Great(i)
1 ( 2 b) Remembre thy maker the soner in thy youth, or euer the dayes of aduersytie come & or the yeares drawe nye, when thou shalt saye: I haue not pleasure in them:
3 before the sunne the lyght, the moone & starres be darckned, & or the cloudes turne agayne after the rayne,
4 when the kepers of the house shall tremble, & when the stronge men shall bowe them selues: when the myllers stande styll, because they be so fewe, & when the syght of the wyndowes shall waxedymme,
5 when the dores in the stretes shalbe shutt, and when the voyce of the myller shalbe layed downe: when men shall ryse vp at the voyce of the byrde, and when all the daughters of musyke shalbe brought lowe:
6 when men shall feare in hye places, and be afrayed in the stretes: when the Almonde tree shall florishe and be laden with the greshopper, and when all lust shall passe (because man goeth to his longe home, and the mourners go aboute the stretes.)
7 Or euer the syluer lace be taken awaye, and or the golden well be broken. Or the pot be broken at the well, and the whele vpon the cysterne:
8 Then shall the dust be turned agayne vnto earth from whence it came, and the sprete shall returne vnto God, which gaue it.
9 All is but vanite (sayth the Preacher) all is but playne vanyte.
10 The Preacher was yet more wyse, and taught the people knowledge: he gaue good hede, sought out the grounde, and set forth many parables.
11 Hys diligence was to fynde out acceptable wordes, ryght scripture, and the wordes of trueth.
12 For the wordes of the wyse are lyke pryckes and nayles that goo thorow, wherwith the stuffe gathered is holden vp: for they are geuen of one shepherde onely.
13 Therfore beware (my sonne) of that doctrine that is besyde thys: for to make many bokes it is an endles worke: and to loude cryinge weryeth the bodye.
14 Let vs heare the conclusyon of all thynges: Feare God, and kepe hys commaundementes: For that toucheth all men.Ecc