Ecclesiastes, otherwise called the Preacher :: :: University of Virginia Library

Ecclesiastes, otherwise called the Preacher

Containing Salomons Sermons or Commentaries (as it may probably be collected) vpon the 49. Psalme of Dauid his father. Compendiously abridged, and also paraphrastically dilated in English poesie, according to the analogie of Scripture, and consent of the most approued writer thereof. Composed by H. L. Gentleman [i.e. Henry Lok]. Whereunto are annexed sundrie Sonets of Christian Passions heretofore printed, and now corrected and augmented, with other affectionate Sonets of a feeling conscience of the same Authors

Lok, Henry

[epigraph]

[dedication]

[section]

To the vertuous Lady, the Lady Woollie.

Certaine poems to the Authour of the worke.

To the worke.

To the Author.

TO THE QVEENES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE.

[1. These sacred words king Dauids son did preach, who Israel taught ]

CONSIO I.

II.

III.

10.

11.

12.

Adue to worlds vaine delight.

Sundry Psalmes of Dauid translated into verse, as briefly and significantly as the scope of the text will suffer; by the same Author.

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CONSIO I.

Chap. 1.

1.

These sacred words king Dauids son did preach, who Israel taught

All vanitie of vanities, he calls: more light then thought.

1.

The heauenly words of holy Dauids sonne,

The words of the Preacher the sonne of Dauid king in Ierusalem.

Who ouer Israels race sometimes did raigne,
Wherewith to vertue he his subiects wonne,
Whilst in Ierusalem he did remaine,
And to instruct them thus did not disdaine.
Those words, no vaine discourse it is I write,
Pend by a Prince, as God did them indite.

Strange doctrines, which some paradoxes call,
But yet the quintessence of holy creed,
Liues pure Elixer, which is sought of all,
T'asswage cares corasiues, in heart that breed,
Of happinesse the generatiue seed,
Of morall speculation practise sound:
Of constant faith the quiet fruit he found.

2.

The farre fet happinesse which some propound,

Vanitie of vanities, saith the Preacher: vanity of vanities, all is vanitie.

In minds, in bodies, and in fortunes gifts:
(Which all conioyned seeldome times are found)
But to a vaine conceit the fancie lifts,
And their best Sectaries do lose their drifts;
The crowne it is, of heauens most glorious state,
Earths fruites all vaine: care, folly, and debate.

Yea vaine, all vaine (saith he) mans soule well proues,
What euer on earths spatious Orbe below
Hath breath, life, being, sense, or what so moues
By vegetatiue kind: or which doth ow
To nature a declyning state to grow.
Vaine in the roote, in bud, in flower all vaine:
Vaine fruit, whose of-springs vainly vades againe.

3. What solid fruite finds tyred man, of trauell vnder Sunne?
4. The earth is firme, whilst mans age past, another age doth runne.

3.

What remaineth vnto man in all his trauel, which he suffereth vnder the Sunne?

What if some one amids a multitude,
More happie in many points then others be?
Yet truly can you not thereby conclude,
That perfect happie, in all respects is he:
Nor long time can enioy the same we see.
Vpon a tickle point earths blessings stand,
And come and go in turning of a hand.

All must confesse, that nothing long remaines
To man, for all the trauels of his mynd,
Sustained in this life with bodies paines,
Since earth and earthly things all vade by kynd,
As doth a shadow or a puffe of wynd.
No prouidence preuenteth destinie,
Earth and her fruites do liue but for to die.

4.

One generatiō passeth, and an other generatiō succeedeth, but the earth remaineth for euer.

Mans life like to a burning lampe doth wast,
And like the ship on sea all stormes abyde,
Flies swift as thought, which straight is come and past:
Whose memorie as soone away doth slyde,
As trace which soaring fowle through aire did guyde,
Whose entercourse of change so swift doth go,
That sence can scarce discerne that it was so.

And as on stage new actors issue still,
Vntill each part expir'd, the play be done:
So generations newe the world do fill,
And ages newe past ages ouer-runne:
And shall till this worlds end haue new begun
That other world, which neuer shall haue end:
To which we posting thus, our hopes should bend.

5. The mouing sun doth rise and set, and turnes from whence it came,
6. The wind frō north to south blows roūd, & calmeth with the same.

5.

Yea all heauens elements full well we see,

The sunne riseth, and the sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place where he riseth.

Though farre more durable then man by kind,
Yet for our vse, in motion still to bee,
And by their change of change put vs in mind,
As in the lightsome sunne we proofe may find;
Whose time in measuring out our time is spent,
Whilst we to marke his motion onely ment.

This glorious Bride, in loue of earth his spouse
From his Starchambered pallace of the sky,
Drawne on by mornings wings, betimes doth rouse
Through either Hemi-sphere, and passing by
Th'Antipodes, from East to East doth fly,
With euery step Horizons making new,
Wherewith the earth new bewties doth indew.

6.

This pure sweete aire wherein things breathing liue,

The wind goeth toward the South, and cōpasseth toward the North: the wind goeth round about, and returneth by his circuit.

Th'all filling essence of vacuitie,
He vnto life the very spright doth giue,
And neuer rests, his presence to applie
To our behoofe: who languishing would lie,
If long he should retire his flagrant breath,
Whose vse (from vs restraind) doth menace death.

He being speedie guide to motions all,
In tender care and neighbour loue he owes
Vnto those lower regions, forth doth call
From hils and dales exhaled breaths, whence growes
As many winds as on earths compasse blowes,
Which cleansing clouds, and drying dampish soile,
Do whistling through earths hollow vaults recoile.

7. Fresh waters from the sea thence flowes, their ebs yet fill not it.
8. All is but toyle man sees or heares, with his insatiat wit.

7.

All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto the place whence they returne and go.

The liquid streames, of waters which arise,
Fro out the Cesterne of the Centors deepe,
Whose winding channels in a wondrous wise,
Through hils and dales, in curbed wise do creepe,
A constant progresse do by nature keepe,
Till they the Ocean (their deere mother) meet,
Whose brackish tears for thē, their drops make sweet.

Whose fruitfull wombe, in gratefull wise repaies
The yeelding earth, the tribute of her loue,
By sending strayned springs through forced waies,
And Porus passages for mans behoue,
That so her selfe in bounds might mildly moue:
Who yeelds likewise to beare earths heauy brood,
And breeds her selfe some store of humaine food.

8.

All things are full of Labour: man can not vtter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.

And not these compound elements alone
Are subiect to this intercourse of change,
But euen the foure pure elements ech one
Doe from themselues, to th'others natures range,
Though contrary by kind, with motion strange:
Earth into water turnes, moist into aire,
Pure aire to fire, Condenst they backe repaire.

So all things labour euermore and tend
Vnto their end, which when they once attaine,
That forme doth chaunge and to another bend,
Which likewise in his time hath end againe,
And nothing in one state doth long remaine;
Whose wondrous frame, in vaine man seekes to find,
Whilst no mans studie can suffise his mind.

9. What euer hath bene, shall be done: for there is nothing new:
10. What may we say is now, the which was not before thinke you?

9.

For proofe, let me demaund but this of you,

What is it that hath bene? that that shall be: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shall be done: and there is no new thing vnder the Sun.

Who most haue searched natures secret powre?
And you who are conuerst in stories true,
And you obseruers of ech day and howre,
Haue ye not found, that time doth all deuour?
And that new times the like things doth produce,
As any former ages had in vse.

We dreame of secrets daily, newly found,
And of inuentions passing former wits,
We thinke our world with wisedome doth abound,
And fame (for knowledge) vs much rather fits,
But ouer-weening thoughts this toy begits:
Their longer liues more temperately led
In holy studie, sure more knowledge bred.

10.

What one thing can we say is new indeed,

Is there any thing whereof one may say, behold this, it is new? it hath bene already in the old time that was before vs.

Excepting time it selfe, which still renewes?
New sinnes perhaps this wicked age would breed,
Yet can not other then first age did vse:
The name of new indeede we do abuse,
By calling new the thing we newly know,
Which rather ignorance of skill doth show.

Those elder times (no doubt) in golden age,
When natures strength was in her youthfull prime,
When Will on Wisedome tended as a Page,
And loue of vertue, banisht many a crime,
When humble thoughts did not for glory clime:
Then all things flourisht sure that now we see,
And actions all, that are, or that may bee.

11. Things past forgotten are we see, and future so shalbee.
12. In Ierusalem, Israels king I was, who teacheth thee.

11.

There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shall be, with them that shal come after

But they forgotten are, as ours once shall,
Mans few and euill dayes with cares of mind,
Make many worthy things to dust to fall,
And vs to predecessors grow vnkind,
Whose fames with theirs shall vanish with the wind,
And as our stealing wits would clips their fame,
Deuouring time, shall desolate our name.

For what more equall recompence is due,
To such as others merits doe depraue,
Then that like base contempt, do them insue,
And of successors they like guerdon haue,
And so we see fame leaues vs at the graue:
Build then his happinesse on earth who will,
He but himselfe with care and scorne shall fill.

12.

I the Preacher haue bene king ouer Israell in Ierusalem.

By proofe I speake, who once a mighty King
Did sway the Scepter of the holy seed,
Whose blessed name of peace, true peace did bring,
And publike wealth, which happinesse did breed,
And all delights whereon the world doth feed:
From Dan to Bersaba there, bound before,
And from Euphrates vnto Nylus shore.

My seat in Centor of earths Paradice,
In blest Ierusalem Gods dwelling place,
Neare to whereas mount Sion doth arise,
The holy hill, which doth the countrey grace,
Wherein I ruled not a litle space:
For fortie yeares, I raigned still in peace,
And in a ripened age I did decease.

13. I gaue my heart (God gaue this care) true wisedome out to find,
14. My studie found all vnder sunne, to be but griefe of mind.

13.

And all this time I bent my power and will,

And I haue giuen mine heart to search and find out wisedome by all things that are done vnder the heauen, this sore trauell hath God giue to the sonnes of men to humble them thereby.

To find faire wisedomes pallace, that I there
My homage due, might pay vnto her still,
And trophes to her in my heart might reare,
Her loue made me all other loue forbeare:
Welth I and honour, health, and euerything
Disdaind, that did not me true wisedome bring.

I therefore first did God most humbly craue,
To guide my steps in such a holy care,
Who (thenceforth) thereof such a measure gaue,
As none for wisedome might with me compare:
To proue all things I did my heart prepare,
Insatiat still as man by nature is,
Of skill (so doomd) for Adams first amis.

14.

What euer nature of her selfe brings forth,

I haue considered all the works that are done vnder the sunne, and behold all is vanitie & vexation of the Spirit.

Or skilfull Art by practise could produce,
What euer did to any seeme of worth,
Or for necessitie might seeme of vse,
Was still the obiect of my studious Muse,
Which out of all to gather did desire,
That happinesse whereto we would aspire.

But for my paines on earth did nought attaine,
But losse of time and agony of Spright,
A vaine desire, replete with skill more vaine,
A carefull life, disguisd with vaine delight,
A puft vp braine, with dreames of wisedomes sight,
But to my heart vnfruitfull of content,
To wearied life, a lode of time mispent.

15. The crooked thing can none make straight, or nūber things amis.
16. I thought and said, in power or wit, none like me was or is.

15.

That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth can not be numbred.

For when I sought to practise what I knew,
My mind distracted diuersly was led,
In looking to preuent things to insew:
Much care in vaine I tooke, no fruit it bred,
To know the worlds amis, serues to small sted;
When no man can make straight the crooked tree,
Or mend the chance that is ordaind to bee.

To number forth mans miseries and woe
Is hard to doe, and litle would auaile:
To stay the Oceans course, he should but goe,
That would support, where nature meanes to faile:
It makes vs but our weaknesse more bewaile,
If any way our wisedome stood in sted,
It would suppresse the vices in vs bred.

16.

I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold I am become great, and excell in wisedom all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine hart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.

And though (alas) I might of all men best,
For wisedome be reputed mongst the great,
Whose knowledge farre surpassed all the rest,
Before me euer were in Israels seate,
Or any others whom Records repeat:
Yea then was Chalcoll, Darda, or Ethan,
Heman, Maholl, or any liuing man.

Yet I for all my knowledge must confesse,
That childish blindnesse raigneth ouer all,
The more I knew, I thought I knew the lesse,
My knowledge, ignorance I seem'd to call,
When to the skanning of it I did fall:
As farre to weake true wisedome to behold,
As man vnfit, Gods secrets to vnfold.

17. I studied all both good and bad to know, in all I found
18. Much grief, & as much wisedom grew, new cares & woes aboūd.

17.

And that I might the better others iudge,

And I gaue my heart to knowe wisedome and knowledge, madnesse and foolishnesse: I knew also, that this is a vexatiō of the spirit.

I bent my selfe to euery students vaine,
To reade each friuolous worke I did not grudge,
As well as writers of more pregnant braine:
The rules of obseruations I did gaine,
Which long experience maketh many see,
And to the vulgar sort instructions bee.

I put in practise what these arts did teach,
And tasted euerie toy for my delight.
Fond actions made in modest mind a breach:
For will with reason I did arme to fight;
Yet all in fine did but torment my spright.
In wisdoms graue restraint my boūds seeme straight,
On follie, shame, and sorow to awaight.

18.

So wisedome proues a style of small auaile,

For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth griefe.

Which cannot yeeld a man one happie day,
His infant studies seruile feares do quaile,
His youthfull yeares with wantonnesse decay,
His manly thoughts worlds combers weare away:
His yeares of iudgement for true wisedome fit,
Deuoyd of powre, through weakned limbs do sit.

And yet suppose some one in ripened time,
In bodie and in mind haue some delight,
Yet he shall find, when he doth seeme in prime,
A world of woes to march before his sight,
Which past or presently shall with him fight:
Which if he scape, yet many thousands beare,
Whereof whilst yet he liues, he stands in feare.

[Chap. 2.]

1. Then did I ioy proue at full, which also proued vaine.
2. Mad laughter and short ioy, what ease do ye yeeld to my paine?

1.

I said in mine heart, goe to now, I will proue thee with ioy: therfore take thou pleasure in pleasant things: and behold this also is vanitie.

Thus tired with these studies I repinde,
And in my heart, I said, no more of this:
Now will I try if pleasure I may find,
To cheare my fainting soule in worlds amis:
Perhaps in mirth and ioy is plast true blis,
Let me to counsell, my affections take,
And let them to their likings frolike make.

From reasons bonds, thus set at large awhile,
They ech of them their appetites doe fit,
Each seuerall sense, himselfe seeks to beguile,
And all conspire the wished prise to git,
But (ouer gorg'd) full soone they all do surfit:
For lust complete facietie doth breed,
And vaine the fruite, that growes from such a seed.

2.

I said of laughter, thou art mad: and of ioy, what is this that thou dest?

Then did I first begin indeed to know,
The vanitie of these vnconstant ioyes,
For while the foggie myst of lust doth grow,
As through a cloud, we see it so annoyes
Our purest iudgement, euen with childish toyes:
But then (as safe on shore) the storme I saw,
Whose raging billowes did soules perill draw.

Then cald I laughter a deformed grace,
More fit for fooles, then temp'rate men to try,
Graue maiestie expelling from the face,
And antike wise disguizing men, whereby
As madnesse, I beganne it to defy:
As forced mirth, which no sweet fruit doth bring,
But to relenting soule a poysned sting.

3. With wine I wit and folly fed, to find mans liues content.
4. In stately workes, of houses and of vineyards, study spent.

3.

The Antidote of hearts with care opprest,

I sought in mine hart to giue my selfe to wine, and to lead mine hart in wisedome, & to take hold of folly, till I might see whee is that goodnes of the children of men, which they enioy vnder the sunne. the whole number of the daies of their life.

Earths bloud, wits bane, wines best delighting tast,
I gaue my selfe to proue in my vnrest,
To quicken so my sprights, with care defast,
Not glutton like, with drunkennesse disgrast,
But as in prickly bush men Roses take,
So in my plentie I not measure brake.

For why, the obiect of my actions were
So limited by wisedomes happy guyde,
That I in them, did Gods offence forbeare,
And in the bounds of temperance firme abyde:
I onely sought by all things to haue tryde,
Where, and what is, that good mans of-spring finds
In life on earth, which so inchaunts their minds.

4.

And for I held magnificence to bee

I haue made my great workes: I haue built me houses: I haue planted me vineyardes.

A vertue fitting well a princely mind,
I built and dedicated (Lord) to thee
A Temple, where thy Arke a rest might find:
A worthlesse present for a God so kind:
Yet best that skilfull Hyrams art could frame,
In seauen yeares time, and cost vpon the same.

I raysed and reedified beside,
Full many cities to withstand the foes,
And Libanus, whose beautie farre and wide,
In fame before all other cities goes:
Besides a Pallace for my Queene, like those
Where mightiest Monarks courts haue erst bin plast,
Which was with many vineyards greatly graft.

5. I gardens had, and Orchards faire, of euery fruitfull tree.
6. And Aqueducts to water them, the purest that might bee.

5.

I haue made me gardens & orchards, and planted in thé trees of all frute.

I made me spacious gardens therewithall,
Wherein to solace both my Queenes and mee,
In which all kind of herbes both great and small,
And all such flowers as either pleasing bee
To sight or smell, you there might plentie see,
Or which for health of man had any prayse,
Or for delight might serue him any wayes.

My Orchards like to Paradise were held,
Wherein for shadie walkes and sweete prospects,
Ingenious art had nature so exceld,
That things gainst kind produc'd most kind effects;
All fruitfull trees of tast that man affects,
Were planted plenteously, from Cedar tall
To little shrubbe, that clymbeth by the wall.

6.

I haue made me Cesterns of water, to water therewith the woods that grow with trees.

From top of farthest cliffes through hils and dales,
I set my fountaine heads and crystall springs,
I forced riuers from the lower vales,
To mount their neighbor hils, whose backs them brings
Vnto those Cesternes, which by spouts them flings,
Like Aprill showers dispersedly to fall,
And so bedeaw those bordering trees withall.

Whence softly they distilling to the ground,
Might coole the pride of sommers scorching rayes,
And cause the happy soyle with frute abound,
Which spring time like, thus flourished alwayes,
Whose ouerplus of streames in chanell stayes:
That euery fish and foule might solace take,
Or men might bath on banke, and banquet make.

7. I housholds had of men & maids, and store of beefes and sheepe.
8. With Princes treasures, singing folke, I did for pleasure keepe.

7.

I was attended on in princely sort,

I haue gotten seruants and maides, & had children borne in the house: also I had great possession of Beeues and sheepe, aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem.

As well of Nobles as of seruile kynd,
Yea tributary kings did oft resort,
To doe the homage fealty did bynd,
Of Captiues I had store, vnto my mynd,
And families of these and their of-spring,
To populate a countrey for a king.

My flockes of sheepe, and heards of cattell great,
Wherewith my royall Court I dayly fed,
Who thirtie Beeues, and fiuescore Sheepe did eat,
Besides such dainties as the countrey bred,
I fortie thousand horse to battell led,
And Charets more I had, I dare well say,
Then any king in Iewry till this day.

8.

Of treasure I had store and reuenue,

I haue gathered vnto me also siluer and gold, and the chief treasures of kings and prouinces: I haue prouided me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sonnes of men, as a woman taken captiue, & women taken captiues.

Sixe hundreth Talents, sixtie sixe of gold,
Foure hundreth fiftie more, from Ophire due,
And custome for all marchandize was sold,
With tributes more then number well you could:
So that like stones or drosse, I siluer gaue,
And in my raigne for want few needed craue.

The choyse of all the spoyles of warre I had,
Both men and women singers fare of skill,
Whose melodie would cheare the mind most sad,
Whose beauties with delight the eye might fill,
And of these had varietie at will,
And what so euer humaine kind can craue,
To seeke delight therein, my selfe I gaue.

9. More mightie then forefathers all, with wisedome ruling mind,
10. I fed my will, my will pleasd me, this fruit my paines did find.

9.

And I was great, and encreased aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem: all my wisedome remained with me.

Thus grew I mightie, and of greater fame
Then any king Ierusalem had knowne:
From farre and neare, great Princes sent and came
To see my greatnesse, which abrode was blowne:
Admir'd I was, and loued of my owne,
Surpassing farre, report that went of mee,
As Saba Queene, confest that came to see.

And (which few men, in prosperous state can do)
By wisedomes rule I guided so my life,
That holy Iustice still I leand vnto,
And shielded innocence from Tyrants strife:
And (had I not transgrest through heathnish wife,
Who made me winke at her Idolatry)
Few errors in my life you should espy.

10.

And whatsoeuer mine eies desired, I withheld it not frō them: I withdrew not mine hart from any ioy: for mine hart reioyced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my trauell.

Thus did I fill my eyes with their desire,
And fed my heart at full with all content,
No sooner did my thought a thing require,
But forward to effect it straight I went:
Thus I my dayes in ioy and solace spent,
Peace gaue me wealth & power, power fed my will,
My will sought happinesse in all things still.

But happinesse I had not as I thought,
For though in vse of things I seemed glad,
Yet afterward they to me loathing brought,
And things begunne in ioy, were parting sad,
And yet that present ioy was all I had,
In recompence of all my trau'll and paine,
And to haue that, was more then many gaine.

11. I viewd in fine all I had done, & found all vaine and fruitlesse.
12. Both wit & folly, for of both none knew more: all prou'd bootlesse.

11.

In fine, now surfetting indeede with all

Then I looked on all my workes that my hands had wrought, and on the trauell that I had laboured to doe: and behold, all is vanitie and vexation of the Spirit: & there is no profit vnder the sunne.

My deare bought pleasure, both begunne and past,
Vnto a reckoning I my iudgement call,
And true account of gaine, of them I cast,
And did suruay my workes, which yet did last,
To see the benefit I reapt thereby,
Because I would the truth of all things try.

Which when I found for most part vanisht quight,
And those remaining, subiect to like fate;
I saw a world of vanitie and spight,
Which made me world and all her workes to hate,
As masse of miserie, and vnkind debate,
As they shall find, who thus forwarnd will proue,
Repentance being price of foolish loue.

12.

Then I a new comparison did make,

And I turned to behold wisedome, madnes, and folly: for who is the man that will come after the king in things which men now haue done.

Twixt sacred wisedome (heauens infused gift)
And humaine wisedome, which doth patterne take
Of presidents, of morall actions drift,
The skill wherein doth worldly minds vp lift,
And this compard with foolish ignorance,
Which in the world doth many sotts aduance.

For if that knowledge on experience grow,
And that experience be the child of time,
If time her powre do to the studious show,
And labour doth to highest knowledge clime,
If iudgement flourish where these are in prime,
Then who hath me surpast, or shall succeed
In these, whose censure may more credit breed?

13. Yet found I wisedome it excell, as light doth darknes farre.
14. It sees, that gropes, yet wise and fond, both in one hazard are.

13.

Then I sawe there is prosite in wisedome, more then in folly: as the light is more excellent then darknesse.

And what I could, impartiall conceiue
Of ech of them, I will thee truely tell:
I found that folly did a man deceiue,
And woe to them within her snares that fell,
But wisedome did all earthly things excell,
Immortalizing man with worthy fame,
And couering the defects of natures shame.

And looke how much the sunne in sommers day,
When he in Zenith of our Hemis-pheres,
Most glorious beames of brightnesse doth display,
Surpasseth darkest nights that winter weares,
In frozen Zone for light some face he beares:
So farre and more, the wise do fooles surpasse,
Or more then precious stones doe brickle glasse.

14.

For the wise mans eyes are in his head, but the foole walketh in darknesse: yet I know also that the same condition falleth to them all.

For why, the wise call passed things to mind,
Obserue the present, future doe fore-see,
Compare effects, whereby they courses find,
And make their actions to best rules agree,
Like Eagle eyes, and Linxes sights theirs bee,
Where fooles as blind-fold, groping misse the way,
And vnto euery daunger are a pray.

Although in deede one end befalleth all,
The wise and foolish, begger and the king:
All made of earth, againe to dust doe fall,
And euery state is crossed with some thing.
Wisedome breedes care, and folly want doth bring:
Wealth liues in feare, and pouertie in wo:
Honor enuide, base bloud contemn'd doth go.

15. If so (thought I) then is it vaine, more wisedome to aspire,
16. All is forgot in time to come, like death haue all for hire.

15.

I therefore in my heart beganne to thinke,

Thé I thought in mine heart, it befalleth vnto me, as it befalleth to the foole: why therefore doe I then labour to be more wise? and I said in mine hart, that this also is vanitie.

If all estates some miserie must haue,
If wise and foolish both of one cup drinke,
If all by death must draw vnto the graue,
If wisedome may not man from daunger saue:
If sicknesse be the common guide to death,
If death the end of all that draweth breath:

Why then do I contend for wisedomes prayse?
With studious trauell, why do I applie
My time, and spend away youthes pleasant dayes
With paine and toyle? why serues seueritie,
And temperance of life, since all must die?
It is meere madnesse to be too precise,
Though fooles be vaine, vaine also be the wise.

16.

Vaine in the highest point of vanitie,

For there shall be no remembrance of the wise, nor of the foole for euer: for that that now is, in the dayes to come shall all be forgotten: and how dieth the wise man, as doth the foole.

If they suppose on earth true blisse to find,
As on a stage, each step they tred awrie
Is markt, and fame defamd by slaunderous kind,
And their best name that they do leaue behind
Is soone forgot, as fooles facts also bee,
As we by daily proofe full well may see.

Alas! is there no difference at all,
In length of dayes betwixt the fond and wise?
Can nought protect from death, but must all fall?
As basest sort, so those in honour rise,
Can man no way to lengthen life deuise?
Then vaine is he in them reposeth trust,
Whose ioyes with them so soone determine must.

17. Then lothd I life, all life bred griefe, and did the mind torment,
18. My owne workes were vnpleasing then, possest by one vnment.

17.

Therefore I hated life: for the worke that is wrought vnder the sunne is grieuous vnto me: for all is vanitie & vexation of the Spirit.

The thought where of made me the world to hate,
And euery circumstance of life to blame,
The day of birth, as day of cursed fate,
The length of life, as heape of woe and shame,
The dayly looke for death, as rotten frame
Of natures weakest building, earth doth beare,
Bred vp and nourished, with care and feare.

Conceiu'd in sinne, brought into world with paine,
With iust laments bewayling future case,
Who impotent, doth hopelesse still remaine,
(If pitie in the parents had not place,
Or foster mothers did him not embrace)
Whose youth sharpe tutors, age the lawes restraine,
Whose vexed soule still carkes and cares in vaine.

18.

I hated also all my labor, wherin I had trauelled vnder the Sunne, which I shall leaue to the man that shall be after me.

Yea, though my selfe was free from sundry things,
By reason of the greatnesse of my state,
With which the meaner sort full often wrings,
(As want, and suffering stroke of mighties hate)
Yet I my cares had in an other rate,
And far more forcible in me they were,
For prosperous states doe worst afflictions beare.

As feare of chaunge, care of the common good,
Desire to eternize my name on earth:
Yet nothing more (me thought) my ioy withstood,
Then that I traueld for an others mirth,
For whom, my fruits were gathred ere his birth,
Which made me all my workes of most desert
Hate and disdaine, euen from the very heart.

19. Vnknowne if fond or wise, who yet shall all enioy I leaue.
20. Which as most vain, made me abhor, my works which me deceaue.

19.

For what knew I, who should to me succeed,

And who knoweth whether he shall be wise or foolish, yet shal he haue rule ouer all my labour, wherein I haue trauelled, & wherein I haue shewed my selfe wise vnder the sun. This is also vanitie.

In vse of all the wealth and pompe I left,
An infant of mine owne, and proper breed,
Or else a stranger creeping in by theft;
I knew how easly crownes might be bereft,
If kings were Orphanes lacking yeares or wit,
Ne knew I if my child for rule were fit.

The proofe he yeelds, and sentence God did giue,
Prognosticateth little good at all:
Yet (as vnto mine heire in whom I liue)
I giue what wast he may, and feare he shall;
The fruit euen of my wisest trauels all,
So that the world which witnessed my paine,
May hap record my trauels meerely vaine.

20.

This made me oft, aide reason to contend

Therefore I went about to make mine hart abhorre all the labour, wherein I had trauelled vnder the Sunne.

With my affections and my pleased sence,
And gainst my selfe, my selfe my wits to bend,
The loue of all my workes expulsing thence,
And taking on me truths sincere defence,
Said perturbations (which affections guyde)
Should not giue iudgement where her cause is tryde.

I made my mind confesse, the studie vaine
Which was imployd, on transitory thing
I made my body graunt, too great the paine
Bestowd on any pleasure life doth bring,
My senses to conclude, there was a sting
And bitter tast attended on delight,
And so resolu'd, worlds loue to banish quight.

21. One toyles to get with right and skill, a stocke for one most vaine,
22. And no reward himselfe doth find, for all his trauell' and paine.

21.

For there is a man whose trauell is in wisedome, and in knowledge, & in equitie: yet to a man that hath not trauelled herein shall he giue his portion, this also is vanitie and a great griefe.

For could there be a greater griefe beside,
Or iuster cause to make a man repent
The paines and perils that he did abide,
In honest trade to purchase his intent,
Whereto his wits and diligence was bent:
Then for to thinke he doth for others toyle,
Manures the ground, where others reape the soyle.

Who buildeth but in hope to dwell therein?
Who planteh, but in hope the fruit to tast?
Though birdes and Bees their nests and combs begin,
Though sheepe beare fleece, & Oxe the land haue trast,
In hope of profite, which their masters wast:
Yet wise men grieue to spend in vaine their time,
For others sake the bush to beate or clime.

22.

For what hath man of all his trauell & griefe of his heart, wherin he hath trauelled vnder the sunnes?

If man vncertaine be, as sure he is
This night, if he the morrow day shall see,
If he do doubt his dayes cannot endure,
If he foresee his bed, his graue may bee
And yet of world haue care, vnhappie hee,
I meane such care, as doth his powers possesse,
And suffers not his soule, some ioy expresse.

For what he leaueth him behind is lost,
What he enioyd, that only was his owne,
What hath he gain'd, by wealth that comfort cost,
If he not tast his fruits of trauell growne?
Possession best by vse of things is knowne:
Who doth not so, but lost his trauels are,
A heauie burden bootlesse fetched farre.

23. His dayes are few and spent in cares, his nights in harts vnrest,
24. If God yet grants to vse his wealth with ioy: then is he blest.

23.

He doth thereby but massaker himselfe,

For all his daies are sorrowes, & his trauel grief, his heart also taketh not rest in the night, which also is vanitie.

And seeme vnkind to natures true intent,
Whose bodie feeds not on the view of pelfe,
But on the food the hands to mouth do lend,
Which freely to ech part doth portion send:
He well may thinke his wofull dayes too long,
And trauell grieuous, thus requite with wrong.

If he the wished night ordain'd for rest,
Consume in carefull thoughts of greedie mind,
If he for others hoord his comforts best,
And to himselfe (gainst kind) do proue vnkind:
No blessednesse on earth then shall he find,
But like a bubble vanish soone away,
And in his life his vanitie bewray.

24.

For no true profit earth to earth can giue,

There is no profit to man, but that he eat and drinke, and delight his soule with the profit of his labour: I saw also this, that it was of the hand of God.

But (whilst on earth man yet doth make his stay)
The frutes of earth to vse by which we liue,
And ech dayes care, deferre vnto that day.
These Creatures plenteously enioy we may,
To needfull sustenance of bodies strength,
And to delight the mind, waxt dull at length.

Man onely must in plentie, plentie note
Of Gods abundant blessing shewd therein;
And not forget him whilst they passe the throte,
And them abuse, as instruments of sin,
But for his gifts, with prayse to him begin,
With almes proceed, the needy poore to feed,
And not repine, though oft they stand in need.

25. Who knowes the vse of plentie more then I, yet this I find,
26. God makes the iust know ioy, the bad leaue welth for good behind.

25.

For who could eat, and who could hast to outward things more then I.

Of all that I do say, I haue made proofe,
And therefore may the better thee aduise,
Which as I now set downe for thy behoofe:
So thereof make thy profit, be thou wise,
He is a foole that counsell doth despise:
And I who counsell thee, sure best could try,
Earths pleasures, and the fruits that come thereby.

As being King, I all things might commaund,
As being rich, I ech thing might procure,
As being lou'd, to please me all men fawnd:
As being feard, I might my will make sure:
As being wise, I could make choyse most pure,
If any earthlie thing might breed content,
Then may I say, that God me part hath sent.

26.

Surely to a mā that is good in his sight, God giueth wisdom, and knowledg, and ioy: but to the sinner he giueth paine, to gather and to heap, to giue to him that is good before God: this is also vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.

And for a full report of my conceit,
I briefly say, as truth requires of mee,
That wisedome as a blessing doth awaight
Vpon the godly, who true knowledge see,
And perfect ioy alone in them can bee:
For God the author of all goodnesse is,
And with his feare associats endlesse blis.

But to the wicked he alotteth griefe,
In getting needfull things great wo and care,
In their possession little sweet reliefe,
In laying vp of wealth, a life still bare,
Which for the godly they doe but prepare:
Rent gathrers for the good, the wicked bee,
Vaine vexers of their soules themselues may see.

Chap. 3.

1. All purposes haue proper times, all things fit seasons find,
2. At time of birth, and death, to plant, and supplant is assignd.

1

Bvt for I see the wordly wise will say,

To all things there is an appointed time, and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen.

They haue iust cause, to studie to attaine
The hidden course, which nature doth bewray
In interchange of times: which doth remaine
Inrold in writ of many a learned braine,
I will with them awhile conferre, and show
To thee the depth of all the skill they know.

Most true it is (I graunt) that hidden are,
In knowledge of Philosophy indeede,
Such rules profound, by learning fet so farre,
As in the mind doth admiration breed:
But yet that skill doth serue to little steed,
For God hath natures bounds prefixed so,
That from that course art cannot make them go.

2.

Begin we first where we begin and end,

A time to be borne, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted.

With birth of man in mothers wombe conceiu'd,
Which (fortie weekes expir'd) needs forth must send,
And age compels to yeeld the breath receiu'd,
In both of which, the wisest are deceiu'd:
The birth and death of diuerse, diuersely
Preuenting time, of birth and time to dy.

And as of men, so in increase of things
The which the earth brings forth in growing kind,
Although we know the Moone fit seasons brings,
To planted things to prosper, yet we find
They oft miscarie, and we chaunge our mind,
And (be their fruits once ripe) they gathered bee,
And stocke once rotten, we stub vp the tree.

3. A time to cure and kill there is, to build and ouerthrow,
4. To laugh and weepe, a mournfull cheare, and merry hart to show.

3.

A time to slay, and a time to heale: a time to break down, and a time to build.

And though it be a thing vnnaturall,
And most repugnant to societie,
The life of man by hand of man to fall,
And to shed bloud, wherein his life doth lie,
Yet iustice craues that male factors die,
Aswell as that the sicke, should phisicke haue,
Or salues imployd, the wounded corps to saue.

Yea though that cities first well founded were,
For safetie vnto men of ciuill sort:
Yet neuer Monarkes seat such fame did beare,
Or citie grow so much with great resort,
But time made cottages of small import
Suruiue their greatnesse, and surpasse them farre,
As Henok, Babell, Troy, true patterns are.

4.

A time to weepe, and a time to laugh: a time to mourne and a time to dance.

Though nothing be more needfull to our kind,
The rigors to alay of worldly care,
Though nothing better for the health we find,
Then mirth (at times we may well for it spare)
Yet in the vse of it we must beware,
And vse it so as if we readie were,
The brunt of greatest crosses straight to beare.

For times there are, when dutie doth require,
We should impart with neighbours woe and griefe,
For (partners in distresse) doe all desire,
And men suppose thereby they find reliefe
For sinne, so should we mourne, as cause most chiefe:
When Gods offended face, doth threat his rod,
Thus mirth and woe, are both requir'd by God.

5. To scatter stones and gather them, t'embrace and thrust away,
6. A season is to seeke, to loose, to keepe, to wast, I say.

5.

There is a time when we the quarries draw,

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones: a time to imbrace, and a time to be far from imbracing.

And from the bowels of the earth full deepe,
Rayse vp her bones, the stones which neuer saw
The lightsome aire, and them we carued keepe,
To rayse with them our towers, to heauen which peepe,
Which afterward decay, and we are faine,
Their ruines to transport abrode againe.

Euen so in youthfull yeares it seemeth fit,
As nature made it apt for loues imbrace,
So for the worlds increase to yeeld to it,
With due respect of person time and place:
Yet nothing more vnseemely in such case,
As when decrepit age creepes to the graue,
To dote in loue, and seeke a wife to haue,

6.

There is a time, when man with reason may

A time to seeke and a time to loose: a time to keepe, and a time to cast away.

With diligence indeuour for to gaine
A portion fit, his family to stay,
Although with sweat of browes, and daily paine;
But it were folly to torment his braine,
If losses happe, for there will losses fall,
Vnto most wise, if they haue ought at all.

Then he that's wise, knowes when to spend and spare,
For who hath most, before he die may need,
And he must spend sometimes that is most bare,
And he may thriue, that doth the needie feed:
Bountie doth loue, and neighbour liking breed:
It is a vertue, placed in a meane,
Although it rather doe to giuing leane.

7. A time to reape and sow againe, for silence, and to speake,
8. To loue, to hate, to talke of peace, and peace with war to breake.

7.

A time to reap, and a time to sow: a time to keepe silence, and a time to speake.

The rich attyres ordaynd by craft mans hand,
To couer shame, which sinne made man to see,
Be not so comely held in any land,
But that in other lands, dislikt they bee:
So what one sowes, the other reapes for thee:
Good workes for Taylers that new-fangled are,
None make more fast, then others mending marre.

What speake we of such common things as this?
Not speech it selfe (the Eccho to the hart)
May be so free, but it restrained is
To ciuill rules, and lawes of very art,
The tongues misuse, oft breedes the bodie smart:
We therefore learne, both how and when to speake,
And when we modest silence may not breake.

8.

A time to loue, and a time to hate: a time of warre and a time of peace.

Yea though that kindle heate of beauties fire,
And sympathy of natures liking good,
(Chast loue) be founded on a iust desire,
And beare such sway as hardly is withstood,
Infecting by the eye, both spirit and blood:
Yet such incounters grow in some respect,
That loue findes hate, best merit, base neglect.

Yea bloudie warre the scourge of peace misusd,
The fire-brand of ambition, hels owne chyld,
The wracke of iustice, value oft abusd
From common wealth may not be well exyld,
Though peace breed welth, welth yet with pride defyld,
Produceth warre; which pouertie doth breed,
To which heauens blessed peace doth yet succeed.

9. What profit finds the toylesome man, of all his carke and care?
10. To humble mans ambitious mind, God did these paines prepare.

9.

Which if so be, (as so it is indeed)

What profit hath he that worketh, of the thing wherein he trauelleth.

Then would I haue the Gimnosophists wise,
The Magy, Druides, and Stoicks breed,
The Sophis, and most wise of all Rabbies,
And all Philosophers of euery guise,
Who morall rules, and naturall skill did know,
Or iudgements supernaturall did show.

Them would I haue to tell to me in briefe,
What profit man, most properly may say
He hath, of all his dayes consumde in griefe,
Which he assured is with him shall stay:
The goods of fortune subiect to decay,
The strength of bodie, fayling euery houre,
The minds much more, which worldly cares deuour.

10.

I see (me thinkes) a laborinth of woes

I haue seene the trauell that God hath giuē to the sonnes of men to humble them thereby.

Enuiron man about, from day of birth
Till houre of death, what so about he goes,
With sower sauce, seasoning still his fained mirth,
Cares him accompan'ing vpon the earth,
For needfull things for life, yet foolish he,
With needlesse studies still will medling be.

And God hath iustly giuen this plague to all,
For our forefather Adams clyming mind,
That humbled so, we might before him fall,
Confessing that we are poore wormes, most blind,
And fly to him where we may comfort find,
Vpon his prouidence our selues to rest,
As thing whereby, we onely may be blest.

11. All beautious & desird God made, though al things mānot know.
12. This only good know I, with ioy, good works in life to show.

11.

He hath made euery thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, yet can not man find out the worke that God hath wrought from the beginning, eué to the end.

Indeede God so his creatures beautified,
And marshald so their musters euery one,
That in them his great wisedome is espied,
And in their season is their beautie showne,
Defect vnto their kind, they suffer none:
No maruell then, if heart of man desire
To see and know their vertue, and admire.

And God hath giuen to man a speciall will,
To search for knowledge euer while he liues,
Who therefore beates his braines about it still,
And vseth all endeuour nature giues,
But he in vaine about the matter striues:
He neuer can or shall, the depth attaine
Of Gods decree, his labours are but vaine.

12.

I know that ther is nothing good in them, but to reioyce, and to do good in his life.

Let wise men therefore learne to be content,
With knowledge of such things as vs befit,
Enioy the blessing God to vs hath sent,
And with contented mind in quiet sit:
His paine and trauell may not farther git,
Then God hath limited, of that be sure,
With patience therefore doe thy selfe indure.

For I no other good on earth can praise,
But present vse of blessings I possesse,
With chearefull heart to exercise my dayes,
To good of such, to whom I loue professe,
And deedes which charitie doe best expresse,
And that is all this world to thee can lend,
And vse, why God did them vnto thee send.

13. To eat & drinke pains gained store, as gifts Gods blessings were.
14. His wil (most firme) man may not change, but it admire with fere.

13.

And to speake truth, what man with all his paine,

And also that euery man eateth and drinketh, and seeth the commodity of all his labor: this is the gift of God.

Can promise to himselfe the vse to haue
Of what with greatest trauell he doth gaine,
To yeeld the sustenance his life doth craue?
What prouidence so wisely can it saue,
But in a moment it may vade away,
Twixt cup and lip, fall many a slip we say?

Then let man learne that Gods good gifts they are,
And lent but for a time, whereof to yeeld
Account how they are vsed, and how farre
Our confidence and trust on them we build:
For wealth cannot from heauenly iudgement shield;
Let God therefore haue part, the poore haue his,
With temp'rance do thou spend, remaine that is.

14.

For well I know, God all things doth foresee,

I know that whatsoeuer God shall doe, it shall be foreuer: to it can no man adde, and from it can none diminish: for God hath done it, that they should feare before him.

And seeing doth foreknow their issues all,
Whose knowledge (when he will) makes things to bee
In such estate, as vnto vs they fall:
Whose prouidence herein some fortune call,
Because effects of cause to vs vnknowne,
By chance (as we suppose) hath to vs growne.

But they in his decree immutable;
From all beginnings were, and firme must stand,
Examples be, mans frustrate labours still,
If God assist not with his helping hand,
A haire from head, a birdfalles not on land,
But with his heauenly will (which is a law)
And should vs to his feare and reu'rence draw.

15. Things past are now, what is shalbe, for God will haue it so:
16. Yet on the earth, wrong rules for right, and all peruerse doth go.

15.

What is that that hath bin: that is now: & that that shall be, hath now bene: for God requireth that which is past.

Hence nature hath this interchange of things,
This spring times clothing, of delightfull greene,
That scorched yellow colour sommer brings,
That tawney hew, in new spent haruest seene,
Those withered pale prospects in winter beene,
When trees and plants to root liues sap retyre,
And euery change, that seasons doe require.

This well deuided kingdome of the light,
Twixt Sunne and Moone, so needfull to our life,
Of th'one by day, th'other by the night,
Wherein they louingly, like man and wife,
With equall care doe trauell voyd of strife,
By Gods almightie hand were framed so,
Things past, and those to come in order go.

16.

And moreouer I haue seene vnder the Sun the place of iudgement, where was wickednesse, and the place of Iustice, where was iniquitie.

Yea though God be not author of our ill,
(Whereto by nature onely we are prone,)
Yet for our tryall, or our scourge, he will
Permit sometimes, (as I full oft haue knowne)
That euen his Magistrates, by whom alone
He leaues his lawes of Iustice to be tryde,
Into most foule enormities to slyde.

So wicked Tyrants vnto kingdomes rise,
And Iudges sit in holy Iustice seat,
Whose offices (ordain'd to beat downe vice,)
It fosters, and the Iust do worst intreat,
Which of all plagues to kingdomes is most great,
Yet God (who it permits) can it redresse,
Whose wondrous works therein we must confesse.

17. My hart yet giues both good & bad, in due time God wil find.
18. Who made mā pure, & gaue him wit, though brutish wilbe blind.

17.

For God the great law-giuer, wise and iust,

I thought in mine hart, God will iudge the iust and the wicked: for time is there for euery purpose; and for euery worke.

Who sees the thoughts, and secrets of the raynes,
Though he a while, permit them in their lust
To range, in pride of their malicious braynes,
Yet when he please, their progresse he restraynes,
And makes them stand before his iudgement seat,
Whose sway on earth doth seeme most powrful great.

He cals each creature in his time at will,
To wreke the wrongs that innocents abyde:
Plague, famine, sword, attend vpon him still,
And all mishaps the wicked doe betyde,
Fro out the snares, the iust he safe doth guyde
In his due time, and them with honour crowne,
But their oppressors, headlong plucketh downe.

18.

Thus mayst thou see (as I do truly say)

I considered in mine heart, the stare of the children of mē that God had purged them: yet to see to, they are in thēselues as beasts

By deepe consideration of the thing,
To humaine state on earth, each houre and day
Some chaunge, or alteration new to bring
To all estates, to subiects as to King:
And that albeit in creation, we
Were holy and pure, we now corrupted be.

Through which corruption, death did first creepe in,
And death with it, all plagues and wants hath brought,
The heauie recompence of parents sin,
By them infusd to vs, by vs still wrought:
Corrupt throughout, in word, in deed, in thought,
With more then brutish sins which in vs raigne,
And in our of-spring alwayes will remaine.

19. Man beastlike liues & dies, & both breath, liue, and die, in vaine.
20. Of dust at first, all passe by death, vnto the earth againe.

19.

For the condition of the children of men, & the condition of beasts are euen as one cōdition vnto thē: as the one dyeth, so dieth the other: for they haue all one breath, & there is no excellencie of man aboue the beast: for all is vanity.

And as with brutish kind our liues pertake,
Or rather doth out passe them farre in ill:
(For Tygers, Wolues, Gotes, Swine, our sins vs make,
When wrath, deceit, lust, glut'ny, rule our will,)
So to our end with them we hasten still,
Foreseeing nothing deaths approaching houre,
Which vs (like them) is readie to deuour.

In care and trauell, we like them doe liue,
We liue vncertaine of the houre of death,
Vncertaine thus, securely we doe giue
Our selues to pleasure, till it stop our breath:
When time is come, no art the houre prolongeth,
When we as they, againe returne to dust,
In earth (no more then they) may we haue trust.

20.

All goe to one place, and all was of the dust, and all shall returne to the dust.

One common matter was our stuffe and mould,
Euen earth and slime, the Element most vylde,
Which though our maker for our honour would,
With his owne hands vouchsafe to frame and bylde,
And with infused breath adopt as chyld,
Whilst by his word alone, the others all,
Take essence in the forme they were and shall.

Yet we as they, one common end do find,
One dissolution of this earthly frame:
Whose matter doth returne vnto the kind,
From whence at first creation forth it came;
The memory whereof, the mind should tame,
Of those ambitious braines vnbounded will,
Which whilst they liue, the world with comber fill.

21. Who knows mans soule ascends, or beasts vnto the earth descēds?
22. Best then say I, ioy in thy owne: which thee thy knowledge ends.

21.

And though indeed, the soules immortall seed,

Who knoweth whether the Spirit of man ascend vpward, and the Spirit of the beast descend downward to the earth?

Which had his being from a cause more pure,
Vpon a higher hope doth iustly feed,
And shall in all eternitie endure,
Yet to the eye of man, who can assure
The same, if faith (the light vnto the soule)
Did not distrustfull fleshes thoughts controule?

For euen the selfe same instruments of life,
The same necessities of nutriment,
The same effects of sicknesse with vs rife,
The same abhorred death, hath nature lent
To euery creature that on earth she sent:
And at, and after, parting of the spright,
The carkasses of both, seeme like to sight.

22.

So that I see no vse of earths increase,

Therefore I see that there is nothing better then that a mā should reioyse in his affayres, because that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Fit for our bodies, but (whilst here we liue)
With them to cheere our sprights, and purchase peace,
And vnto God for them, due praise to giue,
Mans wit no further can his pleasure driue:
For he and they are subiect as you see
To chaunge, and to earths fraile mortalitee.

As for the care the wise and goodly haue,
Of their successors competent estate,
It is but due, and nature doth it craue,
But for their loue, our selues we ought not hate,
And toyling vex our soules with worlds debate,
What they will proue, or what in time may grow,
We know not, nor should curious be to know.

[Chap. 4.]

1. Thē earths vnrights I viewd, & tears of wrōgd by worthles iudg,
2. And therwith thought, thē blessed dead, need not the liuing grudge.

1.

So I turned, & considered all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne, and behold, the teares of the oppressed, and none comforteth them: and lo, the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them, and none comforteth him.

Bvt whither doth this passion me transport?
My thoghts with thinking haue forgot my thought,
Whilst (earthly I) with earthly worlds consort,
And to the bodies cares, haue comfort brought,
My meditations haue the heauens sought,
And those eternities which passe my skill,
But now descend to earth againe I will.

And of more humaine actions will intreat,
Where we a tragedie of woes shall see,
Whilst weaker ones (oppressed by the great)
Are destitute of place, whereto to flee
For succour, since their foes their Iudges bee,
And farre too powrefull, wherewith to contend,
And most men backward, poore men to defend.

2.

Wherefore I praysed the dead which now are dead, aboue the liuing, which are yet aliue.

Which makes me thinke, (though nature it deny)
That much more happie is the dead mans state,
Then those that in this life such troubles try,
And life like death, my heart begins to hate,
Death vnto endlesse life, is but the gate,
But life is vnto death a longsome way,
Where tyresome troubles vexe vs day by day.

And death (that lothsome state which life doth shun,)
By life it selfe, with care and toyle is sought:
Through perils men to purchase death do run,
And with lifes scorne, holde death but cheaply bought,
Which honour to them selues or countrey brought:
For life could not exempted be from wo,
Whilst dying they, all worldly cares forgo.

3. The vnhorne better then them both, who such ill daies not saw,
4. It vexed me the spight to see, that vertuous workes do draw.

3.

But yet indeed, since both by life and death,

And I count him better thē them both, which hath not yet bin: for he hath not seene the euill works which are wrought vnder the sunne.

The state of many men is wretched still:
They may most happie seeme, which nere drew breath,
Or infants dyed, neuer knowing ill:
And reason good, for both produce I will:
The ones not being, making them to bee
Incapable of vengeance wicked see.

The other cleane exempt from humane care,
As being dead, now needing nothing more,
Whose actuall crimes; hels doome could not prepare,
Originall sinnes, by grace were cleansd before,
And mercie guiding them to high heau'ns dore,
Whose want of reason (liuing) knew no wo,
But voyd of feare, to death did mildly go.

4.

This other plague besides, doth follow man,

Also I beheld all trauell, and all perfection of workes that this is the enuy of a mā against his neighbour: this also is vanitie and vexation of the Spirit.

A vice (alas) too common in this age,
The more of vertue that he glory can,
The more the baser sort repine and rage,
And with reprochfull slander malice swage,
Depriuing, or deprauing best desart,
Or it Eclipsing with some guilefull art.

No foe to learning, like the ignorant,
Nor to the good, like to the bad we say:
Gods kingdome Beliall seeketh to supplant,
And vertue fayling his another way,
Euen viciously they vertue would betray,
Who herein yet themselues do but disgrace,
For slander can not iust deserts deface.

5. The slothfull foole he folds his hands, but hunger staru'd he pines,
6. Whilst to a poore (but lasie life) his chosen course inclines.

5.

The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh.

Themselues like fooles, and feeble helplesse wights,
Vnable or vnwilling to attaine
The trauell which belongs to vertues rights,
Doe poore disgracefull liue, and so remaine,
And caterpiller like, on others paine,
Doe feed and liue, to world improfitable,
Driuen to depend on scraps, of others table.

Nay well it were with some, if so it were,
Who foodlesse are compeld to begge or starue,
Because their idle fingers doe forbeare
The honest trades, which might their liuing serue,
Whose folded hands, no better doth deserue,
But as they to themselues do proue vnkind,
So they of others, should no better find.

6.

Better is an handfull with quietnes, then two handfuls with labor and vexation of the Spirit.

Yet, which is lamentable to be told,
They senselesse so in idlenesse delight,
That they their course of life to prayse are bold,
And all virilitie excluding quight,
Their base borne humours glose so well in sight,
As though an humble thought, and peace of mind,
From all industrie did the honest bind.

As though that peace and plentie neuer met,
As if wealth were attain'd with bare desire,
As though they carelesse were that liue in debt,
As if they griefelesse, who not wealth aspire,
As though God did not trauell'of vs require,
As though an humble mind appeard not best,
In modest vse of plentie and of rest.

7. More vanitie I searched out, and this I found, that one
8. Liues carefull to get vnheird wealth, and pyning liues alone.

7.

Thus doth one error forth another bring,

Againe I returned, and saw vanitie vnder the Sunne.

Like Hydras heads, which ech way vs assayle,
Man vnto man, a Wolfe with Scorpions sting
Of force by fraud still seeketh to preuayle,
If Sathans forren practises do fayle,
Our selues against our selues he straight doth arme,
With ougly lusts of sinne, which in vs swarme.

So though we scape one snare, we soone may fall
Into some other snare, that he hath set,
Into despaire, if our estate be small,
Into presumption, if our power be great:
And euery sinne doth thousands more beget,
And we with euery waue of fortunes wind,
Do swell or sinke, in glorie of our mind.

8.

And yet of all vaine humors that arise,

There is one alone, & there is not a second, which hath neither sonne nor brother, yet is there none end of all his trauell, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches: neither doth he thinke, for whom do I trauell and defraud my soule of pleasure: this also is vanitie, and this is an euill trauell.

This seemes to me the greatest plague indeed,
When one (of powre) vnto himselfe denies
The lawfull pleasures might his comfort breed,
When he hath no man but himselfe to feed,
Ne child, ne heire, ne any friend at all,
To whom his horded wealth he wisht to fall.

And yet he ceaseth not, to trauell still
To gather wealth, he knoweth not how nor why,
Which though with plentie God into him fill:
He to himselfe doth natures wants deny,
And of the world, is made a scorne thereby,
Not hauing grace once to his mind to call,
To whom the wealth he gets, is like to fall.

9. Not thinking, two do more deserue then one, and haue more hire,
10. A readier helpe (if foot do slip) do find, if need require.

9.

Two are better then one: for they haue better wages for their labour.

Ne knowes he truly (as it should appeare)
The blessings that his wealth depend vpon,
For did he, he would hold no wealth too deare
To be bestowd in gaine of such a one,
As might his comfort breed, with whom alone
He might recount the secrets of his state,
And partner make, of good and aduerse fate.

For by the lawes of friendship and of loue,
Such mutuall frutes doth kindnesse counterchange,
That two as one, like tast of state do proue,
And eithers thoughts do in the other range,
With such a sympathy as seemeth strange,
Whilst gaine of both, to each one doth remaine,
And eithers kindnesse, kindnesse payes againe.

10.

For if they fall, the one will lift vp his fellow: but woe vnto him that is alone: for he falleth, & there is not a second to lift him vp.

If one of them an inconuenience haue,
The other readie is to yeeld reliefe,
His perill shall the others perill saue,
And with his yeelding shoulders beare his griefe,
And (which indeed of all is comfort chiefe)
His weale and woe, on th'others shall depend,
And loue in both, both ascend and descend.

Whilst that this wretched solitary wight,
Vnknowne and vnregarded quite of all,
Shall liue the obiect vnto all despight,
And helplesse perish, if he hap to fall,
No pittie finding, or but very small:
For who by gratitude, is bound to mone
His case, who carelesse seekes to liue alone?

11. If two togither ly, they find, the heat that sole bed lackes,
12. If wrōgd, reliu'd by friend, for three plight cord not lightly cracks.

11.

Such one (me thinkes) may well compared bee,

Also if two sleep together, then shall they haue heat: but to one how should there be heat?

Vnto a man that in long winters night,
(Through lacke of light) can no earths comfort see,
And in his bed can find no great delight,
When (lacking list to sleepe) he hath no wight,
With whom in speech the time to passe away,
But (wallowing in his bed) doth long for day.

Or rather to the withered aged man,
In whom the liues warmth bloud is waxen cold,
Whom when as shiuerings seaze, he seeketh than,
In many furres and clothes himselfe t'infold,
Which not suffising, then he also would
A bed-fellow wish, wherewith to haue withstood
His cold, by others heat of natiue blood.

12.

And that in all respects (I well may say)

And if one ouercome him, two shall stand against him: and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

The solitary man vnhappy is,
Do but mans nature herein truly way,
Which is directly opposite to this,
He in societie reposeth blisse:
Whose maker great, to whom he best was knowne,
Ordain'd a meanes he might not liue alone.

The diuerse wants (likewise) our liues sustaine,
Compels the wise a neighbour helpe to craue,
A single man is soone opprest by twaine,
Whose valour (though right great) will scarce him saue,
For great the strength small twigs in bundell haue,
And closely plighted threeds, strong Cables make,
And force vnited, greater force doth take.

13. A poore wise child is better then an old fond king vntaught,
14. From prison to a crown he climbs, that poore king set at naught.

13.

Better is a poore and wise child, then an old and foolish king, which wil no more be admonished.

The princely state of all most happie held,
And happiest sure (if worthie Prince haue place)
Hath not all common woes so well expeld,
But often times their crownes do cares imbrace,
(Though God as his owne deputies doth them grace)
For where in vertue and wisedome is defect,
Full hardly can that honour them perfect.

For though best subiects bodies do obay,
The tyranny of most iniust behest,
Yet doth their minds obedience oft denay,
When they do find that powre hath right supprest,
And then the poore wise child is held more blest,
That yeeldeth to aduice the sage doth bring,
Then ill aduised head-strong aged King.

14.

For out of the prison he commeth forth to raigne, when as he that is borne in his kingdome, is made poore:

Such one there hath (not seldom times) bene seene,
Of base descent by pedegree of kin,
Abandon'd so of hope, that you would weene
He hardly should his liuing poorely win,
(Much lesse of captiue euer free haue beene:)
Yet so by vertue he hath raysd his state,
In th'end he wore a crowne that pynde of late.

Whereas contrariwise, you oft behold,
The worthlesse child of many a worthy king,
On predecessors vertues grow so bold,
And to their state so little honor bring,
That from them, natiue right some others wring,
And they vnto the common state of men,
Poore and reiected do returne as then.

15. I saw all liuing follow change, and on sunne rising gaze,
16. No trust in peoples loue, now one, now other they will prayse.

15.

For so iust God the Monarke maker great,

I beheld all the liuing, which walke vnder the sunne, with the secōd child which shall stand vp in his place.

Disposeth of these Emperies below,
That as they well or ill their flocke intreat,
He moueth so their subiects harts to grow,
He maketh fierce Adonebesock know
Himselfe, of mightie Prince most wretch aliue,
And captiu'd Ioseph, by his bondage thriue.

Yea so vnstable are mens minds withall,
That nothing can long time their minds content,
Vnhappy are those men, who vnder-fall
The vulgar censure, which is lightly bent
Vnto new-fangled liking. And who rent
The right of rule from father, to bestow
On child oft times, before he merit show.

16.

So doth man gaze vpon the rising sunne,

There is none end of all the people, nor of all that were before them, and they that come after, shal not reioice in him, surely this is also vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.

So soone we surfet feeding on the best,
So fast the multitude to mischiefe runne,
So hardly can the fonder sort digest
Obedience, where their safest state should rest,
That (monster like) they many heads do reare,
And euery head ten thousand fancies beare.

In which their choice, by chance if they attaine
Vnto a worthy guyder of their state,
He in their likings can not long remaine,
Whilst (causelesse) malcontents turne loue to hate,
Which cares (with many more) their ioyes abate,
And makes their raysed state more deeply way,
That wo, which nature doth on all men lay.

17. For all is vaine, saue to serue God, which whē thou dost prepare:
Heare ere thou speake, of sacrifice, of babbling foole beware.

17.

Take heed to thy foot, when thou enterest into the house of God, and be more neare to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles: for they know not that they do euill.

Now least my speech which tended to thy cure,
Should in thy mind worlds meere misliking breed,
Which yet perforce, a space thou must indure,
I will thee now with wholesome counsell feed,
With God and man, instructing thee the way
To liue in peace, and worldly cares alay.

And first (as chiefest comfort of the rest)
I will direct thy steps to God aboue,
Vnto whose seruice when thou art addrest,
Let reuerent feare thy whole affection moue,
Come thou to learne, thy schoole his Temple make,
And fond prescriptious, of thy owne forsake.