aulter 6 And thou shalt make two barres for the aulter of Sittim wood and couer them with brasse ' 7 And let them be put in the ringes along ' by the sides of the aulter to beare it with all 8 And make the aulter holowe with boordes euen as it was shewed thee in the mount so shalt thou make it 9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle on the south side euen full south the curtaines for the court shal be of whyte twined silke of an hundreth cubites long for one side 10 And twentie pillers therof with their twentie sockets of brasse but the knops of the pillers and their whopes shal be siluer 11 In likewise on the north syde there shal be curtaynes of an hundred cubites long and twentie pillers with their twentie sockets of brasse and the knops and the whopes of siluer 12 And the breadth of the court whiche is westwarde shall haue curtaynes of fiftie cubites and the pillers of them shal be ten and the sockets of them ten ' 13 Fiftie cubites shal be in the court eastwarde ' euen full east 14 The curtaynes of one syde shal be of fifteene cubites the pillers of them three and the sockets three 15 And likewise on the other side shal be curtaines of fifteene cubites with their three pillers and three sockets 16 And in the gate of the court shal be a vayle of twentie cubites of blewe silke purple and scarlet and white twyned silke wrought with needle worke and foure pillers with their foure sockets 17 All the pillers rounde about the court shal be whoped with siluer and their knoppes shal be of siluer and their sockets of brasse 18 The length of the court shal be an hundred cubites and the breadth fiftie on euery side and the heyght of the curtaynes shal be fiue cubites of whyte twyned silke and their sockettes of brasse 19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all maner of seruice and the pinnes therof yea and all the pinnes also of the court shal be of brasse 20 And thou shalt commaunde the chyldren of Israel that they geue thee pure oyle oliue beaten for the light that they may make the lampes to borne alwayes 21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vayle whiche is before the witnesse shall Aaron his sonnes dresse the lampes both euening and morning before the Lorde and it shal be a statute for euer vnto the generations of the chyldren of Israel AB The length of the court a hundred cubites on the south side in which there are .20 pillers of .5 cubites hye with their sockettes and heades and curtains of twined linnen CD The like length on the north side BC. The west side .50 cubites long in which there are .10 pillers of .5 cubites high with their sockettes and heades and curtains of twined linnen AD. The east side is also .50 cubites long E. The curtains of twined linnen of .50 cubites long and .3 pillers of .5 cubites high with their heades and sockettes F. Like curtaines on the side ouer agaynst it G. Curtains of .20 cubites long beyng at the entry of the court embrodered with .4 pillers H. The stakes or pinnes to which the cordes of the tentes are fastened ¶ The .xxviij. Chapter 1 The deckyng of Aaron the priest 6 The Ephod or the ornament that shoulde be vpon the shoulders 15 The pectorall or stomacher of iudgement 1 AND take thou vnto thee Aaron thy brother and his sonnes with him from among the children of Israel that Aaron may minister vnto me in the priestes office Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar Aarons sonnes 2 And thou shalt make holy rayment for Aaron thy brother glorious and beautifull 3 And thou shalt speake vnto all that are wise hearted whom I haue filled with the spirite of wisdome that they make Aarons rayment to consecrate him that he may minister vnto me in the priestes office 4 These are the garmentes which they shall make a brestlap and an ephod a tunicle a brodered coate a miter and a girdle these holy garmentes shall they make for Aaron thy brother and his sonnes that they may minister vnto me in the priestes office ' 5 And let them take golde blewe silke ' purple scarlet and whyte twined silke 6 They shall make the ephod of golde blewe silke purple scarlet and whyte twined silke with brodered worke ' 7 The two sides shall come together and ' be closed vp in the two edges therof 8 And the girdle of the ephod shal be of the same workmanship and of the same stuffe euen of golde blewe silke purple scarlet and whyte twined silke 9 And thou shalt take two Onyx stones and graue in them the names of the children of Israel 10 Sixe names of them in the one stone and the other sixe in the other stone accordyng to their birth 11 After the worke of a stone grauer and of him that graueth signettes shalt thou graue the two stones with the names of the children of Israel and shalt make them to be set in ouches of golde 12 And thou shalt put the two stones vpon the two shoulders of the ephod that they may be stones of remembraunce vnto the children of Israel and Aaron shal beare their names before the Lord vpon his two shoulders for a remembraunce 13 And thou shalt make ouches of golde ' 14 And two chaynes of fine golde of a certayne length linke worke wreathed and fasten the wreathed chaynes to the ouches 15 And thou shalt make the brestlap of iudgement with brodered worke euen after the worke of the ephod thou shalt make it namely of golde blewe silke purple scarlet and whyte twined silke 16 Foure square it shal be and double an hande bredth long and an hande bredth brode 17 And thou shalt fill it with foure rowes of stones in the first rowe shal be a Sardius a Topas and Smaragdus 18 In the seconde rowe a Rubi Saphir ' and Diamonde ' 19 In the thirde a Lyncurius an Achat ' and an Ametyst ' 20 In the fourth a Turcas an Onyx and a Iaspis and they shal be set in golde in their inclosers 21 And the stones shal be grauen as signettes be grauen with the names of the children of Israel euen with twelue names euery one with his name accordyng to the twelue tribes 22 And thou shalt make vpon the brestlap two fastenyng chaynes of pure golde and wreathen worke 23 And thou shalt make likewise vpon the brestlap two ringes of golde and put them on the edges of the brestlap 24 And put the two wreathen chaynes of golde in the two ringes which are in the edges of the brestlap 25 And the other two endes of the chaines thou shalt fasten in two close ouches and put them vpon the shoulders of the ephod on the foreside of it 26 And thou shalt yet make two ringes of golde which thou shalt put in the two edges of the brestlap
commend further vnto thee good reader the cause in part before intreated it shal be the lesse needefull hauing so nye folowing that learned preface whiche sometime was set out by the diligence of that godly father Thomas Cranmer late byshop in the sea of Canterburie whiche he caused to be prefixed before the translation of that Byble that was then set out And for that the copies thereof be so wasted that very many Churches do want their conuenient Bybles it was thought good to some well disposed men to recognise the same Byble againe into this fourme as it is nowe come out with some further diligence in the printing and with some more light added partly in the translation and partly in the order of the text not as condemning the former translation whiche was folowed mostly of any other translation excepting the originall text from whiche as litle variaunce was made as was thought meete to such as toke paynes therin desiring thee good reader if ought be escaped eyther by such as had the expending of the bookes or by the ouersight of the printer to correct the same in the spirite of charitie calling to remembraunce what diuersitie hath ben seene in mens iudgementes in the translation of these bookes before these dayes though all directed their labours to the glory of God to the edification of the Churche to the comfort of their christian brethren and alwayes as God dyd further open vnto them so euer more desirous they were to refourme their former humaine ouersightes rather then in a stubborne wylfulnesse to resist the gyft of the holy ghost who from tyme to tyme is resident as that heauenly teacher and leader into all trueth by whose direction the Churche is ruled and gouerned And let all men remember in them selfe howe errour and ignoraunce is created with our nature let frayle man confesse with that great wyse man that the cogitations and inuentions of mortall men be very weake and our opinions sone deceaued For the body so subiect to corruptioÌ„ doth oppresse the soule that it can not aspire so hye as of dutie it ought Men we be all and that which we know is not the thousand part of that we knowe not VVhereupon saith saint Austen otherwyse to iudge then the truth is this temptation ryseth of the frailtie of man A man so to loue and sticke to his owne iudgement or to enuie his brothers to the perill of dissoluing the christian communion or to the perill of schisme and of heresie this is diabolicall presumption but so to iudge in euery matter as the truth is this belongeth onely to the angelicall perfection Notwithstanding good reader thou mayst be well assured nothing to be done in this translation eyther of malice or wylfull meaning in altering the text eyther by putting more or lesse to the same as of purpose to bryng in any priuate iudgement by falsification of the wordes as some certaine men hath ben ouer bolde so to do litle regarding the maiestie of God his scripture but so to make it serue to their corrupt error as in alleaging the sentence of saint Paule to the Romaines the .6 one certaine wryter to proue his satisfaction was bold to turne the word of Santificationem into the word of Satisfactionem Thus. Sicut exhibuimus antea membra nostra seruirae immundicie et iniquitati ad iniquitatem ita deinceps exhibâ—amus membra nostra seruire iustitiae in satisfactionem That is as we haue geuen our members to vncleannesse from iniquitie to iniquitie euen so from hencefoorth let vs geue our members to serue righteousnesse into satisfaction where the true worde is into sanctification Euen so likewise for the aduauntage of his cause to proue that men may haue in their prayer fayth vpon saintes corruptly alleageth Saint Paules text Ad philemonem Thus. Fidem quam habes in domino Iesu in omnes sanctos leauing out the worde Charitatem which would haue rightly ben distributed vnto Omnes sanctos As fidem vnto in domino Iesu VVhere the text is Audiens charitatem tuam fidem quam habes in domino Iesu in omnes sanctos c. It were to long to bryng in many examples as may be openly founde in some mens wrytynges in these dayes who would be counted the chiefe pillers of the Catholique fayth or to note how corruptly they of purpose abuse the text to the comoditie of their cause VVhat maner of translation may men thinke to looke for at their handes if they should translate the scriptures to the comfort of Gods elect whiche they neuer did nor be not like to purpose it but be rather studious only to seeke quarrels in other mens well doynges to picke fault where none is And where any is escaped through humaine negligence there to crye out with their tragicall exclamations but in no wyse to amende by the spirite of charitie and lenitie that whiche might be more aptly set VVhervpon for frayle man compassed hym selfe with infirmitie it is most reasonable not to be to seuere in condemning his brothers knowledge or diligence where he doth erre not of malice but of simplicitie and specially in handeling of these so deuine bookes so profounde in sense so farre passing our naturall vnderstanding And with charitie it standeth the reader not to be offended with the diuersitie of translatours nor with the ambiguitie of translations For as Saint Austen doth witnesse by Gods prouidence it is brought about that the holy scriptures whiche be the salues for euery mans sore though at the first they came from one language and thereby might haue ben spread to the whole worlde nowe by diuersitie of manye languages the translatours shoulde spreade the saluation that is contayned in them to all nations by suche wordes of vtteraunce as the reader might perceaue the minde of the translatour and so consequently to come to the knowledge of God his wyll and pleasure And though many rashe readers be deceaued in the obscurities and ambiguities of their translations whyle they take one thing for another and whyle they vse muche labour to extricate them selues out of the obscurities of the same yet I thinke saith he this is not wrought without the prouidence of God both to tame the proude arrogancie of man by his suche labour of searching as also to kepe his minde from lothsomnesse and contempt where if the scriptutes vniuersally were to easie he woulde lesse regarde them And though saith he in the primatiue Churche the late interpreters whiche did translate the scriptures be innumerable yet wrought this rather an helpe then an impediment to the readers if they be not to negligent For saith he diuers translations haue made many tymes the harder and darker sentences the more open and playne So that of congruence no offence can iustly be taken for this newe labour nothing preiudicing any other mans iudgement by this doyng nor yet hereby professing this to be so absolute a
And they gathered them selues together agaynst Moyses and Aaron and sayde vnto them Ye take much vpon you seyng all the multitude are holy euery one of them and the Lorde is among them Why lyft you your selues vp aboue the congregation of the Lord 4 And when Moyses hearde it he fell vpon his face 5 And spake vnto Corah and vnto all his company saying To morowe the Lord wyll shewe who are his who is holy and who ought to approche nye vnto hym and whom he hath chosen he will cause to come neare vnto hym 6 This do therfore Take you firepannes both Corah all his companie 7 And do fire therin and put incense in them before the Lorde to morowe And the man whom the Lorde doth chose the same shal be holy Ye take much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. 8 And Moyses sayd vnto Corah Heare I pray you ye sonnes of Leui 9 Seemeth it but a small thyng vnto you that the God of Israel hath seperated you from the multitude of Israel and brought you to hym selfe to do the seruice of the tabernacle of the Lorde and to stande before the multitude and to minister vnto them 10 He hath taken thee to hym and all thy brethren the sonnes of Leui with thee and seeke ye the office of the priest also 11 For which cause both thou and all thy companie are gathered together against the Lorde And what is Aaron that ye murmure agaynst hym 12 And Moyses sent and called Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab which sayde We wyll not come vp 13 Is it a small thyng that thou hast brought vs out of the land that floweth with mylke and honie to kyll vs in the wildernesse except thou make thy selfe lorde and ruler ouer vs also 14 Moreouer thou hast not brought vs vnto a lande that floweth with mylke honie neither geuen vs inheritaunce of fieldes and vineyardes Wylt thou put out the eyes of these men We wyll not come vp 15 And Moyses waxed very angry and sayde vnto the Lorde Turne not thou vnto their offeryng I haue not taken so much as an asse from them neither haue I hurt any of them 16 And Moyses sayde vnto Corah Be thou al thy company before the Lord both thou they and Aaron to morowe 17 And take euery man his censer and put incense in them and bryng ye before the Lorde euery man his censer euen two hundreth and fiftie censers thou also and Aaron euery one his censer 18 And they toke euery man his censer and put fire in them and layde incense theron and stoode in the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moyses and Aaron 19 And Corah gathered all the congregation agaynst them vnto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation And the glorie of the Lorde appeared vnto all the congregation ◠And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses and Aaron saying 21 Seperate your selues from among this congregation that I may consume them at once 22 And they fell vpon their faces and sayde O God the God of spirites of all fleshe hath not one man sinned Wilt thou be wroth with all the multitude 23 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 24 Speake vnto the congregation and say Get you away from about the tabernacle of Corah Dathan Abiram 25 And Moyses rose vp and went vnto Dathan and Abiram and the elders of Israel folowed hym 26 And he spake vnto the congregation saying Depart I pray you from the tentes of these wicked men and touche nothyng of theirs lest ye perishe in all their sinnes 27 And so they gate them from the tabernacle of Corah Dathan and Abiram on euery syde And Dathan Abiram came out stoode in the doore of their tentes with their wiues their sonnes and their litle children 28 And Moyses sayde Hereby ye shall knowe that the Lorde hath sent me to do all these workes for I haue not done them of myne owne mynde 29 If these men dye the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lorde hath not sent me 30 But and if the Lorde make a newe thyng and the earth open her mouth and swallowe them vp with all that they haue and they go downe quicke into the pit then ye shall vnderstande that these men haue prouoked y e Lorde 31 And assoone as he had made an ende of speaking al these wordes the ground cloue asunder that was vnder them 32 And the earth opened her mouth and swalowed them vp and their houses and all the men that were with Corah and all their goodes 33 And they and all that they had went downe alyue vnto the pit and the earth closed vpon them and they perished from among the congregation 34 And all Israel that were about them fled at the crye of them And they sayde lest the earth swalowe vs vp also 35 And there came out a fire from the Lorde and consumed the two hundred and fiftie men that offered incense 36 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 37 Speake vnto Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest that he take vp the censers out of the burnyng and scatter the fire here and there for they are halowed 38 The censers of these sinners agaynst their owne soules let them make of them brode plates for a coueryng of the aulter For they offered them before the Lorde and therfore they are halowed and they shal be a signe vnto the children of Israel 39 And Eleazar the priest toke the brasen censers which they that were burnt had offered and made brode plates for a coueryng of the aulter 40 To be a remembraunce vnto the children of Israel that no straunger which is not of the seede of Aaron come neare to offer incense before the Lorde that he be not lyke vnto Corah and his companie as the Lorde sayde to hym by the hande of Moyses 41 But on the morowe all the multitude of the children of Israel murmured agaynst Moyses and Aaron saying Ye haue kylled the people of the Lorde 42 And whē the multitude was gathered agaynst Moyses and Aaron they loked towarde the tabernacle of the congregation And beholde the cloude couered it and the glorie of the Lorde appeared 43 And Moyses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation 44 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 45 Get you from among this congregation that I may consume thē quickly And they fell vpon their faces 46 And Moyses sayd vnto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therin out of the aulter and powre on incense and go quickly vnto the congregation make an attonement for them For there is wrath gone out from the Lorde and there is a plague begunne 47 And Aaron toke as Moyses cōmaunded hym and ranne into the middes of y e congregation and beholde the plague was begunne among the people and he put on incense and made an atonement
them vnto another man that commeth after me 19 And who knoweth whether he shal be a wise man or a foole And yet shall he be lorde of all my laboures which I with such wisdome haue taken vnder the sunne This is also a vayne thyng 20 So I turned me to refrayne my mynde from all such trauayle as I toke vnder the sunne 21 Forsomuch as a man shoulde weery hym selfe with wisdome with vnderstandyng and oportunitie and yet be fayne to leaue his labours vnto another that neuer sweat for them This is also a vayne thyng and great miserie 22 For what getteth a man of all the labour and trauayle of his mynde that he taketh vnder the sunne 23 But heauinesse sorowe and disquietnesse all the dayes of his life Insomuch that his heart can not rest in the nyght This is also a vayne thyng 24 Is it not better then for a man to eate and drynke and his soule to be mery in his labour yea I sawe that this also was a gift of God 25 For who wyll eate or go more lustyly to his worke then I 26 And why God geueth to the man that is good before hym wisdome vnderstandyng and gladnesse but vnto the sinner he geueth weerinesse that he may gather and heape together the thyng that afterwarde shal be geuen vnto hym whom it pleaseth God This is nowe a vayne thyng yea a very disquietnesse and vexation of mynde The .iij. Chapter 1 All thynges haue their tyme. 14 The workes of God are perfect and cause vs to feare hym 17 God shall iudge both the iust an vniust 1 EVery thyng hath a tyme yea all that is vnder the heauē hath his conuenient season 2 There is a tyme to be borne and a tyme to dye there is a tyme to plant and a tyme to plucke vp the thyng that is planted 3 A tyme to slay and a tyme to make whole a tyme to breake downe and a tyme to builde vp 4 A tyme to weepe and a tyme to laugh a tyme to mourne a tyme to daunce 5 A tyme to cast away stones and a tyme to gather stones together A tyme to imbrace and a tyme to refrayne from imbracyng 6 A tyme to wynne and a tyme to lose A tyme to spare and a tyme to spende 7 A tyme to cut in peeces and a tyme to sowe together A tyme to kepe scilence and a tyme to speake 8 A tyme to loue and a tyme to hate A tyme of warre and a tyme of peace 9 What hath a man els that doth any thyng but weerinesse and labour 10 For as touchyng the trauayle and carefulnesse which God hath geuen vnto men I see that he hath geuen it them to be exercised in it 11 All this hath he ordeyned marueilous goodly to euery thyng his due tyme He hath planted ignoraunce also in the heartes of men that they shoulde not comprehende the ground of his workes which he doth from the begynnyng to the ende 12 So I perceaued that in those thinges there is nothyng better for a man then to be mery and to do well as long as he lyueth 13 For all that a man eateth drynketh yea whatsoeuer a man enioyeth of all his labour that same is a gyft of God 14 I considered also that whatsoeuer God doth it continueth for euer And that nothyng can be put vnto it nor taken from it that God doth it to the intent that men shoulde feare hym 15 The thyng that hath ben is nowe and the thyng that is for to come hath ben afore time for God restoreth againe the thyng that was past 16 Moreouer I sawe vnder the sunne vngodlynes in the steade of iudgement iniquitie in steade of righteousnesse 17 Then thought I in my mynde God shall separate the ryghteous from the vngodly and then shal be the tyme and iudgement of all counsayles workes 18 I communed with myne owne heart also concernyng the children of men howe God hath chosen them and yet letteth them appeare as though they were beastes 19 For it happeneth vnto men as it doth vnto beastes euen one condition vnto them both as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they haue both one maner of breath so that in this a man hath no preeminence aboue a beast but are all subdued vnto vanitie 20 They go all vnto one place for as they be all of dust so shall they all turne vnto dust agayne 21 Who knoweth the spirite of man that goeth vpwarde the breath of the beast that goeth downe to the earth 22 Wherfore I perceaue that there is nothyng better for a man then to be ioyfull in his labour for that is his portion But who wyll bryng hym to see the thyng that shall come after hym The .iiij. Chapter 1 The innocent are oppressed 4 Mens labours are full of abuse and vanitie 9 Mans societie is necessarie 13 A young man poore and wise is to be preferred before an olde kyng that is a foole 1 SO I turned me and considered all the violent wrong that is done vnder the sunne and behold the teares of such as were oppressed and there was no man to comfort them or that woulde deliuer and defende them from the violence of their oppressours 2 Wherfore I iudged those that are dead to be more happy then those that be alyue 3 Yea hym that is yet vnborne to be better at ease then they both because he seeth not the miserable workes that are done vnder the sunne 4 Agayne I sawe that all trauayle and diligence of labour that euery man taketh in hande was done of enuie agaynst his neyghbour This is also a vayne thing and a vexation of mynde 5 The foole foldeth his handes together and eateth vp his owne fleshe 6 One handfull sayth he is better with rest then both the handes full with labour and trauayle of mynde 7 Moreouer I turned me and beholde yet another vanitie vnder the sunne 8 There is one man no mo but hym selfe alone hauyng neither childe nor brother yet is there no ende of his careful trauayle his eyes can not be satisfied with riches yet sayth he not for whom do I take such trauayle For whose pleasure do I thus consume away my life This is also a vayne and miserable thyng 9 Therfore two are better then one for they may well enioy the profite of their labour For yf one of them fall his companion helpeth hym vp agayne 10 But wo is hym that is alone for yf he fal he hath not another to helpe him vp 11 Agayne when two sleepe together they are warme but howe can a body be warme alone 12 One may be ouercome but two may make resistaunce A three folde gable is not lightly broken 13 A poore childe beyng wise is better then an olde king that doteth and can not beware in tyme to come 14 Some one commeth out of
prison and is made a kyng and another which is borne in the kyngdome commeth vnto pouertie 15 And I perceaued that all men lyuyng vnder the sunne go with the seconde childe that shall stande vp in the steade of the other 16 As for the people that haue ben before hym and that come after hym they are innumerable and they that come after hym shall not reioyce of hym This is also a vayne thyng and vexation of mynde 17 When thou commest into the house of God kepe thy foote and drawe nye that God which is at hande may heare that thou geue not the offerynges of fooles for they knowe naught but to do euyll The .v. Chapter 1 Not to speake lightly chiefly in Gods matters 9 The couetous can neuer haue enough 11 The labourers sleepe is sweete 14 Man when he dyeth taketh nothyng with hym 18 To lyue ioyfully and with a contented mynde is the gyft of God 1 BE not hasty with thy mouth and let not thine heart speake any thyng rashly before God For God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therfore let thy wordes be fewe 2 For where much carefulnesse is there are many dreames and where many wordes are there men may heare fooles 3 If thou make a vowe vnto God be not slacke to perfourme it As for foolish vowes he hath no pleasure in them yf thou promise any thyng pay it 4 For better is it that thou make no vowe then that thou shouldest promise and not pay 5 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy fleshe for to sinne neither say thou before the angell that it is thy ignoraunce for then God wyll be angry at thy voyce and destroy all the worke of thyne handes 6 And why wheras are many dreames and many wordes there are also diuers vanities but loke that thou feare God 7 If thou seest the poore to be oppressed and wrongfully dealt withall so that equitie and right of the lawe is wrested in the lande marueyle not thou at such a thyng for he that is hygher then the hyghest regardeth and there be hygher then they 8 The increase of the earth vpholdeth all thyng yea the kyng hym selfe is maynteyned by husbandry 9 He that loueth money wyll neuer be satisfied with money and he that loueth riches shal be without the fruite therof This is also a vayne thyng 10 Wheras much riches is there are many also that spende them away And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth them sauyng that he may loke vpon them with his eyes 11 A labouryng man sleepeth sweetly whether it be litle or much that he eateth but the aboundaunce of the riche wyll not suffer hym to sleepe 12 Yet is there a sore plague which I haue seene vnder the sunne namely riches kept to the hurt of him that hath them in possession 13 For oft tymes they perishe with his great miserie and trouble and yf he haue a childe it getteth nothyng 14 Lyke as he came naked out of his mothers wombe so goeth he thyther agayne and caryeth nothyng away with hym of all his labour 15 This is a miserable plague that he shall go euen as he came away What helpeth it hym then that he hath laboured in the wynde 16 All the dayes of his lyfe also he dyd eate in the darke with great carefulnesse sicknesse and sorowe 17 Therfore me thynke it a better and a fairer thyng a man to eate and drynke and to be refresshed of all his labour that he taketh vnder the sunne all the dayes of his lyfe which God geueth hym for this is his portion 18 For vnto whom soeuer God geueth riches goodes and power he geueth it hym to enioy it to take it for his portion and to be refresshed of his labour this is the gyft of God 19 For he thinketh not much howe long he shall lyue forasmuch as God fylleth his heart with gladnesse The .vj. Chapter The miserable estate of hym to whom God hath geuen riches and not the grace to vse them 1 THere is yet a plague vnder the sunne and it is a generall thyng among men when God geueth a man riches goodes and honour so that he wanteth nothyng of all that his heart can desire and yet God geueth hym not leaue to enioy the same but another man spendeth them This is a vayne thyng and a miserable plague 2 If a man beget a hundred children and lyue many yeres so that his dayes are many in number and yet can not enioy his good neither be buryed as for hym I say that vntymely birth is better then he 3 For he commeth to naught spendeth his tyme in darknesse and his name is forgotten 4 Moreouer he seeth not the sunne and knoweth not of it and yet hath he more rest then the other 5 Yea though he lyued two thousande yeres yet hath he no good lyfe Come not all to one place 6 All the labour that a man taketh is for him selfe and yet his desire is neuer fylled after his mynde 7 For what hath the wise more then the foole What helpeth it the poore that he knoweth to walke with fooles before the lyuyng 8 The cleare syght of the eye is better then that the soule shoulde walke after desires of the lust Howbeit this is also a vayne thyng and a disquietnesse of mynde 9 The thyng that hath ben is named alredy and knowen that it is euen man him selfe neither may he go to lawe with him that is mightier then he 10 Many thinges there be that encrease vanitie and what hath a man els 11 For who knoweth what is good for man liuing in the dayes of his vayne life whiche is but a shadowe Or who wyl tell a man what shall happen after hym vnder the sunne The .vij. Chapter Diuers preceptes to folowe that whiche is good and to auoyde the contrary 1 A Good name is more worth then precious oyntment the day of death is better thē the day of byrth 2 It is better to go into an house of mourning then into a banketting house For there is the ende of all men and he that is liuing taketh it to heart 3 Grauitie is better then to laugh for when the countenaunce is heauie the heart is refourmed 4 The heart of the wise is in the mourning house but the heart of the foolishe is in the house of myrth 5 It is better to geue eare to the chastening of a wyse man then to heare the songue of fooles 6 For the laughyng of fooles is like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot and that is but a vayne thing 7 The wyse man hateth wrong dealing and abhorreth the heart that coueteth rewardes 8 Better is it to consider the ende of a thing then the beginning The pacient of spirite is better then the hye minded 9 Be not hastyly angrie in thy
counsell fast in thyne heart for there is no man more faithfull to kepe it then thou thy selfe 14 For a mans minde is sometime disposed to tell out more then seuen watchmen that sit aboue in an hie place loking about them 15 And aboue all this pray the highest that he wyll leade thy way in faithfulnes and trueth 16 Before all thy workes aske counsell 〈◊〉 and or euer thou decit any thing be weâ—â— aduised 17 There be foure thinges that declare a chaunged heart whereout there springeth euill and good death and lyfe and a maisterfull tongue that bableth much 18 Some man is apt and well instructed in many thinges and yet very vnprofitable vnto him selfe 19 Some man there is that can geue wyse and prudent counsel and yet is he hated and continueth a begger 20 For that grace is not geuen him of God to be accepted 21 Another is robbed of al wysdome yet is he wyse vnto him selfe and the fruite of vnderstanding is commeÌ„dable in his mouth 22 A wyse man maketh his people wyse the fruites of his wysdome fayle not 23 A wyse man shal be plenteously blessed of God and all they that see him shall speake good of him 24 The lyfe of man standeth in the number of the dayes but the dayes of Israel are innumerable 25 A wyse man shall obtayne faithfulnes and credence among his people and his name shal be perpetuall 26 My sonne prooue thy soule in thy selfe and if thou see any euill thing geue it not vnto her 27 For all thinges are not profitable for all men neither hath euery soule pleasure in euery thing 28 Be not greedy in euery eating and be not to hastie vpon all meates 29 For excesse of meates bringeth sickenesse and gluttonie commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate 30 Through surfet haue many one perished but he that dieteth him selfe temperatelie prolongeth his lyfe ¶ The .xxxviij. Chapter 1 A phisition is commendable 16 To burie the dead 24 The wysdome of him that is learned 1 HOnour the phisition honour him with that honour that is due vnto him because of necessitie for God hath created him 2 For of the highest commeth medicine and he shall receaue giftes of the king 3 The wysdome of the phisition bringeth him to great worship and in the sight of the great men of this worlde he shal be honourably taken 4 The Lorde hath created medicine of the earth and he that is wyse wyll not abhorre it 5 Was not the bitter water made sweete with a tree that men might learne to knowe the vertue thereof 6 The Lord hath geuen men wysdome and vnderstanding that he might be honoured in his wonderous workes 7 With such doth he heale men and taketh away their paynes 8 Of such doth the pothecarie make a confection yet can no man perfourme al his workes for of the Lorde commeth prosperous wealth ouer all the earth 9 My sonne despise not this in thy sickenes but pray vnto the Lorde and he shall make thee whole 10 Leaue of from sinne and order thy handes a right clense thyne heart from all wickednesse 11 Geue a sweete sauoured offering and the fine floure for a token of remembraunce make the offering fat as one that geueth the first fruites 12 And geue roome to the phisition for the Lorde hath created him let him not go from thee for thou hast neede of him 13 The houre may come that the sicke may be helped through them 14 When they pray vnto the Lorde that he may recouer and get health to lyue longer 15 He that sinneth before his maker shall fall into the handes of the phisition 16 My sonne bring foorth thy teares ouer the dead and beginne to mourne as if thou haddest suffered great harme thy selfe and then couer his body after a conuenient maner and despise not his buriall 17 Enforce thy selfe to weepe prouoke thy selfe to mourne and make lamentation expediently and be earnest in mourning and vse lamentation as he is worthie and that a day or two lest thou be euill spoken of and then comfort thy selfe because of the heauines 18 For of heauines commeth death the heauines of the heart breaketh streÌ„gth 19 Heauines and pouertie greeueth the heart in temptation and offence 20 Take no heauines to heart driue it away and remember the last thinges 21 Forget it not for there is no turning againe thou shalt do him no good but hurt thy selfe 22 Remember his iudgement thyne also shal be lykewyse vnto me yesterday vnto thee to day 23 Let the remembraunce of the dead ceasse in his rest comfort thee againe ouer him seing his spirite is departed from him 24 The wysoome of the scribe is at conuenient time of rest and he that ceasseth from exercises and labour shal be wyse 25 How can he get wysdome that holdeth the plough and he that hath pleasure in the goade and in driuing the oxen and is occupied in their labours and his talke is but of the breeding of bullockes 26 He setteth his heart to make sorowes and is diligent to geue the kine fodder 27 So is euery carpenter also and workmaister that laboureth still night and â—ay he carueth graueth cutteth out his desire is insundry cunning thinges his heart imagineth how he may cunningly cast an image his diligence also and watching perfourmeth the worke 28 The iron smith in lyke maner bydeth by his stithie and doth his diligence to labour the iron the vapour of the fyre brenneth his fleshe and he must fight with the heate of the fornace the noyse of the hammer euer soundeth in his eares and his eyes loke still vpon the thing that he maketh he hath set his minde thereupon that he wyll make out his worke therefore he watcheth how he may set it out and bring it to an ende 29 So doth the potter set by his worke he turneth the wheele about with his feete he is diligent and carefull in all doinges and maketh his worke in number 30 He fashioneth the clay with his arme and with his feete he tempereth it his heart imagineth howe he may make it pleasaunt and his diligence is to clense the ouen 31 All these hope in their handes euery one thinketh to be cunning in his worke 32 Without these may not the cities be mayntayned inhabited nor occupied 33 Yet come they not hye in the congregation neither sit they vpon the iudgement seates they vnderstand not the couenaunt of the lawe they can not declare equitie and iudgement they can not finde out the darke sentences 34 But through them shall the creature of the worlde be maintayned their desire concerneth onely the worke and labour of cunning The. xxxix Chapter 1 A wyse man 16 The workes of God 24 Vnto the good thinges do profite but vnto the euyll euen good thinges are euyll 1 HE that applieth his mynde to vnderstande the lawe of God doth diligently seke out the
vnto the beast who is able to warre with hym 5 And there was geuen vnto hym a mouth that spake great thynges and blasphemies and power was geuen vnto hym to do .xlij. monethes 6 And he opened his mouth vnto blasphemie agaynst God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen 7 And it was geuen vnto hym to make warre with the saintes to ouercome them And power was geuen him ouer all kinredes and tongues and nations 8 And al y t dwel vpon the earth worshipped him whose names are not writteÌ„ in the booke of lyfe of y e lambe which was killed from the beginnyng of the world 9 If any man haue an eare let hym heare 10 He that leadeth into captiuitie shall go into captiuitie He that kylleth with a sworde must be kylled with a sworde Here is the patience and the fayth of the saintes 11 And I behelde another beast commyng vp out of the earth and he had two hornes lyke a lambe and he spake as dyd the dragon 12 And he dyd all that y e first beast coulde do in his presence he caused the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed 13 And he dyd great wonders so that he made fyre come downe from heauen on the earth in the syght of men 14 And deceaued them that dwelt on the earth by the meanes of those signes which he had power to do in the syght of the beast saying to them that dwelt on the earth that they shoulde make the image of the beast which had the wounde of a sworde and dyd lyue 15 And he had power to geue a spirite vnto the image of the beast that the image of the beast shoulde speake and shoulde cause that as many as woulde not worship the image of the beast shoulde be kylled 16 And he made all both smal great rich poore free bonde to receaue a marke in their right hand or in their forheads 17 And that no man myght bye or sell saue he that had the marke or y e name of the beast other y e number of his name 18 Here is wisdome Let hym that hath witte count y e number of the beast For it is the number of a man his number is sixe hundred threescore and sixe ¶ The .xiiij. Chapter 1 The notable companie of the lambe 6 One angel announceth the Gospel 8 Another the fall of Babylon 9 And the thirde warneth to flee from the beast 13 Of their blessednesse which dye in the Lorde 18 Of the Lordes haruest 1 AND I loked and lo a lambe stoode on the mount Sion and with hym an hundreth fourtie and foure thousande hauyng his fathers name written in their foreheades 2 And I hearde a voyce from heauen as the sounde of many waters and as the voyce of a great thunder And I hearde the voyce of harpers harpyng with their harpes 3 And they song as it were a newe song before the throne and before the foure beastes the elders and no man coulde learne that song but the hundreth and fourtie foure thousande which were redeemed from the earth 4 These are they which were not defiled with womeÌ„ for they are virgins These folowe the lambe whither soeuer he goeth These were redeemed froÌ„ men beyng the first fruites vnto God and to the lambe 5 And in their mouthes was founde no guile For they are without spot before the throne of God 6 And I sawe another angell flee in the middes of heauen hauyng the euerlastyng Gospell to preache vnto them that sit and dwel on the earth and to all nations and kinredes and tongues and people 7 Saying with a loude voyce Feare God and geue honour to hym for the houre of his iudgement is come and worshippe hym that made heauen and earth and the sea and fountaynes of water 8 And there folowed another angell saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great citie for she made all nations drinke of the wyne of the wrath of her fornication 9 And the thirde angell folowed them saying with a loude voyce If any man worshippe the beast and his image and receaue his marke in his foreheade or on his hande 10 The same shall drynke of the wyne of the wrath of God yea of the pure wyne which is powred in y e cup of his wrath And he shal be punisshed in fyre brimstone before the holy angels and before the lambe 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore And they haue no rest day nor nyght which worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receaueth the prynt of his name 12 Here is the pacience of the saintes Here are they that kepe the commaundementes of God and the fayth of Iesus 13 And I hearde a voyce from heauen saying vnto me write Blessed are the dead which hereafter dye in the Lorde Euen so sayth the spirite that they rest from their laboures and their workes folowe them 14 And I loked and beholde a whyte cloude and vpon the cloude one sittyng lyke vnto the sonne of man hauyng on his head a golden crowne and in his hande a sharpe sickle 15 And another angell came out of the temple crying with a loude voyce to hym that sate on the cloude Thrust in thy sickle reape for the time is come to reape for the haruest of y e earth is ripe 16 And he that sate on the cloude thrust in his sickle on the earth and the earth was reaped 17 And another angell came out of the temple which is in heauen hauâ—ng also a sharpe sickle 18 And I sawe another angell came out from the aulter which had power ouer fyre and cryed with a loude crye to hym that had the sharpe sickle and sayde Thrust in thy sharpe sickle and gather the clusters of the vineyarde of y e earth for her grapes are ripe 19 And the angell thrust in his sharpe sickle on the earth and cut downe the grapes of the vineyarde of the earth and cast them into the great wynefat of the wrath of God 20 And the wynefat was troden without the citie and blood came out of the fat euen vnto the horse bridles by the space of a thousand sixe hundreth furlonges â–ª ¶ The .xv. Chapter 1 Seuen angels haue the seuen last plagues 3 The song of them that ouercome the beast 7 The seuen vials full of Gods wrath 1 AND I sawe another signe in heauen great marueylous seuen angels hauyng the seuen last plagues for in them is fulfylled the wrath of God 2 And I sawe as it were a glassie sea mingled with fyre and them that had gotten the victorie of the beast and of his image and of his marke and of the number of his name stande on y e glassie sea hauyng the harpes of God 3 And they sang the song of Moyses the seruaunt of God and the song of the lambe