1What 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?

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Psalms 31:15, Psalms 31:15, Habakkuk 3:1, Habakkuk 3:1, 1 Peter 4:19

2A good name is betere than preciouse oynementis; and the dai of deth is betere than the dai of birthe.

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Psalms 50:22, Psalms 50:22, Isaiah 38:13, Isaiah 38:13, 2 Timothy 4:17

3It 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.

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1 Samuel 24:11, Psalms 59:3, 1 Samuel 24:11, Psalms 59:3, 1 Samuel 26:18

4Yre is betere than leiyyng; for the soule of a trespassour is amendid bi the heuynesse of cheer.

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Psalms 55:20, 1 Samuel 24:7, Psalms 55:20, 1 Samuel 24:7, Genesis 44:4

5The herte of wise men is where sorewe is; and the herte of foolis is where gladnesse is.

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Job 31:38, Job 31:40, Job 16:15, Isaiah 10:6, Psalms 3:2

6It is betere to be repreued of a wijs man, than to be disseyued bi the flateryng of foolis;

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Psalms 44:23, Psalms 35:23, Psalms 44:23, Psalms 35:23, Psalms 3:7

7for as the sown of thornes brennynge vndur a pot, so is the leiyyng of a fool. But also this is vanyte.

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Psalms 113:5, Psalms 113:6, Revelation 19:2, Psalms 138:6, Psalms 48:11

8Fals chalenge disturblith a wijs man, and it schal leese the strengthe of his herte.

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Romans 14:10, Romans 14:12, Psalms 96:13, Romans 14:10, Romans 14:12

9Forsothe the ende of preyer is betere than the bigynnyng. A pacient man is betere than a proud man.

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Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 17:10, Jeremiah 17:10, Jeremiah 20:12

10Be thou not swift to be wrooth; for ire restith in the bosum of a fool.

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Proverbs 28:18, Psalms 125:4, Psalms 84:11, Proverbs 28:18, Psalms 125:4

11Seie thou not, What gessist thou is of cause, that the formere tymes weren betere than ben now? for whi siche axyng is fonned.

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Nahum 1:2, Nahum 1:2, Nahum 1:6, Nahum 1:6, Psalms 94:15

12Forsothe wisdom with richessis is more profitable, and profitith more to men seynge the sunne.

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Acts 3:19, Acts 3:19, Matthew 3:10, Ezekiel 18:30, Deuteronomy 32:41

13For as wisdom defendith, so money defendith; but lernyng and wisdom hath this more, that tho yyuen lijf to `her weldere.

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Psalms 18:14, Habakkuk 3:13, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, Psalms 64:7, Psalms 45:5

14Biholde thou the werkis of God, that no man may amende hym, whom God hath dispisid.

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Job 15:35, Job 15:35, James 1:15, James 1:15, Isaiah 33:11

15In 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.

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Job 4:8, Job 4:8, Psalms 141:10, Psalms 141:10, Proverbs 26:27

16Also 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.

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Psalms 37:12, Psalms 37:13, Esther 9:25, Psalms 37:12, Psalms 37:13

17Nyle thou be iust myche, nether vndurstonde thou more than is nedeful; lest thou be astonyed.

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Psalms 9:2, Psalms 9:2, Psalms 98:2, Psalms 98:2, Psalms 71:15

18Do thou not wickidli myche, and nyle thou be a fool; lest thou die in a tyme not thin.

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19It 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.

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20Wisdom hath coumfortid a wise man, ouer ten pryncis of a citee.

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21Forsothe no iust man is in erthe, that doith good, and synneth not.

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22But also yyue thou not thin herte to alle wordis, that ben seid; lest perauenture thou here thi seruaunt cursynge thee;

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23for thi conscience woot, that also thou hast cursid ofte othere men.

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24I asayede alle thingis in wisdom; Y seide, I schal be maad wijs, and it yede awei ferthere fro me, myche more than it was;

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25and the depthe is hiy, who schal fynde it?

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26I 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.

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27And 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.

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28Lo! Y foond this, seide Ecclesiastes, oon and other, that Y schulde fynde resoun, which my soule sekith yit;

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29and Y foond not. I foond o man of a thousynde; Y foond not a womman of alle.

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30I 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?

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