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[Here bigynneth Ecclesiastes [From AG. Here biginneth the bok of Ecclesiastes. EPY. No initial rubric in the other MSS.] .] CAP. I.
[verse 1] The wordis [The wordis; for many men erriden in the mater of blis of man, and sum|men seiden, that mannus blis stondith in richessis, othere men seiden in delices, othere men seiden in onours, and so of many othere goodis, that moun be getun in present tyme bi mannus tra|uel; therfor Salomon schew|ith in this book, that mannus blis stondith not in siche goodis, but in God, which is good with outen ende; and in i. co. he preueth that mannus blis stondith not in kunnyng, for kunnyng getun bi mannus weye is vnprofit and diseseful, and quyetith not a mannus desir. Lire here. C.] of Ecclesiastes [of Ecclesi|astes; that is, of Salomon, for Ecclesiastes is seid a spekere to the puple. Lire here. C.] , sone of Dauid, the [Om. I.] kyng of Jerusalem. [verse 2] The [Om. I.] vanyte [The vanyte, etc.; that is, the moste va|nyte. and alle; thingis in whiche false men setten blis. ben vanyte; that is, ful veyne. vndur the sunne; that is, in pre|sent liyf; as if he seye, ech man may preue bi experience, that he getith not of his tra|uels no but vnstable good and able to be lost, nameli, bi deth, which he may not ascape. Lire here. C.] of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the [Om. I.] vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite. [verse 3] What hath a man more of alle his trauel, bi which he traueilith vndur the [Om. plures.] sunne? [verse 4] Generacioun [A generacioun I.] passith awei, and [an oother I.] generacioun cometh; but the erthe stondith with outen ende. [verse 5] The sunne risith, and goith doun, and turneth aȝen [verse 6] to his place; and there it risith aȝen, and cumpassith bi the south, and turneth aȝen to the north. The spirit [The spirit, etc.; that is, the sunne; not for it hath a soule, but for it causith liyf in these lowere thingis. Lire here. C.] cumpassynge alle thingis goith `in cumpas [aboute I.] , and turneth aȝen in to hise cerclis. [verse 7] Alle floodis entren in to the see, and the see fletith not ouer the markis set of God; the floodis turnen aȝen to the place fro whennus tho [thei I.] comen forth, that tho [thei I.] flowe [flowe out C.] eft. [verse 8] Alle thingis ben hard [ben harde; to be vndurstondun. Lire here. C.] ; a man may not declare tho thingis bi word; the iȝe is not fillid bi siȝt, nether the eere is fillid bi hering. [verse 9] What is that thing that was [that was; bothe in thingis and in opynyouns of men. schal come; thouȝ in the meene tyme it ceessith and is forȝetun. Lire here. C.] , that that schal come? What is that thing that is maad, that that schal be maad? [verse 10] No thing vndir the sunne is newe, nether ony man may seie, Lo! this thing is newe; for now it ȝede bifore in worldis, that weren bifore vs. [verse 11] Mynde of the formere thingis is not, but sotheli nether thenkyng of tho thingis, that schulen come afterward, schal be at hem that schulen come in the last tyme. [verse 12] I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jeru|salem; [verse 13] and Y purposide in my soule to seke and enserche wiseli of alle thingis, that ben maad vndur the sunne. God ȝaf this werste ocupacioun [this worste ocupacioun; in Ebreu it is yuel ocupacioun; for thouȝ kunnyng getun bi mannus weye is good in it silf, netheles it is yuel, in as myche as it hath trauel and turment of studie knyt therto, and for sumtyme it is a letting of more good, that is, of deuocioun and of preyer. Lire here. C.] to the sones of
