The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ The myse••yes of th innocent. The superfluou•• labou∣res of men. The chyld•••• at to poore and wyse. &c.

CAPI. IIII.

SOITVRNED me, and consydred [unspec A] all the vyolente wrong that is done vn∣der the Sonne, and beholde, the teares of suche as were oppressed, and there was no man to comforte them, or that wolde dely∣uer and defende them from the vyolence of their oppressours. Wherfore I iudged those that are deade, to be more happye then suche as be alyue: yea hym that is yet vnborne to be better at ease then they bothe, because he seeth not the miserable workes that are do∣ne vnder the sonne.

Agayne, I sawe that all trauayle and di [unspec B] lygence of laboure was hated of euery man This is also a vaine thyng, and a vexacion of mynde. The foole foldeth his handes to∣gether, and eateth vp his owne flesshe. One hande full, is better with reste / then bothe the handes full with laboure and trauayle of mynde. Moreouer, I turned me, and be∣helde yet another vanyte vnder the Sonne

There is one man, no mo but hym selfe alone, hauynge neither chylde nor brother: yet is there no ende of his carefull trauayle his eyes can nat be satisfied with ryches▪ {fleur-de-lys} (yet doth he not remembre him selfe, and say) [unspec C] For whome do I take suche trauayle? For whose pleasure do I thus consume awaye my lyfe. This is also a vayne and myse∣rable thynge. Therefore two are bet••er then one, for they maye well enioye the pro∣fyte of theyr laboure. For yf one of them fall, hys companyon helpeth hym vp again

But wo is him that is alone, for yf he fall, he hathe nat another to helpe hym vp.

Agayne, whē two stepe together, they are warme: but howe can a body be warme a∣lone? One maye be ouercome, but two may make resystaunce: A threfolde threde is nat lyghtly broken. A poore chylde beyng wyse is better then an olde kyng, that doce••h, and [unspec D] can not be ware in tyme to come. Some one commeth out of prison, and is made a kynge: and another whiche is borne in the kyngedome, commeth vnto pouerte.

And I perceyued, that all men lyuynge vn¦der the Sonne, go with the seconde chylde▪ that commeth vp in the steade of the other. As for the people that haue bene before him and that come after hym, they are innume∣rable: yet is nat theyr ioye the greater tho∣rowe

hym. This is also a vayne thyng and a vecacion of mynde. When thou commest in to the house of God, kepe thy fote & draw¦nye, that thou mayest heare: that is better thē the offerynges of fooles, for they knowe nat what euyll they do.

Notes

• Aba••ue. 1. •• Eccl••••. 5. ••
• Gene. ••li. 5. I Reg. 10. c ••. Reg. 1••. c. ••. Pat. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c. 4. Re▪ ••5▪ ••
• 1. Reg. x v. ••