
Generacioun passith awei, and generacioun cometh; but the erthe stondith with outen ende.
5 Oritur sol et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur; ibique renascens,
The sunne risith, and goith doun, and turneth ayen to his place;
6 gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem. Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
and there it risith ayen, and cumpassith bi the south, and turneth ayen to the north. The spirit cumpassynge alle thingis goith `in cumpas, and turneth ayen in to hise cerclis.
7 Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat; ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant.
Alle floodis entren in to the see, and the see fletith not ouer the markis set of God; the floodis turnen ayen to the place fro whennus tho comen forth, that tho flowe eft.
8 Cunctæ res difficiles; non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.
Alle thingis ben hard; a man may not declare tho thingis bi word; the iye is not fillid bi siyt, nether the eere is fillid bi hering.
9 Quid est quod fuit? Ipsum quod futurum est. Quid est quod factum est? Ipsum quod faciendum est.
What is that thing that was, that that schal come? What is that thing that is maad, that that schal be maad?
10 Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: jam enim præcessit in sæculis quæ fuerunt ante nos.
No thing vndir the sunne is newe, nether ony man may seie, Lo! this thing is newe; for now it yede bifore in worldis, that weren bifore vs.
11 Non est priorum memoria; sed nec eorum quidem quæ postea futura sunt erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo.
Mynde of the formere thingis is not, but sotheli nether thenkyng of tho thingis, that schulen come afterward, schal be at hem that schulen come in the last tyme.
12 Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israël in Jerusalem;
I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jerusalem;
13 et proposui in animo meo quærere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quæ fiunt sub sole. Hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut occuparentur in ea.
and Y purposide in my soule to seke and enserche wiseli of alle thingis, that ben maad vndur the sunne. God yaf this werste ocupacioun to the sones of men, that thei schulden be ocupied therynne.
14 Vidi cuncta quæ fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas et afflictio spiritus.
I siy alle thingis that ben maad vndur the sunne, and lo! alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of spirit.
15 Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.
Weiward men ben amendid of hard; and the noumbre of foolis is greet with outen ende.
16 Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem; et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.
I spak in myn herte, and Y seide, Lo! Y am made greet, and Y passide in wisdom alle men, that weren bifore me in Jerusalem; and my soule siy many thingis wiseli, and Y lernede.
17 Dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam, erroresque et stultitiam; et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et afflictio spiritus:
And Y yaf myn herte, that Y schulde knowe prudence and doctryn, and errours and foli. And Y knew that in these thingis also was trauel and turment of spirit;
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio; et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.
for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.
