1I tretide alle these thingis in myn herte, to vndirstonde diligentli. Iust men, and wise men ben, and her werkis ben in the hond of God; and netheles a man noot, whether he is worthi of loue or of hatrede.

stylus

2But alle thingis ben kept vncerteyn in to tyme to comynge; for alle thingis bifallen euenli to a iust man and to a wickid man, to a good man and to an yuel man, to a cleene man and to an vnclene man, to a man offrynge offryngis and sacrifices, and to a man dispisynge sacrifices; as a good man, so and a synnere; as a forsworun man, so and he that greetli swerith treuthe.

stylus

Psalms 86:12, Psalms 86:12, 1 Chronicles 16:24, 1 Chronicles 16:24, Psalms 111:1

3This thing is the worste among alle thingis, that ben don vndur the sunne, that the same thingis bifallen to alle men; wherfor and the hertis of the sones of men ben fillid with malice and dispisyng in her lijf; and aftir these thingis thei schulen be led doun to hellis.

stylus

Psalms 83:18, Psalms 5:11, Psalms 83:18, Psalms 5:11, Psalms 7:17

4No man is, that lyueth euere, and that hath trist of this thing; betere is a quik dogge than a deed lioun.

stylus

Psalms 80:16, Psalms 80:16, Revelation 6:12, Revelation 6:17, Revelation 20:11

5For thei that lyuen witen that thei schulen die; but deed men knowen no thing more, nether han meede ferthere; for her mynde is youun to foryetyng.

stylus

Psalms 140:12, Psalms 140:12, 1 Peter 2:23, 1 Peter 2:23, Psalms 98:9

6Also the loue, and hatrede, and enuye perischiden togidere; and thei han no part in this world, and in the werk that is don vndur the sunne.

stylus

Proverbs 10:7, Proverbs 10:7, Revelation 19:15, Deuteronomy 9:14, Malachi 4:3

7Therfor go thou, iust man, and ete thi breed in gladnesse, and drynke thi wiyn with ioie; for thi werkis plesen God.

stylus

Exodus 14:13, Micah 7:8, Isaiah 14:22, Isaiah 14:23, Exodus 14:13

8In ech tyme thi clothis be white, and oile faile not fro thin heed.

stylus

Revelation 20:11, Revelation 20:11, Psalms 103:19, Psalms 50:3, Psalms 50:5

9Vse thou lijf with the wijf which thou louest, in alle the daies of lijf of thin vnstablenesse, that ben youun to thee vndur sunne, in al the tyme of thi vanyte; for this is thi part in thi lijf and trauel, bi which thou trauelist vndur the sunne.

stylus

Psalms 96:13, Psalms 96:13, Psalms 98:9, Psalms 98:9, Revelation 20:12

10Worche thou bisili, what euer thing thin hond mai do; for nether werk, nether resoun, nethir kunnyng, nether wisdom schulen be at hellis, whidir thou haastist.

stylus

Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 18:10, Psalms 91:1, Psalms 91:2, Psalms 91:1

11I turnede me to another thing, and Y siy vndur sunne, that rennyng is not of swift men, nethir batel is of stronge men, nether breed is of wise men, nether richessis ben of techeris, ne grace is of crafti men; but tyme and hap is in alle thingis.

stylus

Psalms 91:14, Psalms 91:14, Proverbs 18:10, Proverbs 18:10, Isaiah 26:3

12A man knowith not his ende; but as fischis ben takun with an hook, and as briddis ben takun with a snare, so men ben takun in yuel tyme, whanne it cometh sudeynli on hem.

stylus

Psalms 107:22, Psalms 107:22, Psalms 96:1, Psalms 96:2, Psalms 96:1

13Also Y siy this wisdom vndur the sunne, and Y preuede it the mooste.

stylus

Exodus 3:7, Exodus 3:7, Psalms 34:6, Psalms 34:6, Genesis 9:5

14A litil citee, and a fewe men ther ynne; a greet kyng cam ayens it, and cumpasside it with palis, and he bildide strengthis bi cumpas; and bisegyng was maad perfit.

stylus

Psalms 86:13, Psalms 30:3, Psalms 86:13, Psalms 30:3, Psalms 142:6

15And a pore man and a wijs was foundun ther ynne; and he delyuerede the citee bi his wisdom, and no man bithouyte aftirward on that pore man.

stylus

Psalms 13:5, Psalms 13:5, Psalms 106:2, Psalms 20:5, Psalms 51:12

16And Y seide, that wisdom is betere than strengthe; hou therfor is the wisdom of a pore man dispisid, and hise wordis ben not herd?

stylus

Psalms 7:15, Psalms 7:16, Psalms 57:6, Psalms 7:15, Psalms 7:16

17The wordis of wise men ben herd in silence, more than the cry of a prince among foolis.

stylus

Exodus 7:5, Exodus 7:5, Exodus 14:4, Proverbs 12:13, Joshua 2:10

18Betere is wisdom than armuris of batel; and he that synneth in o thing, schal leese many goodis.

stylus

Psalms 50:22, Job 8:13, Psalms 50:22, Job 8:13, 2 Thessalonians 1:7