Ecclesiastes 2 Cross References - Great

¹ Then sayd I thus in my herte: Now go to, I wil take mine ease & haue good dayes. But lo, that is vanite: ² also in so moch that I sayd vnto the man gyuen to laughter: thou arte madd, & to myrth: what doest thou? ³ So I thought in my hert, to gyue my flesh vnto wyne and agayne to applie my mynde vnto wysdome, and to comprehende folyshnes vntyll the tyme that (amonge all the thinges whych are vnder the Sunne) I myght se what were best for men to do, so longe as they lyue vnder heauen. ⁴ I made gorgious fayre worckes. I buylded me houses, and planted vyneyardes. ⁵ I made me ortchardes and gardens of pleasure, and planted trees in them of al maner frutes. ⁶ I made poles of water, to water the grene and fruteful trees withall. ⁷ I bought seruauntes and maydens, and had a greate housholde. As for catell and shepe, I had more substaunce of them, then all they that were before me in Ierusalem. ⁸ I gathered syluer & golde together, euen a treasure of kynges and landes. I prouyded me syngers & wemen, which coulde playe of instrumentes, to make men myrth and pastime. I gat me psalteries & songes of musicke. ⁹ And I was greater and in more worshipe, then all my predecessours in Ierusalem. For wisdome remained with me: ¹⁰ & loke whatsoeuer myne eyes desyred, I let them haue it: and wherin soeuer my hert delyted, or had eny pleasure, I with helde it not from it. Thus my herte reioysed in all that I dyd, and this was my porcion of all my trauayle. ¹¹ But when I consydred all the workes that my handes had wrought, and all the laboure that I had taken therin: lo, all was but vanite and vexacion of mynd, and nothing of eny value vnder the Sunne. ¹² Then turned I me to considre wysdome, erroure, and folyshnesse (for what is he among men that myght be compared to me the kyng in soch worckes?) ¹³ and I sawe: that wysdome excelleth foolishnesse, as farre as light doth darcknesse. ¹⁴ For a wyse man hath his eyes in his head, but the foole goeth in the darkenesse: I perceaued also, that they both had one ende. ¹⁵ Then thought I in my mynde, If it happen vnto the foole as it doth vnto me, what nedeth me then to labour eny more for wisdome? So I confessed within my hert, that this also was but vanite. ¹⁶ For the wyse are euer as lytle in remembraunce as the folish, for the dayes shal come when all shal be forgotten, yee the wise man dieth as well as the foole. ¹⁷ Thus beganne I to be weery of my lyfe, in so moch that I coulde awaye with nothing that is done vnder the Sunne, for all was but vanite & vexacion of minde: ¹⁸ Yee I was weery of all my labour, whych I had taken vnder the Sunne, because I shulde be fayne to leaue them vnto another man that commeth after me: ¹⁹ And who knoweth, whether he shalbe a wyse man or a fole? And yet shall he be lord of all my labours, which I with soch wysdome haue taken vnder the Sunne Thys is also a vayne thyng. ²⁰ So I turned me to refrayne my mynde from all soch trauayle, as I toke vnder the Sunne: ²¹ for so moch as a man shulde weery hym selfe with wysdome, with vnderstanding and oportunite, & yet be fayne to leaue his labours vnto another that neuer swett for them. This is also a vayne thing & greate misery. ²² For what getteth a man of all the laboure and trauayle of his mynde, that he taketh vnder the Sunne, ²³ but heuynesse, sorowe and desquyetnes all the dayes of hys lyfe? In so moch that his hert cannot rest in the nyght, this is also a vayne thing? ²⁴ Is it not better then for a man to eate & drynche, & his soule to be mery in his labour? Yee I sawe that thys also was a gyfte of God: ²⁵ For who will eat or go more lustely to hys worcke then I? And why? ²⁶ God gyueth to the man that is good before him, wysdome, vnderstandyng, & gladnesse. But vnto the synner he geueth weerynes that he maye gather and heape together the thynge, that afterwarde shalbe geuen vnto him, whom it pleaseth God. This is now a vayne thinge, yee a very disquietnesse and vexacyon of mynde.

³ And they sayd euery one to his neyghboure: Come, let vs prepare brycke, & burne them in the fyre. And they had brycke for stone, & slyme had they in steade of morter. ⁴ And they sayde: Go to, let vs buylde vs a citie & a tower, whose toppe maye reach vnto heauen: & let vs make vs a name, lest haply we be scatred abrode in to the vpper face of the whole erth.

⁷ Come on, let vs go downe, and confounde theyr language, that euery one perceaue not hys neyghbours speche.

⁵ And the kynge of Syria sayde: Come and entre in and I wyll sende a letter vnto the kynge of Israel. And he came, and toke with him ten talentes of syluer, and .vj. thousande peces of golde, & ten chaunge of raymentes,

⁶ For he hath sayed in his hert: Tush I shall neuer be cast downe, ther shall no harme happen vnto me. His mouth is full of cursynge, and disceate and fraude vnder his tonge is vngodlynesse & vanite.

¹ To the chaunter a Psalme of Dauid. The fole hath sayed in hys hert, there is no God. They are corrupt, and become abhomynable in theyr doynges there is not one that doth good.

⁸ Herken vnto my voyce, O Lorde, when I crye vnto the: haue mercye vpon me, and heare me.

⁶ And in my prosperyte, I sayde: I shall neuer be remoued: thou Lorde of thy goodnesse hadest made my hill so stronge. ⁷ Thou dyddest turne thy face and I was troubled.

¹⁶ I commoned wt mine awne herte, sayinge: lo, I am come to a great estate, & haue gotten more wysdome, then all they that haue bene before me in Ierusalem. Yee my herte had greate experience of wisdome & knowledge, ¹⁷ for there vnto I applied my mynde: that I myght knowe what were wisdome & vnderstanding, what were errour & folishnes: & I perceaued, that this also was but a vexacyon of minde:

¹⁵ Then thought I in my mynde, If it happen vnto the foole as it doth vnto me, what nedeth me then to labour eny more for wisdome? So I confessed within my hert, that this also was but vanite.

¹⁷ Then thought I in my minde: God shal separate the ryghteous from the vngodly, and then shalbe the tyme and iudgement of all councels and worckes. ¹⁸ I commened with myne awne hert also, concernynge the children of men: how God hath chosen them, & yet letteth them apeare: as though they were beastes:

⁴ The hert of the wyse is in the mournyng house, but the hert of the folysh is in the house of myrth.

¹⁵ Therfore I commende gladnesse, because a man hath no better thing vnder the Sunne, then to eate and dryncke, & to be mery: for that shall he haue of his labour all the dayes of his lyfe, which God geueth him vnder the sunne.

⁹ Be glad then (O thou yonge man) in thy youth, and let thyne hert be mery in thy yong dayes, folowe the wayes of thyne awne herte, & the lust of thine eyes but be thou sure, that God shall brynge the into iudgement for all these thynges.

⁵ Well, now I shall tell you how I wyll do with my vyneyarde: I will take the hedge from it, that it maye perysh, and breake downe the wall, that it maye be troden vnder fote.

⁵ The Lord God hath opened myne eare, therfore can I nott saye, naye: ner withdrawe my selfe:

¹¹ But take hede, ye all kyndle a fyre of the wrath of God, and stere vp the coales: walke on in the glistering of your awne fyre & in the coales that ye haue kindled. This cometh vnto you fro my hande, namely that ye shall slepe in sorowe.

¹⁹ and I will saye to my soule: Soule thou hast moche goodes layd vp in stoore for many yeares, take thyne ease: eate, drincke, be mery.

¹⁹ Ther was a certayne ryche man, which was clothed in purple and fyne whyte, and fared deliciously euery dyae:

²³ And beynge in hell in tormentes, he lyfte vp hys eyes and sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in hys bosome,

³ For we oure selues also were somtyme foolyshe dysobedient, deceaued, seruynge diuerse lustes and volupteousnes, lyuynge in maliciousnes and enuye, full of hate, hatynge one another.

¹³ Go to now ye that saye: to daye and to morow let vs go into soch a citye, and continue there a yeare, and bye and sell, and wynne:

¹ Go to now ye ryche men. Wepe, and howle on your wretchednes that shal come vpon you.

⁵ Ye haue lyued in pleasure on the erthe, & bene wantan. Ye haue norysshed youre hertes, as in a daye of slaughter.

⁷ And as moche as she glorifyed her selfe and liued wantanly, so moch powre ye in for her of punysshement and sorowe, for she sayde in her selfe: I syt beynge a quene, & am no wyddowe, and shall se no sorowe. ⁸ Therfore shal her plages come in one daye, deeth, & sorowe, and honger, & she shalbe brent with fyre: for stronge is the Lorde God which shal iudge her.

¹³ The herte is sorowefull euen in laughter, and the ende of myrth is heuynes.

² It is better to go into an house of mourninge, then into a bancketinge house. For there is the ende of all men, & he that is liuing, taketh it to hert: ³ grauytie is better then to laugh: for when the countenaunce is heuy, the herte is refourmed. ⁴ The hert of the wyse is in the mournyng house, but the hert of the folysh is in the house of myrth. ⁵ It is better to geue care to the chastenynge of a wyse man then to heare the songe of fooles. ⁶ For the laughinge of foles is lyke the crackynge of thornes vnder a pot. And that is but a vayne thynge.

¹² And in that daye dyd the Lorde God of hoostes call men vnto wepyng and mournyng, to baldnesse & gyrdyng aboute wyth sack cloth. ¹³ And Behold, they haue ioye and gladnesse, slayeng oxen & kylling shepe eatyng flesh & drynkyng wyne: Let vs eate and drynke: for tomorowe we shal dye

³ Ye are taken out for the euell daye, euen ye that syt in the stole of wylfulnesse. ⁴ Ye that lye vpon beddes of Yuery, and vse youre wantonnesse vpon your couches: ye that eate the best lambes of the flocke, & the fattest calues of the droaue: ⁵ ye that synge to the lute, and in playenge of instrumentes compare youre selues vnto Dauid: ⁶ ye that dryncke wyne out of goblettes, and anoynte youre selues with the best oyle, but no man is sory for Iosephs hurte.

² that he hence forwarde shulde lyue (as moch tyme as remayneth in the flesshe) not after the lustes of men, but after the wyll of God. ³ For it is sufficyent for vs, that we haue spent the tyme that is past of the lyfe, after the wyll of the Gentyls, walkynge in wantannes, lustes, in excesse of wynes, in excesse of eatynge, in excesse of drinkynge and in abomynable ydolatrie. ⁴ And it semeth to them an inconuenient thynge, that ye runne not also with them vnto the same excesse of ryote, & therfore speake they euyll of you,

⁹ Iacob sayde vnto Pharao: the dayes of my pilgremage are an hundred and .xxx. yeares. Fewe & euell haue the dayes of my lyfe bene, and haue not attayned vnto the yeares of the lyfe of my fathers in the dayes of theyr pilgremages.

³⁶ And Abigail came to Nabal: and behold, he held a feast in his house, lyke the feest of a kyng, & Nabals herte was mery within him, for he was very droncke. Wherfore she tolde him nothing, nether lytle nor moare, vntill the morow daye.

¹⁴ Maye a dead man lyue agayne? All the dayes of my lyfe wyll I waite styll, tyll my chaungynge shall come.

⁹ For when thou art angrye, all oure dayes are gone: we brynge our yeares to an ende, as it were a tale that is tolde. ¹⁰ The dayes of oure age are thre score yeares and ten: and though men be so stronge that they come to foure score yeares, yet is theyr strength then but laboure and sorowe: so soone passeth it awaye, and we are gone. ¹¹ But who regardeth the power of thy wrath, for euen therafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure. ¹² O teach vs, to nombre oure dayes, that we maye applye oure hertes vnto wysdome.

¹ Wyne maketh a man to be scornefull: and stronge dryncke causeth a man to be vnquyete: who so delyteth therin, shall neuer be wyse.

²⁹ Who hath wo? Who hath sorow? Who hath strife? Who hath brauling? & who hath woundes without cause Or who hath reed eyes? ³⁰ Euen they that be euer at the wyne, & seke excesse. ³¹ Loke not thou vpon the wyne, how redd it is, & what a colour it geueth in the glasse. ³² It goeth downe softly, but at the last it byteth lyke a serpent, & styngeth as an Adder. ³³ So shall thine eyes loke vnto straunge wemen, & thyne herte shall muse vpon frowarde thynges. ³⁴ Yee, thou shalt be as though thou layest in the myddest of the see, or sleptest vpon the toppe of the mast of a shippe. ³⁵ They wouded me (shalt thou saye) but it hath not hurte me: they haue all to broken me, but I felt it not. Whan I am well wakened, I will go to the drincke againe.

⁴ O Lamuel, yt is not for kynges, it is not (I saye) for kinges to drinke wyne, nor Princes stronge dryncke ⁵ lest they beynge droncken forgett the lawe, and paruerte the iudgement of all poore mens childerne.

¹⁷ for there vnto I applied my mynde: that I myght knowe what were wisdome & vnderstanding, what were errour & folishnes: & I perceaued, that this also was but a vexacyon of minde:

²⁴ Is it not better then for a man to eate & drynche, & his soule to be mery in his labour? Yee I sawe that thys also was a gyfte of God:

¹² So I perceaued, that in these thinges there is nothing better for a man, then to be mery and to do well so longe as he lyueth. ¹³ For all that a man eateth & dryncketh, yee whatsoeuer a man enioyeth of all his labour, that same is a gyfte of God.

¹² For who knoweth what is good for man lyuinge, in the dayes of hys vayne lyfe, which is but a shadowe? Or who wyl tell a man, what shal happen after him vnder the Sunne?

¹⁸ It is good for the to take holde of this, & not to let that go out of thy hand. For he that feareth God, commeth forth with them all.

²⁵ I applyed my mynde also vnto knowledge, & to seke & searche oute science, wysdome & vnderstanding: to knowe the foolyshnesse of the vngodly, & the errour of dotinge fooles.

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.

²⁴ No man can serue two masters. For ether he shal hate the one and loue the other, or els leane to the one, and despyse the other: ye cannot serue God and Mammon.

¹⁵ Or what concorde hath Christ with Beliall? Ether what parte hath he that beleueth, with an infidell? ¹⁶ Or how agreeth the temple of God with Images for ye are the temple of the lyuinge God, as sayde God? I wyll dwell amonge them, & walcke amonge them, and wylbe their God: & they shalbe my people. ¹⁷ Wherfore come out from amonge them, and separate youre selues from them (sayth the Lorde) and touche none vncleane thynge: so wyll I receaue you,

¹⁸ and be not droncke with wyne wherin is excesse: but be fylled with the sprete,

⁴ And they sayde: Go to, let vs buylde vs a citie & a tower, whose toppe maye reach vnto heauen: & let vs make vs a name, lest haply we be scatred abrode in to the vpper face of the whole erth.

¹² & when thou hast eaten, and fylled thy selfe, & hast bylt goodly houses & dwelt therin, ¹³ and when thy beastes, and thy shepe are waxed manye, and thy syluer & golde is multiplied, and all that thou hast is encreased, ¹⁴ then beware, lest thyne herte ryse & thou forgett the Lorde thy God, whych brought the out of the lande of Egypte, and from the house of bondage,

¹⁸ And thys Absalom yet in hys lyfe tyme toke counsell & reared vp a piller, whyche is in kynges dale. For he sayd: I haue no sonne. And therfore to kepe my name in remembraunce do I it. And he called the pyller after hys awne name. And it is called vnto thys daye: Absaloms pyller.

¹ But Salomon was buyldyng his awne house thirtene yere, & finysshed it all. ² And he buylt the house in the wodd of Libanon, an hundred cubytes longe, and fyftye cubytes broad, & .xxx. cubytes hye. And it stode vpon foure rowes of Cedar pyllars, and Cedar beames were layed vpon the pyllers. ³ And the rouffe was Cedar aboue vpon the beames, that laye on the pyllers: euen fyue and fourtye beames in fyftene rowes. ⁴ And there were wyndowes in thre rowes: and the wyndowes were one agaynst another thre folde. ⁵ And the dores with the syde postes, and the vpperposte were fouresquare, and had windowes one agaynst another thre folde. ⁶ And he made a porch by the pillars, that bare vp the house .l. cubites longe, and .xxx. cubites broad: & that porch was before those & the other pillers. For there was a thick tree set before them. ⁷ Then he made a porche to syt a iudge in, syled with Cedar thorowout all the pauementes. ⁸ And hys awne house (that he kept residence in: & that was in another courte without the porch) was made of that same worcke. And then Salomon made an house for Pharaos daughter whom he had taken to wyfe, lyke vnto the fasshion of that porche. ⁹ And all these were of the best stones, hewed after a measure, and sawed wt sawes within and without, from the foundacion vnto the beames that laye aboue, after the measure, & euen so on the outsyde towarde the great court. ¹⁰ And the foundacyon was layed vpon rych stones & the very great stones: wherof some were .x. cubites, & some .viij. cubites. ¹¹ And aboue were good stones squared after a certayn rule, & couered wt Cedar. ¹² And the great court round about was wt thre rowes of hewed stone, & one rowe of Cedar planckes, after the maner of the ynner court of the house of the Lorde, & of the porch of the temple.

¹ And when Salomon had fynysshed the buyldynge of the house of the Lorde and the kynges palace, & all that he had in hys mynde, and was apoynted to make:

¹⁹ And the seate had syxe steppes. And the toppe of the seate was rounde behynde, & there were pomelles on ether syde on the place of the seate and two Lyons stode besyde the pomelles. ²⁰ And there stode .xii. Lyons on the steppes .vi. on a syde. Ther was none lyke (worke) sene in any kyngdome.

¹⁹ there is a bonde betwene me & the, betwene my father and thy father. And beholde, I haue sent vnto the a present of syluer & golde that thou come & breake the bonde that thou hast wt Baasa kynge of Israell, that he maye departe from me.

²⁷ And the ouersyght of the vineyardes had Semei the Ramathite. Ouer the increase also of the vineyardes, & ouer the winesellers was Sabdi the Hasiphunite.

¹ And it fortuned, that after .xx. yeare, when Salomon had buylt the house of the Lorde and hys awne house: ² he buylte the cyties that Hiram gaue him, and put of the chyldren of Israell in them. ³ And Salomon went to Hamath Zoba, and strengthed it. ⁴ And he buylt Thadmor in the wyldernesse, and repayred all the store cyties which were in Hamath. ⁵ And he buylt Bethhoron the vpper and Bethhoron the nether, stronge cyties, hauynge walles, gates and barres. ⁶ And Baalah and all the stoare cyties that Salomon had, and al the charet cyties, and the cyties of the horsemen, and euery pleasaunt place, that Salomon had lust to buylde in Ierusalem and Libanon, and thorowe out all the lande of his dominion.

¹¹ And Salomon brought the daughter of Pharao out of the cytie of Dauid, into the house that he had buylded for her. For he sayd: my wyfe shall not dwel in the house of Dauid kyng of Israel, for it is holy, because that the Arcke of the Lorde is come vnto it.

¹⁰ And he buylt towres in the wyldernesse, and digged many welles: For he had moche catell, in the valeys and playnes, plowmen and vynedressers in the mountaynes and in Charmel, for he loued husbandrye:

¹¹ And yet they thynke, that theyr houses shall continue for euer, and that theyr dwelling places shall endure from one generacyon to another, & call the landes after theyr awne names.

¹⁴ A cluster of Camphore in the vyneardes of Engaddi is my loue vnto me.

¹² In the mornynge wyll we go se the vyneyarde: we will se yf the vyne be spronge forth, yf the grapes be growne, and yf the pomgranates be shot out. There will I geue the my brestes:

¹¹ Salomon hath a vyneyarde at Baal Hamon, & this vyneyarde delyuered he vnto the kepers: that euery one for the frute therof shulde geue hym a thousande peces of syluer. ¹² My vyneyard is in my sight: thou (O Salomon) must haue a thousande, and the kepers two hundred with the frute.

¹ Now will I syng my beloued frende a songe of my frendes, because of hys vyneyarde. My beloued frende hath a vyneyarde in a very frutefull plenteous grounde.

³⁰ and sayde. Thys is the greate cyte of Babylon, which I my selfe (with my power and strength) haue made a kynges courte, for the honour of my magestye.

⁸ And the Lorde God planted a garden eastwarde from Eden, and there he put man whom he had made. ⁹ Moreouer, out of the grounde made the Lorde God to growe, euery tre that was pleasaunt to the sight, and commodious for meate. The tre of lyfe also and the tre of knowledge of good and of euyll was in the myddes of the garden.

¹² A garden well locked is my syster, my spouse, a garden well locked, and a sealed well.

² My loue is gone downe into hys garden, vnto the swete smellyng beddes, that he may refresh hym self in the garden, and gather roses.

⁴ And when Zedekiah the Kynge of Iuda with hys soudiers sawe them, they fled, and departed out of the cytie by nyght thorowe the kynges garden, & thorowe the porte that is betwene the two walles, and so they wente towarde the wyldernesse.

²⁷ They dyd eate & dryncke, they maryed wyues and were maried, euen vnto that same daye that Noe went into the Arke: and the floude cam, and destroyed them all. ²⁸ Lykewyse also as it chaunced in the dayes of Lot. They dyd eate, they drancke, they bought, they solde they planted, they buylded: ²⁹ But euen the same daye that Lot went out of Zodom, it rayned with fyre and brymstone from heauen, & destroyed them all.

¹⁴ And I went ouer vnto the wellporte, and to the kynges condyte, and there was no rowme for the beast that was vnder me, to passe.

³ And he shalbe lyke a tre planted by the watersyde, that wyll brynge forth hys frute in due season. His leafe also shall not wither: & loke whatsoeuer he doth, it shall prospere.

⁴ Thy neck is as it were a tower of yuery: thine eyes also are lyke the water poles that are in Hesebon, besyde the porte of Bathrabbim: thy nose is lyke the tower of Libanus, which loketh toward Damascus.

⁸ For he shalbe as a tre, that is planted by the water syde: whyche spredeth out the rote vnto moystnesse, whom the heate cannot harme, when it commeth, but his leaffe shalbe grene. And though there growe but lytle frute because of drouth, yet is he not carefull, but he neuer leaueth of to brynge forth frute.

² And Abram was very ryche, in catell in syluer & golde.

¹⁴ When Abram hearde that hys brother was taken, he harnessed hys freshe younge men borne in hys owne house thre hundred and eyghtene, and folowed on them vntyll Dan:

³ And Abram sayde: Se, to me hast thou geuen no seed: lo, a lad borne in my house is myne heyre.

¹² And euery manchylde of .viij. dayes olde shall be circumcysed amonge you, & suche as be in youre generacyons, and borne at home and he that is boughte wyth money of any straunger whych is not of thy seed. He that is borne in thy house, & he also that is bought wyth money, must nedes be circumcysed. ¹³ And my testament shall be in youre fleshe, for an euerlastinge bonde.

²³ ten stalled oxen, and .xx. out of the pastures, and a hundred shepe, besyde hertes, buckes, and wilde goates and capons.

²⁰ And all the people that were lefte of the Amorites, Hethites, Pheresites, Heuites and Iebusites, (whych were not of the chyldren of Israel) ²¹ theyr chyldren that were lefte after them in the lande, whom the chyldren of Israel also were not able to destroye. Those dyd Salomon compell to bryng tribute vnto thys daye. ²² But of the chyldren of Israel dyd Salomon make no bonde men. But they were men of warre, hys ministers, hys Lordes, his captaynes, and rulers of his charettes, and of hys horsemen.

⁴ And Mesa kynge of Moab was a Lorde of shepe, and rendered vnto the kynge of Israel an hundred thousande lambes & an hundred thousande rammes with the wolle.

²⁹ ouer the oxen that fed in Saron, was Setari the Saronite. And ouer the oxen that were in the valeyes was Saphat the sonne of Adlai. ³⁰ Ouer the camelles, Obil the Ismaelyte. And ouer the Asses was Iohadtahu the Meronothite. ³¹ Ouer the shepe, was Iazis the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance of kynge Dauid.

²⁷ And Hezekia had exceadynge moche ryches and honour. And he gat hym treasures of syluer and golde, precious stones, and spices, shyldes, and of all maner pleasaunt Iuelles: ²⁸ and made store houses for the frutes of corne, for wyne and oyle: and stalles for all maner of beastes, and foldes for shepe. ²⁹ And he made him cyties, and had of shepe and oxen great aboundance. For God had geuen him substaunce exceadinge moch.

⁵⁸ All the Nethinims and the chyldren of Salomons seruauntes, were all together, thre hundred and two and nyntye.

⁵⁷ The chyldren of Salomons seruauntes: the chyldren of Sotai, the chyldren of Sophereth, the chyldren of Pherida,

³ His substaunce also was seuen .M. shepe, & thre .M. camels, .v.C. youck of oxen, & fyue .C. she asses, and a very greate housholde: so that he was one of the most principall men among all them of the east countre.

¹² And the Lorde made Iob rycher then he was before: for he had fourtene .M. shepe .vj.M. camels, a .M. youck of oxen, and a .M. asses.

³⁵ I am this daye foure skore yere olde: and can I decerne betwene good and euell? Hath thy seruaunt any tast in that he eateth or drincketh? Can he heare any more the voyce of synginge men & women? Wherfore then shulde thy seruaunt be yet a burthen vnto my Lorde the kynge?

¹⁴ And Hyram sent the kynge syxe skore hundred wayght of golde.

²⁸ And they came to Ophyr and fet from thence one and twentye skore hundred weyght of golde, & brought it to kynge Salomon.

¹⁰ And she gaue the kynge syxe skore hundred weight of golde, and of swete odoures excedynge moch, and preciouse stones. There came nomore soche aboundaunce of swete odoures, as the quene of Saba gaue to kynge Salomon.

¹⁴ The weyght of golde that came to Salomon in one yeare, was syxe hundred thre score and syxe talentes of golde,

²¹ And all kynge Salomons drynckynge vesselles were of golde, & lykewyse al the vesselles of the house of the wood of Libanon were of pure gold. And as for syluer, it was nothing worth in the dayes of Salomon,

²¹ Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon raygned in Iuda, and Rehoboam was .xli. yere olde when he beganne to raygne, and he raygned .xvij. yere in Ierusalem (the cytie which the Lorde dyd chose out of all the trybes of Israel, to put his name there.) His mothers name was Naama an Ammonite. ²² And Iuda wrought wickednesse in the syght of the Lorde, and angred him in moo thinges then their fathers dyd, in their synnes, which they synned.

²⁷ In whose steade kynge Rehoboam made brasen shyldes, and committed them vnto the handes of the kepynge of the captaines of the garde, which wayted at the dore of the kynges house.

¹ And so Dauid and the captaynes of the hoste appoynted out to do seruyce, the sonnes of Asaph Heman and Ieduthun, whan they dyd prophesye wyth harpes, psalteries and simbales. And there was a multitude of the men that were appoynted to the seruyce and mynistracyon.

⁶ All these also were at the hande of their father synging in the house of the Lorde wt simbales, psalteries & harpes, whan Asaph Ieduthun and Heman executed the seruyce in the house of God, at the kinges hande.

¹¹ And the kyng made of the Algume wood, steyres in the house of the Lorde and in the kynges palace, and harpes and psalteries for syngers. And there was no soch wood sene before in the lande of Iuda.

¹⁵ And kynge Salomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten golde, and .vi. hundred sycles of beaten gold were spent vpon one bucklar: ¹⁶ and thre hundred shyldes made he of beaten gold, and one shylde cost thre hundred peces of golde, and the king put them in the house that was in the forest of Libanon. ¹⁷ And the kynge made a great seat of Iuorie, & ouerlayde it with pure golde. ¹⁸ Another were syxe steppes to the seate wyth a fote stole of golde fastened to the seate: and pomelles on eche syde of the syttynge place, ¹⁹ and two lyons standynge by the pomelles. And .xii. lyons stode on the one syde and on the other: vpon the syxe steppes, so that there was no soche worke made in any kyngdome. ²⁰ And all the drynckinge vesselles of kyng Salomon were of golde, and all the vessels of the house that was in the forest of Libanon, were of precious golde: for syluer was counted nothynge worthe in the dayes of Salomon. ²¹ For the kynges shyppes wente to Tharsis wyth the seruauntes of Hiram: euery thre yeare once came the shyppes to Tharsis, and brought golde, syluer, Iuorie and apes and pecockes.

⁶⁵ besyde their seruauntes and maydens, of whom there were seuen thousand, thre hundred, and seuen and thyrtye. And there were amonge them two hundred syngynge men and wemen.

¹¹ They sende forth their children by flockes, and their sonnes lede the daunce. ¹² They beare with them tabrettes and harpes, and haue instrumentes of musycke at their pleasure.

³ Prayse hym in the sounde of the trompet, prayse hym vpon the lute & harpe. ⁴ Prayse him in the cymbales and daunse, prayse him vpon the strynges and pype. ⁵ Prayse hym vpon the welltuned cymbales, prayse hym vpon the loude cymbales.

⁵ that when ye heare the noyse of the trompettes, which shalbe blowen, with the harpes, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all maner of Musick: ye fall downe and worshippe the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge hath set vp.

⁷ Therfore, when all the folcke herde the noyse of the trompettes that were blowen, with the harpes, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all kynde of Melody, then all the people, kynreddes and nacyons fell downe, and bowed them selues vnto the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge had set vp.

¹⁵ Well, be redy herafter, when ye heare the noyse of the trompettes blowe with the harpes, shawmes, psalteries, symphonyes and all the other melodyes: that ye fall downe, and worshyppe the Image which I haue made. But yf ye worshyppe it not, ye shall be cast immediatly into an hote burnyng ouen. Let se, what God is there, that maye delyuer you oute of my handes?

⁵ ye that synge to the lute, and in playenge of instrumentes compare youre selues vnto Dauid:

¹² Beholde, I haue done accordynge to thy peticyon. For I haue geuen the a wyse and an vnderstandynge herte, so that there was none like the before the, nether after the shal eny aryse lyke vnto the.

⁷ Howbeit I beleued it not, tyll I came, & sawe it wyth myne eyes. And beholde, the one halfe was not tolde me: for thy wysdome and prosperite exceadeth the fame whych I hearde of the.

²³ And so kynge Salomon exceaded all the kynges of the erth both in richesse & wysdome.

²⁵ And the Lorde magnified Salomon in dignitye, in the syght of all them of Israel, and gaue him so gloriouse a kyngdome as no kynge had before him in Israel.

¹ And Salomon the sonne of Dauid waxed stronge in hys kingdome & the Lorde his God was with him, & magnifyed him in the dignitye.

²² And kyng Salomon passed all the kynges of the earth in rychesse and wysedome. ²³ And all the kynges of the earth sought the presence of Salomon, to heare his wysdome that God had put in hys herte:

¹⁶ I commoned wt mine awne herte, sayinge: lo, I am come to a great estate, & haue gotten more wysdome, then all they that haue bene before me in Ierusalem. Yee my herte had greate experience of wisdome & knowledge,

⁶ And so the woman (seyng that the same tre was good to eate, and lusty to the eyes, & that the same tre was pleasaunt to get wisdome) toke of the frute therof, and dyd eate: and gaue vnto her husband beynge with her, which dyd eate also.

² The sonnes of God also sawe the daughters of men that they were fayre, and they toke them wyues from amonge all that they had chosen.

² and he came vp, and tolde hys father and hys mother, and sayde: I haue sene a woman in Thamnath of the daughters of the Phylistynes. And now geue me her to wyfe.

¹ I Made a couenaunt wt myne eyes that I wolde not loke vpon a damsell.

³⁷ O turne awaye myne eyes, lest they beholde vanitie: and quycken thou me in thy waye.

² For thou shalt eate the laboures of thyne handes O well is the, and happy shalt thou be.

⁵ Why wilt thou set thyne eye vpon the thynge, which sodenly vanisheth awaye? For riches make them selues winges, & take theyr flyght lyke an Aegle in to that ayre.

²² For what getteth a man of all the laboure and trauayle of his mynde, that he taketh vnder the Sunne,

²² Wherfore I perceaue, that there is nothing better for a man, then to be ioyfull in hys laboure, for that is hys porcyon. But who wyll brynge him to se the thinge that shall come after hym?

¹⁸ Therfore me thincke it a better & as fayrer thyng, a man to eate and dryncke, and to be refreshed of all hys laboure, that he taketh vnder the Sunne all the dayes of his lyfe which God geueth hym, for this is hys porcyon.

⁹ The cleare syght of the eyes is better, then that the soule shulde walke after desires of the luste. Howbeit, this is also a vayne thinge & a dysquietnesse of mynde.

⁹ Use thy self to liue ioyfully with thy wife whom thou louest, all the dayes of thy lyfe which is but vayne, that God geueth the vnder the Sunne, all the dayes of thy vanite: for that is thy porcion in this lyfe, of al thy laboure and trauyle that thou takest vnder the Sunne.

¹⁶ For all that is in the worlde (as the lust of the flesshe, and the lust of the eyes, & the pryde of life) is not of the father, but of the worlde.

³¹ And God sawe euery thyng that he had made, and beholde, it was exceading good. The euenyng also and the mornynge was made the syxth daye.

⁴³ And Moses behelde all the worcke, and se, they had done it euen as the Lorde commaunded: euen so had they done, and Moses blessed them.

³ For what els hath a man, of all the labour that he taketh vnder the Sunne?

¹⁴ Thus I haue consydred all the thinges that come to passe vnder the Sunne, and lo, they are all but vanite, & vexacion of minde.

¹⁷ Thus beganne I to be weery of my lyfe, in so moch that I coulde awaye with nothing that is done vnder the Sunne, for all was but vanite & vexacion of minde: ¹⁸ Yee I was weery of all my labour, whych I had taken vnder the Sunne, because I shulde be fayne to leaue them vnto another man that commeth after me: ¹⁹ And who knoweth, whether he shalbe a wyse man or a fole? And yet shall he be lord of all my labours, which I with soch wysdome haue taken vnder the Sunne Thys is also a vayne thyng. ²⁰ So I turned me to refrayne my mynde from all soch trauayle, as I toke vnder the Sunne: ²¹ for so moch as a man shulde weery hym selfe with wysdome, with vnderstanding and oportunite, & yet be fayne to leaue his labours vnto another that neuer swett for them. This is also a vayne thing & greate misery. ²² For what getteth a man of all the laboure and trauayle of his mynde, that he taketh vnder the Sunne, ²³ but heuynesse, sorowe and desquyetnes all the dayes of hys lyfe? In so moch that his hert cannot rest in the nyght, this is also a vayne thing?

¹³ Shall not the Lord of hostes bringe this to passe, that the labourers of the people shal be brent with a greate fyre, & that the thinge wher vpon the people haue weeried them selues, shalbe lost?

⁶ Godlynes is greate ryches If a man be content with that he hath.

¹⁶ For all that is in the worlde (as the lust of the flesshe, and the lust of the eyes, & the pryde of life) is not of the father, but of the worlde. ¹⁷ And the worlde passeth awaye and the lust therof: but he that fulfylleth the will of God, abydeth for euer.

⁹ The thing that hath bene, commeth to passe agayne: & the thinge that hath bene done, shall be done agayne, there is no new thing vnder the sunne. ¹⁰ Is there eny thing wherof it maye be sayde: lo, this is new? For it was longe agoo in the times that haue bene before vs.

¹⁰⁵ Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my fete, and a lyght vnto my pathes.

¹³⁰ When thy worde goeth forth, it geueth lyght and vnderstandynge euen vnto the symple.

⁵ Get the wysdome: and get the vnderstanding: forget not the wordes of my mouth, and shrynke not from them. ⁶ Forsake her not and she shall preserue the: loue her, and she shall kepe the. ⁷ The chefe poynte of wysdome is, that thou be wyllynge to optayne wysedome: and before all thy goodes to gett the vnderstandynge.

¹⁸ The pathe of the ryghtewes shyneth as the lyght, that is euer brighter and brighter vnto the perfect daye. ¹⁹ But the waye of the vngodly is as the darcknesse: they knowe nott where they fall.

¹⁶ To haue wysdome in possessyon is better then to haue golde: and to get vnderstandynge, is rather to be chosen them to haue syluer.

¹¹ Wysdome wt enheritaunce is good yet better is it wt them that without care may beholde the sonne. ¹² For wysdome defendeth as well as moneye, & the excellent knowledge & wysdome geueth lyfe vnto him that hath it in possession.

¹⁹ Wysdome geueth more corage vnto the wyse, then ten myghtie men of the citye:

¹⁶ Then sayde I: wysdome is better then strength. Neuertheles, a symple mans wysdome is despised, & hys wordes are not herde.

¹⁸ For wysdome is better then harnesse: but one vnthryst alone destroyeth moch good.

⁷ The lyght is swete, & a pleasaunt thynge is it for the eyes to loke vpon the Sunne.

¹⁸ Turne you therfore, and consydre what dyfference is betwyxte the righteous and vngodly, betwixte him that serueth God, and him that serueth hym not.

²³ But and yf thyne eye be wicked, all thy body shalbe full of darcknesse. Wherfore, yf the lyght that is in the be darcknes, how greate is that darcknes?

³⁴ The lyght of the body is the eye. Therfore, when thyne eye is syngle, all thy body also shalbe full of lyght. But yf thyne eye be euill, thy body also shalbe full of darknes, ³⁵ Take hede therfore, that the lyght which is in the, be not darcknes.

⁸ Ye were somtyme darcknes, but nowe are ye lyght in the Lorde. Walke as children of lyght

¹⁰ More to be desyred are they then golde, yee then moche fyne golde: sweter also then hony, and the hony combe.

¹⁰ For he seeth, that wyse men also dye, and peryshe together, as well as the ignoraunt & folysh, and leaue theyr ryches for other:

⁸ The wysdome of hym that hath vnderstanding is, to take hede vnto his waye but the folyshnesse of the vnwyse disceaueth.

²⁴ Wysdome shyneth in the face of him that hath vnderstandynge, but the eyes of fooles wandre thorowe out all landes.

¹⁹ for it happeneth vnto men as it doth vnto beastes, and as the one dyeth, so dyeth the other: yee they haue both one maner of breth: so that (in this) a man hath no preemynence aboue a beast, but all are subdued vnto vanytie.

⁶ Yee though he lyued two thousande yeares, yet hath he no good lyfe. Come not all to one place?

² It is better to go into an house of mourninge, then into a bancketinge house. For there is the ende of all men, & he that is liuing, taketh it to hert:

¹ Who is wyse? Who hath knowledge to make answere? A mans wysdome maketh hys face to shine: but vnshamefastnes putteth it out of fauoure.

¹ For all these thinges purposed, I in my mynde to seke out. The ryghteous and wyse, yee and theyr seruauntes also, are in the hande of God: and there is no man that knoweth ether loue or hate, but all thynges are before them. ² It happeneth vnto one as vnto another: it goeth with the ryghteous as with that the vngodly: with the good and cleane as wyth the vncleane: wyth hym that offereth as with him that offereth not: lyke as it goeth wyth the vertuous, so goeth it also with the synner: As it happeneth vnto the periured, so happeneth it also vnto him that is afrayed to be forsworne. ³ Amonge all thynges that come to passe vnder the Sunne, thys is a misery that it happeneth vnto all a lyke. This is the cause also that the hertes of men are full of wyckednesse, & madd foolishnesse is in their hertes as longe as they lyue, vntyll they dye.

¹¹ So I turned me vnto other thinges vnder the Sunne, & I sawe, that in runnyng, it helpeth not to be swyft: in batayle, it helpeth not to be stronge: to fedynge, it helpeth not to be wyse, so riches, it helpeth not to be suttell: to be had in fauoure, it helpeth not to be connyng: but that all lyeth in tyme & fortune.

² A wyse mans herte is vpon the ryght hande, but a fooles herte vpon the left. ³ A foole will shewe him self when he goeth by the way, yet thinkethe he that euery man doth as foolyshly as him selfe.

¹¹ He that hateth his brother, is in dercknes, & walketh in dercknes: and can not tell whyther he goeth, because that dercknes hath blynded hys eyes.

² All is but moste vayne vanite (sayeth the Preacher) & al is moste vayne (I say) & but plaine vanite.

¹⁸ for where moch wisdome is, there is also greate trauaile & disquietnes: & the more knowledge a man hath, the more is hys care.

¹⁶ For the wyse are euer as lytle in remembraunce as the folish, for the dayes shal come when all shal be forgotten, yee the wise man dieth as well as the foole.

⁸ For what hath the wyse more then the foole? What helpeth it the poore, that he knoweth to walke wt fooles before the lyuing?

⁶ And Ioseph dyed and all hys brethren and all that generacyon,

⁸ But there rose vp a newe kynge in Egypte whych knewe not Ioseph.

³³ And the kyng lamented ouer Abner, and sayde: died Abner as a foole dieth?

¹² Shall thy wonderous workes be knowen in the darcke, and thy ryghtuousnes in the lande where all thynges are forgotten?

¹⁶ For as soone as the wynde goeth ouer it, it is gone, and the place therof shall knowe it nomore.

¹¹ The thing that is past, is out of remembraunce: Euen so the thinges that are for to come, shal no more be thought vpon amonge them that come after.

¹⁴ For a wyse man hath his eyes in his head, but the foole goeth in the darkenesse: I perceaued also, that they both had one ende.

⁵ for they that be lyuing, knowe that they shall dye: but they that be deed: knowe nothing, nether deserue they eny more. For their memorial is forgotten,

¹⁶ But they that feare God, saye thus one to another: the Lorde consydereth and heareth it. Yee, it is before him a memoryal boke, wrytten for soch as feare the Lorde, and remembre his name.

²⁷ And as it is apoynted vnto all men tkat they shall once dye, and then commeth the iudgement

¹⁵ If thou deale thus with me, kyll me, I praye the, yf I haue founde fauour in thy syght, that I se not my wrechednes.

⁴ But he hym selfe went a dayes iourney into the wyldernesse, and came and satt downe vnder a Iuniper tree, and desyred for his soule; that he myght dye, and sayde, it is nowe ynough (O Lorde) take my soule, for I am not better then my fathers.

²⁰ Wherfore is the lyght geuen to hym that is in mysery? and lyfe vnto them, that haue heuy hertes? ²¹ Whych longe for death (and though it come not) wolde dygg it oute of hyd places ²² which also wolde be excedyng glad and reioyce, yf they coulde fynde theyr graue any where.

¹⁵ that my soule wissheth rather to perish and dye, then my bones to remayne. ¹⁶ I can se no remedy, I shall lyue nomore: O spare me then, for my dayes are but vayne.

¹³ O that thou woldest kepe me, and hyde me in the hell, vntyll thy wrath were stylled: and to appoynte me a tyme, wherin thou myghtest remembre me.

⁴⁷ Lorde, howe longe wilt thou hid thy selfe? for euer? and shall thy wrath burne lyke fyre?

¹¹ But when I consydred all the workes that my handes had wrought, and all the laboure that I had taken therin: lo, all was but vanite and vexacion of mynd, and nothing of eny value vnder the Sunne.

¹⁶ Moreouer, I sawe vnder the Sunne vngodlynesse in the steade of iudgement, and iniquyte in steade of ryghteousnesse.

² Wherfore I iudged those that are deed, to be more happye then soch as be alyue:

¹⁴ Cursed be the daye, wherin I was borne, vnhappie be the daye, wherin my mother brought me forth. ¹⁵ Cursed be the man, that brought my father the tydinges to make him glad, saying: thou hast gotten a sonne. ¹⁶ Let it happen vnto that man, as to the cyties which the Lord turned vp syde downe. Lett him heare cryenge in the mornynge, and at none daye lamentable howlynge. ¹⁷ Why slewest thou not me, as sone as I cam out of my mothers wombe? O that my mother had bene my graue her self, that the byrth myghte not haue come out, but remayned styll in her. ¹⁸ Wherfore cam I forth of my mothers wombe? To haue experience of laboure and sorowe? and to lead my lyfe with shame?

¹⁴ Nowe when the sprete toke me vp, and caryed me awaye, I wente wyth an heuy & a sorowfull mynde, but the hande of the Lorde comforted me ryght soone.

³ And now O Lord, take my lyfe fro me (I beseche the) for I had rather dye then lyue.

⁸ And when the Sunne was vp, God prepared a feruent east wynde: & the Sunne bett ouer the head of Ionas, that he faynted agayne, & wysshed vnto his soule, that he myght dye, and sayd: It is better for me to dye, then to lyue.

³ Why lettest thou me se werynesse and laboure? Tyranny & violence are before me, power ouergoeth right:

²³ For I am constrayned of these two thinges. I desyre to be loosed, & to be wt Christ which is moche & far better. ²⁴ Neuerthelesse, to abyde in the flesshe is more nedfull for you, ²⁵ And thys am I sure of, that I shall abyde, and continue with you all, for youre furtheraunce and ioye of youre fayth,

¹¹ wherfore the Lord sayde vnto Salomon: for as moch as this is done of the, and thou hast not kepte myne appoyntment, and my statutes (which I commaunded the) I wyll rent the kyngdome from the, and wyll geue it to thy seruaunt. ¹² Notwithstandynge in thy dayes I will not do it because of Dauid thy father but will take it from the hande of thy sonne. ¹³ Howbeit, I will not take awaye all the kyngdome: but will geue one trybe to thy sonne, because of Dauid my seruaunt, and because of Ierusalem which I haue chosen.

¹⁴ From the men of thy hande, O Lorde from the men, I saye, and from the euyll worlde, which haue their porcion in thys lyfe, whose belyes thou fyllest wt thy hyd treasure.

⁶ Beholde, thou hast made my dayes as it were a spanne longe, and myne age is euen as nothing in respecte of the: & verely euery man lyuing is all together vanite. Selah.

¹³ & dyd applie my mynde to seke out & search for the knowledge of all thinges that are done vnder heauen. Soch trauayle and labour hath God geuen vnto the children of men, to excercyse them selues therin.

⁴ I made gorgious fayre worckes. I buylded me houses, and planted vyneyardes. ⁵ I made me ortchardes and gardens of pleasure, and planted trees in them of al maner frutes. ⁶ I made poles of water, to water the grene and fruteful trees withall. ⁷ I bought seruauntes and maydens, and had a greate housholde. As for catell and shepe, I had more substaunce of them, then all they that were before me in Ierusalem. ⁸ I gathered syluer & golde together, euen a treasure of kynges and landes. I prouyded me syngers & wemen, which coulde playe of instrumentes, to make men myrth and pastime. I gat me psalteries & songes of musicke. ⁹ And I was greater and in more worshipe, then all my predecessours in Ierusalem. For wisdome remained with me:

²⁶ God gyueth to the man that is good before him, wysdome, vnderstandyng, & gladnesse. But vnto the synner he geueth weerynes that he maye gather and heape together the thynge, that afterwarde shalbe geuen vnto him, whom it pleaseth God. This is now a vayne thinge, yee a very disquietnesse and vexacyon of mynde.

³ yee, him that is yet vnborne to be better at ease then they both, because he seyth not the miserable worckes that are done vnder the sunne.

¹³ Yet is there a sore plage, which I haue sene vnder the sunne (namely) ryches kepte to the hurte of him that hath them in possession. ¹⁴ For oft tymes they perysh with his greate misery & trouble: & yf he haue a chylde, it getteth nothynge.

²⁰ But God sayd vnto him. Thou fole, this nyght will they fetche awaye thy soule agayne from the. Then whose shall those thynges be, which thou hast prouided?

²⁷ Then he sayd: I praye the therfore father, sende him to my fathers house. ²⁸ (For I haue fyue brethren) for to warne them, lest they also come into this place of tourment.

²⁹ For I am sure of thys, that after my departynge shall greueous wolues entre in amonge you, not sparyng the flocke. ³⁰ Moreouer, of youre awne selues shall men arise, speaking peruerse thinges to drawe disciples after them.

¹⁰ Accordynge to the grace of God geuen vnto me, as a wyse buylder haue I layde the foundacyon. And another bylt theron. But let euery man take hede, how he byldeth vpon.

¹⁴ & spake to them after the councell of the younge men, sayenge. My father made youre yocke greuouse, and I will make it greuouser. My father also chastised you with whyppes, but I wyll chastise you with scorpyons. ¹⁵ And the kynge herkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordinaunce of God, that he myght performe hys sayenge, which the Lorde spake by Ahiah the Silonite vnto Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat. ¹⁶ And so, when all Israel sawe, that the kynge regarded them not, the people answered the kynge with these wordes, sayenge, what porcion haue we in Dauid: we haue no enheritaunce in the sonne of Isai. To youre tentes, O Israel, nowe se to thyne awne house Dauid. And so Israel departed vnto theyr tentes. ¹⁷ Howbeit, ouer the chyldren of Israel which dwelt in the cytie of Iuda, dyd Rehoboam raygne styll. ¹⁸ Then kynge Rehoboam sent Aduram the receauer of the tribute. And all they of Israel stoned hym to deeth. But kynge Rehoboam made spede to gett hym vp to hys charet, and to flye to Ierusalem. ¹⁹ And they of Israel rebelled agaynst the house of Dauid, vnto thys daye. ²⁰ And when all Israel heard that Ieroboam was come agayne, they sent and called hym vnto the multitude, and made hym kynge ouer all Israel: and there was no trybe that folowed the house of Dauid, but Iuda onely.

²⁵ And it fortuned, that in the fyft yere of kynge Rehoboam: Sisack kynge of Egypte came vp agaynst Ierusalem, ²⁶ and toke awaye the treasures of the house of the Lorde, & the treasures of the kynges house, & spoyled all that was to be had. And he toke awaye the shyldes of golde which Salomon had made. ²⁷ In whose steade kynge Rehoboam made brasen shyldes, and committed them vnto the handes of the kepynge of the captaines of the garde, which wayted at the dore of the kynges house. ²⁸ And whan the kynge went into the house of the Lord, they of the garde bare them, and brought them agayne into the garde chambre.

¹³ And the kynge answered them cruelly: and kyng Rehoboam left the councell of the aged men, ¹⁴ and answered them after the aduise of the yonge men, sayinge: My father made your yocke greuous, and I wyll adde therto: my father chastysed you with whyppes, but I wyll chastyce you with scorpions. ¹⁵ And so the kynge herkened not vnto the people: but the occasion came of God, that the Lord myght make good his saying, which he spake, by the hande of Ahia the Silonite, to Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat. ¹⁶ And when all they of Israel sawe that the kynge wolde not agree vnto them, the people answered the kynge sayinge: what parte haue we wt Dauid, or enheritaunce wt the sonne of Isai? let euery man of Israel go to his tent. And now Dauid, se to thyne awne house. And so all Israel gat them to their tentes,

⁹ And so Sesac kynge of Egypte came to Ierusalem, and toke awaye the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the treasures of the kynges house: he toke euen all. And he caryed awaye the shyldes of golde, which Salomon made. ¹⁰ In steade of which, kynge Rehoboam made shyldes of brasse, and commytted them to the handes of the captaynes which had the ouersyght of the fotemen, and that kept the entraunce of the kynges house.

¹³ Thys wysdome haue I sene also vnder the Sunne, & me thought it a greate thing.

⁸ And the Lorde commended the vniust stewarde, because he had done wysly. For the chyldren of this worlde are in theyr nacion, wyser then the chyldren of lyght.

¹⁷ Euery good gyfte, and euery parfayt gyft, is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of lyghtes wt whome is no variablenes, nether is he chaunged vnto darcknes.

¹⁷ But the wysdome that is from aboue, is first pure, then peasable, gentle, & easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good frutes, without iudging, without simulacion:

¹⁴ And God almyghtye geue you mercye in the syghte of the man, that he maye delyuer you youre other brother, & this BenIamin, and I shalbe robbed of my chylde, as I haue bene.

¹¹ My dayes are past, and my councels and thoughtes of my hart are vanysshed awaye ¹² chaungynge the night into daye, and the light into darcknes. ¹³ Though I tary neuer so moch, yet the graue is my house, and I haue made my bed in the darcke. ¹⁴ I call corrupcyon my father, and the wormes call I my mother and my syster. ¹⁵ What helpeth then my longe taryenge? Or, who hath considred the thynge, that I loke for?

⁶ Beholde, thou hast made my dayes as it were a spanne longe, and myne age is euen as nothing in respecte of the: & verely euery man lyuing is all together vanite. Selah. ⁷ For man walketh in a vayne shadowe, and disquieteth him self in vayne: he heapeth vp riches & cannot tell who shall gather them.

¹⁹ If in this lyfe onely we beleue on Christ, then are we of all men most miserable.

⁸ Brethren, I wolde not haue you ignoraunt of oure trouble, which happened vnto vs in Asia. For we were greued out of measure passing strength, so greatly that we despayred euen of lyfe. ⁹ Also we receaued an answer of deeth in oure selues, that we shuld not put oure trust in our selues: but in God, whych rayseth the deed to lyfe, ¹⁰ and whych delyuered vs from so great a deeth: and doth delyuer. On whom we trust, that yet hereafter he wyll delyuer,

³ that no man shulde be moued in these affliccyons, For ye your selues knowe, that we are euen apoynted there vnto. ⁴ For when we were wyth you, we tolde you before, that we shude suffre tribulacyon, euen as it came to passe, and as ye knowe.

²⁰ And of thys maner dyd Hezekia thorowe out all Iuda, & wrought it that is good, and ryght and true, before the Lorde hys God. ²¹ And in all the worckes that he beganne for the seruice of the house of God, for the lawe, and for the commaundementes, he sought his God, & that dyd he with all his hert, & prospered.

² But dyd euell in the syght of the Lord, lyke vnto the abhominacions of the heathen, whom the Lorde cast out before the children of Israel. For he went to, ³ and buylt the hylaulter, which Hezekia hys father had broken downe. And he rered vp aulters for Baalim, and made groues, and worshypped all the hoost of heauen, and serued them. ⁴ And he buylt aulters in the house of the Lord: where as the Lorde yet had sayd: in Ierusalem shall my name be for euer. ⁵ And he buylded aulters for all the hoost of heauen, in the two courtes of the house of the Lorde. ⁶ And he burnt hys chyldren in fyre, in the valey of the sonne of Hinnom. He was a sorcerer, he regarded the cryenge of byrdes, vsed inchauntementes, and mayntened workers wt spretes, and sears of fortunes: and wrought moch euell in the syght of the Lorde, to angre him with all. ⁷ And he put the kerued ymage & an Idole which he had made, in the house of God. Of which house God had sayd to Dauid and to Salomon his sonne: in this house and in Ierusalem whych I haue chosen afore all the trybes of Israell, wyll I put my name for euer, ⁸ and will nomore bryng the seate of Israell from of the lande which I haue ordeyned for your fathers. If so be that they wyll be diligent and do all that I haue commaunded them in al the lawe, and statutes, and ordinaunces by the hande of Moses. ⁹ And so Manasse made Iuda and the enhabiters of Ierusalem to erre, and to do worse then the heathen, whom the Lorde destroyed before the chyldren of Israell.

² And he dyd that which was ryght in the syght of the Lorde, and walked in the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed nether to the ryght hand ner to the left.

¹⁸ And ther was no Passeouer lyke to that kepte in Israel from the dayes of Samuel the prophete: nether dyd all the kynges of Israel hold soch a Passeouer feast as dyd Iosia and the preastes and Leuites and all Iuda, and Israel that were present, and the enhabiters of Ierusalem.

⁵ Iehoakim was fyue and twenty yeare olde, when he began to raygne, and he raygned eleuen yeare in Ierusalem: and he dyd euyll in the sight of the Lorde his God. ⁶ Agaynst him then came vp Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, and bounde hym with two chaynes, to carye him to Babilon. ⁷ The king Nabuchodonosor also caried of the vessels of the house of the Lorde to Babilon, & and put them in his temple at Babilon. ⁸ The rest of the actes of Iehoakim, and his abhominacions which he did, and carued ymages that were layde to hys charge, beholde, they are writen in the booke of the kynges of Israell: and Iehoacin his sonne raygned in hys steade. ⁹ Iehoacin was eyght yeare olde whan he beganne to raygne, and he raygned thre monethes and ten dayes in Ierusalem: and dyd euelll in the sight of the Lorde: ¹⁰ And when the yeare was out, kynge Nabuchodonosor sent, and let him to Babilon with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekia (his fathers brother) kynge ouer Iuda and Ierusalem.

¹⁷ Thus beganne I to be weery of my lyfe, in so moch that I coulde awaye with nothing that is done vnder the Sunne, for all was but vanite & vexacion of minde: ¹⁸ Yee I was weery of all my labour, whych I had taken vnder the Sunne, because I shulde be fayne to leaue them vnto another man that commeth after me:

¹⁵ Thynckest thou to raygne, now that thou prouokest me to wrath with the Cedre trees? Dyd not thy father eate and drincke, and prospere well, as longe as he dealt wt equite and righteousnesse?

¹⁷ Neuertheles, as for thyne eyes and thyne herte, they loke vpon coueteousnesse, to shed innocent bloude, to do wronge & violence.

² Except the Lorde kepe the cytie the watchman waketh but in vayne.

²⁶ A troublous soule disquyeteth her selfe, for her awne mouth hath brought her therto.

⁹ What hath a man els (that doth any thing) but werynesse & labour?

⁶ One hande full (sayeth he) is better with rest, then both the handes full with laboure & trauayle of minde.

⁸ There is one man, no mo but hym selfe alone, hauyng nether chylde ner brother: yet is there no ende of his carefull trauayle, his eyes can not be satysfyed with riches, For whom do I take soch trauayle? For whose pleasure do I thus consume awaye my lyfe? This is also a vayne & myserable thinge?

¹⁰ He that loueth money, wyll neuer be satisfyed wt money: & who so deliteth in riches, shal haue no profyt therof. This is also a vayne thinge. ¹¹ Where as moche ryches is, there are many also that spende them awaye. And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth them, sauynge that he maye loke vpon them with his eyes?

¹⁷ All the dayes of his lyfe also he dyd eate in the darcke, with greate carefulnesse, sycknesse and sorow.

⁷ All the labour that a man taketh, is for him selfe, & yet his desire is neuer fylled after his minde. ⁸ For what hath the wyse more then the foole? What helpeth it the poore, that he knoweth to walke wt fooles before the lyuing?

¹¹ Geue vs this daye oure daylye bread.

²⁵ Therfore I saye vnto you: be not carefull for youre lyfe, what ye shall eate or drincke, nor yet for youre bodye, what rayment ye shall put on. Is not the lyfe more worth then meat: and the body more of value then rayment?

³⁴ Care not then for the morow, for the morowe daye shall care for it selfe: sufficient vnto the daye, is the trauayle therof.

²⁶ For what doth it proffet a man, yf he wynne all the whole worlde: & lose hys awne soule? Or what shal a man geue to redeme his soule agayne with all?

²² And he spake vnto his disciples: Therfore I saye vnto you. Take no thought for youre lyfe, what ye shall eate: nether for the body, what ye shall put on.

²⁹ And aske not ye what ye shall eate, or what ye shall drincke, nether clime ye vp an hye:

⁶ Be carefull for nothynge: but in all prayer and supplicacyon let youre peticyons be manifeste vnto God with geuynge of thankes.

⁸ But when we haue fode and rayment we must ther with be content.

⁷ Cast all your care vpon him: for he careth for you.

¹ The same nyght could not the king slepe, and he commaunded to bryng the Chronicles and storyes: whych when they were red before the kyng

⁷ but man is borne vnto laboure, lyke as the sparkes flye vp out of the hote coles.

¹³ When I saye: my bedd shall comforte me. I shall haue some refresshynge by talcking to my selfe vpon my couche. ¹⁴ Then troublest thou me with dreames, and makest me so afrayed thorow visions,

¹ Man that is borne of woman, hath but a short tyme to lyue, and is full of miserye.

⁶ I am weery of my gronynge: euery nyght washe I my bedd, & water my couche with my teares. ⁷ My bewtye is gone for very trouble, and worne awaye because of all myne enemyes.

⁴ For thy hande is heuy vpon me daye and nyght, and my moysture is lyke the drouth in Sommer. Sela.

² In the tyme of my trouble I sought the Lorde: my sore ranne and ceassed not in the nyght ceason: my soule refused comforte. ³ When I am in heuynesse, I wyll thynke vpon God: when my hert is vexed, I wyll complayne. Sela. ⁴ Thou holdest myne eyes wakynge, I am so feble, that I cannot speake.

⁷ For we consume awaye in thy displeasure, & are afrayed at thy wrathfull indignacyon. ⁸ Thou hast set oure misdedes before the, and oure secrete synnes in the lyght of thy countenaunce. ⁹ For when thou art angrye, all oure dayes are gone: we brynge our yeares to an ende, as it were a tale that is tolde. ¹⁰ The dayes of oure age are thre score yeares and ten: and though men be so stronge that they come to foure score yeares, yet is theyr strength then but laboure and sorowe: so soone passeth it awaye, and we are gone.

¹⁵ Comforte vs agayne, now after the tyme that thou hast plaged vs, and for the yeares wherin we haue suffred aduersyte.

¹⁸ for where moch wisdome is, there is also greate trauaile & disquietnes: & the more knowledge a man hath, the more is hys care.

¹² A labouringe man slepeth swetely, whether it be lytle or moch that he eateth: but the aboundaunce of the ryche will not suffre him to slepe.

¹⁸ So the kynge wente into hys palace, and eate no meate that nyght nether was there any mynstrelsy brought in before hym, nether coulde he take any slepe.

²² and strengthed the discyples soules agayne, and exhorted them to contynue in the fayth affirmynge that we must thorowe moche tribulacyon enntre into the kyngdome of God.

¹² And ye shall reioyse before the Lorde youre God, ye and youre sonnes, & youre daughters, youre seruauntes and youre maydens, and the Leuite that is wythin youre gates for asmoch as he hath no parte nor enheritaunce wyth you.

¹⁸ but thou must eate them before the Lorde thy God, in the place which the Lorde thy God hath chosen: thou, and thy sonne, and thy daughter, thy seruaunte and thy mayde, & the Leuite that is wythin thy gates: and thou shalt reioyse before the Lorde thy God, in all that thou puttest thyne hande to.

¹⁰ And he sayd vnto them: go youre waye, and eate the fat, & drincke the swete, & sende parte vnto them also that haue not prepared them selues: for thys daye is holy vnto oure Lorde, be not ye sory therfore: for the ioye of the Lorde is youre strength.

¹⁸ Therfore me thincke it a better & as fayrer thyng, a man to eate and dryncke, and to be refreshed of all hys laboure, that he taketh vnder the Sunne all the dayes of his lyfe which God geueth hym, for this is hys porcyon. ¹⁹ For vnto whomsoeuer God geueth riches goodes and power, he geueth it hym to enioye it, to take it for hys porcyon, and to be refreshed of hys laboure: thys is the gyfte of God.

² when God geueth a man ryches, goodes and honoure, so that he wanteth nothynge of all that hys herre can desyre: and yet God geueth him not leaue to enioye the same, but another man spendeth them. This is a vayne thinge & a miserable plage.

⁷ Go thou thy waye then, eate thy bred wyth ioye, and dryncke thy wyne with a glad hart, for thy workes please God. ⁸ Let thy garmentes be allwaye whyte, & let thy head lack none oyntment. ⁹ Use thy self to liue ioyfully with thy wife whom thou louest, all the dayes of thy lyfe which is but vayne, that God geueth the vnder the Sunne, all the dayes of thy vanite: for that is thy porcion in this lyfe, of al thy laboure and trauyle that thou takest vnder the Sunne.

⁹ Be glad then (O thou yonge man) in thy youth, and let thyne hert be mery in thy yong dayes, folowe the wayes of thyne awne herte, & the lust of thine eyes but be thou sure, that God shall brynge the into iudgement for all these thynges. ¹⁰ (

² yf ye wyll not heare it, ner regard it, to geue the glory vnto my name, sayeth the Lorde of hostes, I will sende a curse vpon you, & will curse youre blessynges: yee curse them wyll I yf ye do not take hede.

¹⁹ and I will saye to my soule: Soule thou hast moche goodes layd vp in stoore for many yeares, take thyne ease: eate, drincke, be mery. ²⁰ But God sayd vnto him. Thou fole, this nyght will they fetche awaye thy soule agayne from the. Then whose shall those thynges be, which thou hast prouided?

¹⁷ Neuerthelesse, he left not hym selfe withoute wytnes, in that he shewed hys beuefytes from heauen, in geuynge vs rayne and frutefull ceasons, fyllyng oure hertes with fode and gladnes.

³² That I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men, what auauntageth it me, yf the deed ryse not agayne: Let vs eate and dryncke, for to morowe we shall dye.

¹⁷ Charge them which are ryche in this world, that they be not hye mynded, ner trust in vncertayne ryches, but in the lyuinge God (which geueth vs aboundauntly all thynges to enioye them)

²¹ And Salomon raygned ouer all kyngdoms, from the ryuer vnto the lande of the Philistines: euen vnto the border of Egypt, and they brought presentes, and serued Salomon all the dayes of hys lyfe. ²² And Salomons breed for one daye was .xxx. quarters of manchet floure, and thre skore quarters of meale: ²³ ten stalled oxen, and .xx. out of the pastures, and a hundred shepe, besyde hertes, buckes, and wilde goates and capons. ²⁴ For he ruled in all the region on the other side Euphrates, from Thiphsah to Aza; ouer all the kynges on the other syde the ryuer. And he had peace with all hys seruauntes on euery syde.

¹ Then sayd I thus in my herte: Now go to, I wil take mine ease & haue good dayes. But lo, that is vanite: ² also in so moch that I sayd vnto the man gyuen to laughter: thou arte madd, & to myrth: what doest thou? ³ So I thought in my hert, to gyue my flesh vnto wyne and agayne to applie my mynde vnto wysdome, and to comprehende folyshnes vntyll the tyme that (amonge all the thinges whych are vnder the Sunne) I myght se what were best for men to do, so longe as they lyue vnder heauen. ⁴ I made gorgious fayre worckes. I buylded me houses, and planted vyneyardes. ⁵ I made me ortchardes and gardens of pleasure, and planted trees in them of al maner frutes. ⁶ I made poles of water, to water the grene and fruteful trees withall. ⁷ I bought seruauntes and maydens, and had a greate housholde. As for catell and shepe, I had more substaunce of them, then all they that were before me in Ierusalem. ⁸ I gathered syluer & golde together, euen a treasure of kynges and landes. I prouyded me syngers & wemen, which coulde playe of instrumentes, to make men myrth and pastime. I gat me psalteries & songes of musicke. ⁹ And I was greater and in more worshipe, then all my predecessours in Ierusalem. For wisdome remained with me: ¹⁰ & loke whatsoeuer myne eyes desyred, I let them haue it: and wherin soeuer my hert delyted, or had eny pleasure, I with helde it not from it. Thus my herte reioysed in all that I dyd, and this was my porcion of all my trauayle. ¹¹ But when I consydred all the workes that my handes had wrought, and all the laboure that I had taken therin: lo, all was but vanite and vexacion of mynd, and nothing of eny value vnder the Sunne. ¹² Then turned I me to considre wysdome, erroure, and folyshnesse (for what is he among men that myght be compared to me the kyng in soch worckes?)

¹ And the lord sayd vnto Noah: Come thou and al thy house into the Arke for the haue I sene ryghtuous before me in thys generacyon.

¹⁶ Though he haue as moch money as the dust of the earth, and rayment as ready as the claye, ¹⁷ he maye well prepare it: but the godly shall put it vpon hym, and the innocent shall deale out the money.

⁸ Euery man (no doute) hath a mynde, but it is the inspiracion of the Almyghty that geueth vnderstandinge.

¹³ Well is him that findeth wysdome, and opteyneth vnderstandinge: ¹⁴ for the getting of it is better then any marchaundise of syluer, and the profet of it is better then golde. ¹⁵ Wysdome is more worth then precious stones: and all the thinges that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her. ¹⁶ Upon her ryght hande is longe lyfe, and vpon her left hande is riches and honour. ¹⁷ Her wayes are pleasaunt wayes and all her pathes are peaceable. ¹⁸ She is a tree of lyfe to them that laye hold vpon her, and blessed is he that kepeth her fast.

²² He that is vertuous, leaueth an enheritaunce vnto hys chylders children and the ryches of the synner is layed vp for the iust.

⁸ He that by vsurye and vniuste gaynes gatherith ryches: he shall laye them in store for a man that will pytye the pore.

¹⁰ Byd the ryghteous do well, for they shall enioye the frutes of theyr studies. ¹¹ But wo be to the vngodly and vnryghteous, for they shalbe rewarded after theyr worckes.

⁶ they were, both ryghteous before God, and walked in all the lawes and ordynaunces of the Lorde, that no man coulde fynde fawte with them.

²⁴ Hytherto haue ye asked nothynge in my name. Aske, and ye shall receaue: that youre ioye maye be full.

¹⁷ For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke: but ryghtwesnes, and peace and ioye in the holy ghost. ¹⁸ For he that in these thinges serueth Chryst, pleaseth God, and is commended of men.

³⁰ And of hym are ye, in Chryst Iesu, whych of God is made vnto vs, wysdome, & rightwesnes, and sanctifyinge, and redempcyon. ³¹ That accordynge as it is written: he which reioyseth, shulde reioyce in the Lorde.

²² Contrarely, the frute of the sprete is, loue, ioye, peace, longe sufferinge, gentylnes, goodnes, faythfulnes, ²³ mekenes, temperauncye. Agaynst suche there is no lawe.

⁹ For this cause we also, sence that daye we herde of it, haue not ceasyd to praye for you, and to desyre, that ye myght be fulfylled with the knowledge of hys wyll, in all wysdome and spretuall vnderstandynge, ¹⁰ that ye myght walke worthy of the Lorde that in all thinges ye maye please beynge frutefull in all good workes, and encreasynge in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ strengthed with all myght, thorowe hys glorious power, vnto all pacience and longe sufferynge with ioyfulnes ¹² geuynge thankes vnto the father, which hath made vs mete to be partakers of the inheritaunce of saynctes in lyght,

¹⁶ Let the worde of Chryst dwell in you plenteously with all wysdome. Teache and exhorte youre awne selues, in Psalmes, and hymnes, and spirituall songes syngynge with grace in youre hertes to the Lorde ¹⁷ And whatsouer ye do (in worde or dede) do all in the name of the Lord Iesu, geuynge thankes to God the father by hym.