CAP. VI.
[verse 1] Ther is and an other euel, that I saȝ vnder the sunne; and forsothe ofte anentis men. [verse 2] A man to whom God ȝaf richesses, and substaunce, and wrshepe; and no thing lacketh to his soule of alle thingis that he desireth; and God ȝyueth not power to hym, that he ete of it, but a straunge man shal deuouren it. This is vanyte, and gret wrecchidnesse. [verse 3] If any man geete an hundred free childer, and liue many ȝeris, and many daȝes of his age hadde, and the soule of hym vse nott the goodis of his substaunce, and lacke sepulture; of that I pronounce, that betere than he be maad `a dead born [an abortif E pr. m.] . [verse 4] In veyn forsothe he cam, and wente to dercnesses; and bi forȝeting shal be don awei the name of hym. [verse 5] He [I AG pr. m. H.] saȝ not the sunne, ne kneȝ the distaunce of good and [verse 6] euel; also if two thousend ȝeer he shulde liue, and hadde not ful vsid the goodis; whether not to o place gon alle? [verse 7] Al the trauaile of man in the mouth of hym, but the soule of hym shal not be fulfild with goodis. [verse 8] What more hath a wis man than a fool? and what a pore, but that he go thider, wher is lif? [verse 9] Betere is to seen that thou coueitist, than to desire that thou wost not; but and this is va|nyte, and presumpcioun of spirit. [verse 10] Who is to come, now is clepid the name of hym, and is knowen, that he be a man, and mai not aȝen a strengere than hym|self striuen with in [Om. A.] dom. [verse 11] Wrdis ben manye, and myche in disputing vanyte hauende.