The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials are in the public domain. If you have questions about the collection, please contact mec-info@umich.edu. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact libraryit-info@umich.edu.
DPLA Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States
[verse 1] Haue thou mynde on thi creatour [thi creatour; that is, God, that made thee of nouȝt to his ymage and licnesse. Lire here. C.] in the daies of thi ȝongthe, bifore that the tyme of thi turment come, and the ȝeris of thi deth neiȝe, of whiche [the which I.] thou schalt seie, Tho plesen not me [to me I.] . [verse 2] `Haue thou mynde on thi creatour [Om. I.] , bifor that the
sunne be derk, and the liȝt, and sterrys, and the mone; and [and the EPR.] cloude [cloudis ceteri.] turne aȝen after reyn [after reyn; that is, aftir the tribulacioun of eelde. the keperis; that is, iȝen, keperis of the body, bi|gynnen to faile, and to be dullid. and strongeste men; that is, hipis and leggis. and grynderis; that is, teeth. and seeris; that is, iȝen, set bi|twixe the holis of the heed. the doris in the street; that is, lippis, set in the pleyn place of the face. Lire here. C.] . [verse 3] Whanne the keperis of the hous schulen [Om. S.] be mouyd, and strongeste men schulen tremble; and grynderis schu|len be idel, whanne the noumbre schal be maad lesse, and seeris bi the hoolis schulen [verse 4] wexe derk; and schulen close the doris in the street, in the lownesse of vois of a gryndere; and thei schulen rise at the vois of a brid [vois of a brid; that is, the cok. douȝtris of song; that is, eeris, that deliten in melodie. C.] , and alle the douȝtris of song schulen wexe deef. [verse 5] And hiȝ thingis schulen drede, and schulen be aferd in the weie [be aferd in the weie; that is, the hiȝere part of soule, and the lowere part that hath compassioun on the bodi; for alle men dreden kyndly the deth neiȝinge, and to go out of the weye of present liyf. an ale|maund, etc.; that is, the heed schal wexe hoor. locuste; that is, the wombe. capparis; that is, coueitise of flech. go; bi deth. euerlast|ingnesse; for he schal neuere turne aȝen to present liyf. Lire here. C.] ; an [and an C.] alemaunde tre schal floure, a locuste schal be maad fat, and capparis [capparis is an herbe. X.] schal be distried; for a man schal go in to the hous of his euerlastyngnesse, and weileris schulen go aboute in the street. [verse 6] Haue thou mynde on thi creatour, byfore that a siluerne roop [a siluerne roop; that is, acording in the bodi lyuynge, be brokun bi deth. a goldun lace; that is, liyf to comynge. on the welle; that is, on the ioynyng togi|dere of othere membris on the herte. the sisterne; that is, the heed on the herte. and dust; that is, the body. Lire here. C.] be brokun, and a goldun lace renne aȝen, and a watir pot be al to-brokun on the welle, and a wheele [verse 7] be brokun togidere on the cisterne; and dust turne aȝen in to his erthe, wherof it was, and the spirit turne [go CEFGHIKMNPQRSUXa.] aȝen to God, that ȝaf it. [verse 8] The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes, the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanyte. [verse 9] And whanne Ecclesiastes was moost wijs [Ecclesiastes was most wiys; that is, Salomon was wiseste of alle men of his tyme. Lire here. C.] , he tauȝte the puple, and he telde out the thingis [verse 10] whiche he dide, and he souȝte out wisdom, and made many parablis; he souȝte pro|fitable wordis, and he wroot moost riȝtful wordis, and ful of treuthe. [verse 11] The wordis of wise men ben as prickis, and as nailis fastned deepe, whiche [the whiche I.] ben ȝouun of o scheepherde [o schepparde; that is, God, that rulith and feedith alle thingis. Lire here. C.] bi the counsels of maistris [maistris; that is, of the persoones in Trynyte, ether of hooli aungels. seke thou nomore than these; that is, than the bokis of hooli scripture; netheles herbi ben not excludid othere bokis, that ben nedeful to the vndurstonding of hooly scripture, but oneli tho bokis that ben not nedeful to helthe; of whiche bokis it sueth, noon ende is to make many bokis, for newe hardnessis risen euere in siche thingis. ofte thenking; aboute sich thingis. is turment of fleisch; that is, makith turment of fleisch, and is with out profit, sithen it is of thingis that ben not nedeful to helthe, and lettith the knowing of nedeful thingis; therfor a man owith with alle myȝtis and bisynessis ȝyue tent to tho thingis that ben nedeful to the helthe of soule. Lire here. C.] . [verse 12] My sone, seke thou no more than these; noon ende is [ther is I.] to make many bookis, and
ofte thenkyng is turment of fleisch. [verse 13] Alle we here togydere the ende of spekyng. Drede thou God, and kepe hise heestis; `that is to seie, ech man [this is, al man CGHKMNQSUXa. this is, eueri man EP. that is to wite, euery man I. this al man R.] [this is al man; that is, perfit man; that is, these twey partis, to drede God and kepe hise heestis, maken a man parfit in vertu. that ben doon; that is, of men that moun do wel and yuele, bi fredom of wille. ech thing doon bi errour; in Ebreu it is, for ech thing helid ether priuy; but thing doon bi errour is vndurstondun trespas by ma|lice ether bi ig|norance. good; in kynde, ne|theles yuel bi circumstaunce ether entent. Lire here. C.] . [verse 14] God schal brynge alle thingis in to dom, that ben don; for ech thing don bi errour, whether it be good, ether [or I passim. Sa.] yuel.