Study Desk

He that knowith a face in doom, doith not wel; this man forsakith treuthe, yhe, for a mussel of breed.

A seruaunt mai not be tauyt bi wordis; for he vndirstondith that that thou seist, and dispisith for to answere.

A generacioun that hath swerdis for teeth, and etith with hise wank teeth; that it ete nedi men of erthe, and the porails of men.

He that apperith a fool, aftir that he is reisid an hiy; for if he hadde vndurstonde, he hadde sett hond on his mouth.

A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.

Opene thi mouth for a doumb man,

and opene thi mouth for the causes of alle sones that passen forth. Deme thou that that is iust, and deme thou a nedi man and a pore man.

Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis.

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.

for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.

and Y made cisternes of watris, for to watre the wode of trees growynge.

For mynde of a wijs man schal not be, in lijk maner as nether of a fool with outen ende, and tymes to comynge schulen hile alle thingis togidere with foryetyng; a lerned man dieth in lijk maner and an vnlerned man.

whom Y knowe not, whether he schal be wijs ether a fool; and he schal be lord in my trauels, for whiche Y swatte greetli, and was bisi; and is ony thing so veyn?

Wherfor Y ceesside, and myn herte forsook for to trauele ferthere vnder sunne.

For whi whanne another man trauelith in wisdom, and techyng, and bisynesse, he leeueth thingis getun to an idel man; and therfor this is vanyte, and greet yuel.

For whi what schal it profite to a man of al his trauel, and turment of spirit, bi which he was turmentid vndur sunne?

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?

oon is, and he hath not a secounde; not a sone, not a brother; and netheles he ceesith not for to trauele, nether hise iyen ben fillid with richessis; nether he bithenkith, and seith, To whom trauele Y, and disseyue my soule in goodis? In this also is vanyte, and the worste turment.

Therfor it is betere, that tweyne be togidere than oon; for thei han profite of her felouschipe.