¶The .xij. Chapter.
1 To thinke on God in youth, and not to deferre tyll age. 7 The soule returneth to God. 12 Wisdome is the gyft of God, and consisteth in fearing hym, and keping his commaundementes.
[unspec A] 1 PVt away displeasure out of thine heart, and remoue euill from thy body: for chyldhood and youth is but vani∣tie.
2 Remember thy ma∣ker the sooner in thy youth, or euer the dayes of aduersitie come, and or the yeres drawe nye when thou shalt say, I haue not pleasure in them:
3 Before the sunne, the light, the moone, and starres be darkened, and or the cloudes turne agayne after the rayne:
4 (a) 1.1When the kepers of the house shall tremble, and when the (b) 1.2 strong men shall bowe them selues, when the (c) 1.3 mil∣ners stand styll because they be so fewe, and when the (d) 1.4 sight of the windowes shall waxe dimme:
5 When the (e) 1.5 doores in the streetes shal∣be shut, and when the (f) 1.6 voyce of the mil∣ner shalbe layde downe, when men shall ryse vp at the voyce of (g) 1.7 the byrde, and when all the (h) 1.8 daughters of mu∣sicke shalbe brought lowe:
6 When men shall feare (i) 1.9 in hye places, and be afraide (k) 1.10 in the streetes, when the (l) 1.11 Almonde tree shall florishe and be laden with the (m) 1.12 grashopper, and when all lust shal passe: because man goeth to hisn 1.13 long home, and the mourners go about the (o) 1.14 streetes.
7 (p) 1.15Or euer the siluer lace be taken a∣way, and or the (q) 1.16 golden well be bro∣ken: Or the (r) 1.17 pot be broken at the (s) 1.18 well, and the (t) 1.19 wheele broken vpon the (u) 1.20 cesterne.
8 Then shall the dust be turned agayne vnto earth from whence it came, and [unspec B] the spirite shall returne vnto God who gaue it.
9 * 1.21All is but vanitie (saith the preacher) all is but playne vanitie.
10 The preacher was yet more wyse, and taught the people knowledge, he gaue good heede, sought out the ground, and set foorth many parables: His diligence was to finde out acceptable wordes, right scripture, & the wordes of trueth.
11 For * 1.22 the wordes of the wyse are like prickes and nayles that go thorowe, of the (x) 1.23 auctoures of gatheringes [which] are geuen of one shephearde.
21 Therefore beware my sonne of that doctrine that is beside this: for to make many bookes, it is an endlesse worke, and to muche studie weerieth the body.
13 Let vs heare the conclusion of all thinges, Feare God, and kepe his com∣maundementes: for that toucheth all men. For God shall iudge all workes and secrete thinges, whether they be good or euyll.