The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocryphal books,

CAP. XIV.

[verse 1] A man is [Om. I.] borun of a womman, and lyueth [lyuynge I.] schort tyme, and [Om. I.] is [he is S.] fillid [fulfillid IS.] with many wretchidnessis. [verse 2] Which [And he IS.] goith out, and is defoulid as a flour; and fleeth [he fleeth awey IS.] as schadewe [a schadewe IS.] , and dwellith [he dwellith IS.] neuere [and dwellith neuere, etc.; not that a man is euere in chaunging, as Eraclitus seide, but for he is not longe in the same dispo|sicioun, nether bi bodi nether bi soule. Lire here. C.] perfitli in the same staat. [verse 3] And gessist thou it [Om. I.] worthi [worthi thing I.] to opene thin iȝen on [vpon S.] siche a man; and to brynge hym in to doom with thee? [verse 4] Who may make a man clene [worthi thing I.] con|seyued of vnclene seed? Whether not thou [thou, Lord IS.] , which [that IS.] art aloone? [verse 5] The daies of man [a man S.] ben schorte, the [and the IS.] noumbre of his monethis is [beth S.] at [anentis IS.] thee; thou hast set [hast set; as this settyng is in Goddis or|denaunce, so the termes of mannus lyf moun not be passid bi short|ing nether bi dilaying; set|tyng of mannus lyf also is in kyndly causis, sum schortere, sum lengere, bi dyuersite of complexioun, and bi this manere the terme of man|nus lyf may be schortid, bi yuel gouer|nayle, and bi swerd and othere cause. Lire here. C.] , ethir ordeyned, hise termes, whiche [the whiche I.] moun not be passid. [verse 6] Therfor go [departe IS.] thou awey fro hym a litil, `that is, bi withdrawyng of bodili lijf [Om. IV.] , that he haue reste; til the [his IS.] meede coueitid come, and his dai is as the dai of an hirid man. [verse 7] A tree hath hope, if it is kit doun; and eft it wexith greene, and hise braunches spreden forth. [verse 8] If the roote therof is eeld in the erthe, and the stok [verse 9] therof is [Om. C.] nyȝ deed in dust; it schal buriowne at the odour [taast IS.] of watir, and it schal make heer [heer or smal roote I. heer or take roote S.] [heer; that is, leeues and braunchis. Lire here. C.] , as whanne it was plauntid first. [verse 10] But whanne a man is deed, and maad nakid, and wastid; Y preye [preye thee IS.] , where [what IS.] is he [he thanne IS.] ? [verse 11] As if watris goen awei fro the see, and a [as a IS.] ryuer maad

[verse 12] voide [voide of watris IS.] wexe drie, so a man, whanne he hath slept [slept bi deth IS.] , `that is, deed [Om. BIS.] , he schal not rise aȝen [he schal not rise aȝen; that is, bi kyndly manere to this dedly lyf, but bi Goddis word he schal rise aȝen to lyf vn|dedly. Lire here. C.] , til heuene be brokun, `that is, be [or IS. ether V.] maad newe; he schal not wake, nether he schal ryse togidere fro his sleep. [verse 13] Who ȝiueth this [this thing S.] to me, that thou de|fende me in helle, and that thou hide me, til thi [the S.] greet veniaunce passe; and [and that IS.] thou sette to me a tyme, in which thou haue mynde on [of I.] me? [verse 14] Gessist thou, whethir a deed man schal lyue aȝen? In [Now in IS.] alle the [Om. plures.] daies, in whiche Y holde knyȝthod, now [Om. IS.] Y abide, til my chaungyng come [til my chaunginge come; that is, rising aȝen to the condicioun of goode men, that schulen haue blis. Lire here. C.] . [verse 15] Thou schalt clepe me, and Y schal answere thee; thou schalt dresse the riȝt half, `that is, blis [Om. I. that is, eendlesse blisse S.] , to the [thi S.] werk of thin hondis. [verse 16] Sotheli thou hast noumbrid my steppis; but [but, Lord IS.] spare thou my synnes. [verse 17] Thou hast seelid as in [Om. S.] a bagge my trespassis, but thou hast curid my wickidnesse. [verse 18] An hil fall|ynge droppith doun, and a rooche of stoon is borun ouer fro his place. [verse 19] Watris maken stoonys holowe, and the erthe is wastid litil and litil bi waischyng awey of watir; and therfor [Om. S.] thou schalt leese men [leese men etc.; that is, fro mennus mynde aftir her deth, sithen they ben lesse stable. Lire here. C.] in lijk maner. [verse 20] Thou madist a man strong a litil, that he schulde passe with outen ende; thou schalt chaunge his face, and [and thou IS.] schalt sende hym out [with out S.] . [verse 21] Whether hise sones ben noble, ether vnnoble, he schal not vndurstonde. [verse 22] Netheles his fleisch, while he lyueth, schal haue sorewe, and his soule schal morne on [upon IS.] hym silf.