Study Desk

And Y knew that no thing was betere `to a man, `no but to be glad, and to do good werkis in his lijf.

For whi ech man that etith and drinkith, and seeth good of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.

And Y perseyuede that no thing is betere, than that a man be glad in his werk, and that this be his part; for who schal brynge hym, that he knowe thingis that schulen come after hym?

As he yede nakid out of his modris wombe, so he schal turne ayen; and he schal take awei with hym no thing of his trauel.

In alle the daies of his lijf he eet in derknessis, and in many bisinessis, and in nedynesse, and sorewe.

Therfor this semyde good to me, that a man ete, and drynke, and vse gladnesse of his trauel, in which he trauelide vndir the sunne, in the noumbre of daies of his lijf, which God yaf to hym; and this is his part.

And to ech man, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and yaf power to hym to ete of tho, and to vse his part, and to be glad of his trauel; this is the yifte of God.

For he schal not bithenke miche on the daies of his lijf, for God ocupieth his herte with delicis.

A man is, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and onour; and no thing failith to his soule of alle thingis which he desirith; and God yyueth not power to hym, that he ete therof, but a straunge man shal deuoure it. This is vanyte, and a greet wretchidnesse.

If a man gendrith an hundrid fre sones, and lyueth many yeris, and hath many daies of age, and his soule vsith not the goodis of his catel, and wantith biriyng; Y pronounce of this man, that a deed borun child is betere than he.

For he cometh in veyn, and goith to derknessis; and his name schal be don a wei bi foryetyng.

Al the trauel of a man is in his mouth, but the soule of hym schal not be fillid with goodis.

What 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?

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

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.

The wisdom of a man schyneth in his cheer; and the myytieste schal chaunge his face.

Haste thou not to go awei fro his face, and dwelle thou not in yuel werk. For he schal do al thing, that he wole;

and his word is ful of power, and no man mai seie to hym, Whi doist thou so?

I bihelde alle thes thingis, and Y yaf myn herte in alle werkis, that ben don vndur the sunne. Sum tyme a man is lord of a man, to his yuel.

Netheles of that, that a synnere doith yuel an hundrid sithis, and is suffrid bi pacience, Y knew that good schal be to men dredynge God, that reuerensen his face.