The VII. Chapter.
[ A] IS not the life off mā vpon earth a very batayll? Are not his dayes, like the dayes of an hyred seruaunte? For like as a bonde seruaunt desyreth the shado¦we, and as an hyrelinge wolde fayne haue an ende of his worke: Euen so haue I labou¦red whole monethes longe (but in vayne) and many a carefull night haue I tolde. When I layed me downe to slepe,* 1.1 I sayde: O when shal I ryse? Agayne, I longed sore for the night. Thus am I full off sorowe, till it be darcke. My flesh is clothed with wormes, fylthinesse and dust: my skynne is wythered, and crompled together:* 1.2 my dayes passe ouer more spedely, thē a weeuer can weeue out his webbe, and are gone, or I am awarre. O re∣membre, that my life is but a wynde, ād that myne eye shal nomore se the pleasures therof yee and that none other mans eye shall se me eny more. For yf thou fasten thine eyes vpon me, I come to naught▪ like as a cloude is cō∣sumed and vanyshed awaye, euen so he that goeth downe to hell, commeth nomore vp, ner turneth agayne in to his house, nether shall his place knowe him eny more.
Therfore I will not spare my mouth, but [ B] will speake in the trouble of my sprete, in ye bytternesse of my mynde will I talke. Am I a see or a whalfysh, that thou kepest me so in preson? When I thynke: my bedd shall com¦forte me, I shall haue some refresshinge by talkynge with myself vpon my couche: Thē troublest thou me with dreames,* 1.3 ād makest me so afrayed thorow visions, that my soule wyssheth rather to be hanged, and my bo∣nes to be deed.
I can se no remedy, I shall lyue nomore: O spare me then, for my dayes are but vayne What is man,* 1.4 that thou hast him in soch re¦putacion, and settest so moch by him? Thou takest diligent care for him, and sodēly doest thou trye him.
Why goest thou not fro me, ner lettest me alone, so longe till I swalow downe my spet∣le? I haue offended, what shal I do vnto ye, O thou preseruer off men? Why hast thou made me to stonde in thy waye, and am so he¦uy a burden vnto myself? Why doest thou not forgeue me my synne? Wherfore takest thou not awaye my wickednesse? Beholde, now must I slepe in the dust: and yff thou se∣kest me tomorow in the mornynge, I shalbe gone.