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 |
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| II. |
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| 6. | Chap. 6. |
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| III. |
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 | Chap. 6. Ecclesiastes, otherwise called the Preacher |  |
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Chap. 6.
1. This mischief more mōgst mē I find, some haue their wish at will,
2. Of honor and wealth, yet liue in lacke, a strangers mouth to fill.
2. Of honor and wealth, yet liue in lacke, a strangers mouth to fill.
1.
Bvt not one woe alone I must disclose,
For many woes do follow humane kind,
Great were these griefes, but not more great then those
That vnrecorded yet do rest behind:
One mischiefe seldome time alone doth fall,
One care or other sure doth follow all.
For many woes do follow humane kind,
Great were these griefes, but not more great then those
That vnrecorded yet do rest behind:
One mischiefe seldome time alone doth fall,
One care or other sure doth follow all.
To speake of woes will lesse vnpleasing bee,
To such as heare (not feele) thereof the smart:
Thou (who so happie art) mayst better see,
(By others harme) thy happie peace of hart,
Then heare and learne more happinesse to gaine,
If thou (from others ill) thy selfe refraine.
To such as heare (not feele) thereof the smart:
Thou (who so happie art) mayst better see,
(By others harme) thy happie peace of hart,
Then heare and learne more happinesse to gaine,
If thou (from others ill) thy selfe refraine.
2.
Thou mayst well see full oft a man enioy,
In show, all blessings nature can bestow;
Lands, honors, wealth, whose wants breeds thee annoy,
Whilst he (to world) doth happy seeme in show,
Not wanting any thing that thou wouldst craue,
Yet some one want makes him small comfort haue.
In show, all blessings nature can bestow;
Lands, honors, wealth, whose wants breeds thee annoy,
Whilst he (to world) doth happy seeme in show,
Not wanting any thing that thou wouldst craue,
Yet some one want makes him small comfort haue.
He hath no wife, or else he hath no child,
Or hath them both, but both vngracious proue,
He wants his health, imprisond, or exild,
Or cares of common weale his ioyes remoue:
His restlesse mind thus thirsting midst the streame,
He pines in care, and finds his blisse a dreame.
Or hath them both, but both vngracious proue,
He wants his health, imprisond, or exild,
Or cares of common weale his ioyes remoue:
His restlesse mind thus thirsting midst the streame,
He pines in care, and finds his blisse a dreame.
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3. And more if hundreth sonnes & yeares he haue, if lack content,
4. If die contemnd, worse then abortiue child to graue he went.
4. If die contemnd, worse then abortiue child to graue he went.
3.
Suppose a hundreth children he begot,
And liu'd as long, as old Methusalem,
Yet if defame his family do spot,
And he do lack the common loue of men,
And want the honor of his funerall,
How can you any wayes him happie call?
And liu'd as long, as old Methusalem,
Yet if defame his family do spot,
And he do lack the common loue of men,
And want the honor of his funerall,
How can you any wayes him happie call?
True happinesse on vertue hath his ground,
And only measurd is by peace of mind:
What though all earthly blessings do abound?
If that the soule no inward comfort find,
Is not th'abortiue child more happie farre,
Then those that liuing, thus perplexed are?
And only measurd is by peace of mind:
What though all earthly blessings do abound?
If that the soule no inward comfort find,
Is not th'abortiue child more happie farre,
Then those that liuing, thus perplexed are?
4.
In farre more happie state, in very deed
Is he, whose timelesse birth his life denyes,
Whose mothers wombe vnable him to feed,
Vnperfect him reiects, and doth despise
Vnprofitable burden also long
To beare, that nature hath compounded wrong.
Is he, whose timelesse birth his life denyes,
Whose mothers wombe vnable him to feed,
Vnperfect him reiects, and doth despise
Vnprofitable burden also long
To beare, that nature hath compounded wrong.
For (being) he is not the same he seemes,
The others seeming proues not so indeed,
This liuelesse humane shape, a man none deemes,
That deemed man with dreames our eyes doth feed:
This neuer being knowen, none knoweth not,
Of all men this admyrd, of all forgot.
The others seeming proues not so indeed,
This liuelesse humane shape, a man none deemes,
That deemed man with dreames our eyes doth feed:
This neuer being knowen, none knoweth not,
Of all men this admyrd, of all forgot.
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5. That neuer saw nor knew this life: this did, the worse his state,
6. Two thousand yeres spent, void of ioy, makes death seeme ouer late.
6. Two thousand yeres spent, void of ioy, makes death seeme ouer late.
5.
How much it better is in true account,
To be a happie man, or so esteemd?
So farre th'abortiue th'other doth surmount,
Though naught it seeme, the other much is deemd:
For (hauing nothing good) it hath no ill,
But his expected good, all woes do fill.
To be a happie man, or so esteemd?
So farre th'abortiue th'other doth surmount,
Though naught it seeme, the other much is deemd:
For (hauing nothing good) it hath no ill,
But his expected good, all woes do fill.
His closed eyes which neuer saw this light,
Those woes nere saw, which th'other saw and felt,
His senslesse braine which knoweth no delight,
(Incapable of cares with th'other dwelt)
Makes his estate lesse ill, much better held,
Than his that thus, in wretchednesse exceld.
Those woes nere saw, which th'other saw and felt,
His senslesse braine which knoweth no delight,
(Incapable of cares with th'other dwelt)
Makes his estate lesse ill, much better held,
Than his that thus, in wretchednesse exceld.
6.
The multitude of yeares, but multiply
To the vnhappie, multitude of cares,
Two thousand yeares, to him that dead doth ly,
Are but one moment: all alike he fares,
But hours seem days, daies yeres, yeres millions seeme,
In care, griefe, agony, that spent we deeme.
To the vnhappie, multitude of cares,
Two thousand yeares, to him that dead doth ly,
Are but one moment: all alike he fares,
But hours seem days, daies yeres, yeres millions seeme,
In care, griefe, agony, that spent we deeme.
Then how vnhappy is that hated man,
Whose long and wealthy life, in bootlesse blis,
In life no peace or ioy, enioy he can:
In death not honor haue, that proper is
To such, as by their liues do merit well,
Who dead, in sacred tombe do famous dwell.
Whose long and wealthy life, in bootlesse blis,
In life no peace or ioy, enioy he can:
In death not honor haue, that proper is
To such, as by their liues do merit well,
Who dead, in sacred tombe do famous dwell.
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7. All toyle man takes, is for the mouth, his mind yet neuer easd:
8. The foole & wise cā both but liue, the wise (thogh poore) is pleasd.
8. The foole & wise cā both but liue, the wise (thogh poore) is pleasd.
7.
Alas, what gaineth man by all his paine,
Which in his pilgrimage on earth he takes?
Sure nothing but a life he doth maintaine,
And as his state permits he dyet makes,
For which (our backes and bellies nutriment)
Our times, our cares, our hopes and feares are spent.
Which in his pilgrimage on earth he takes?
Sure nothing but a life he doth maintaine,
And as his state permits he dyet makes,
For which (our backes and bellies nutriment)
Our times, our cares, our hopes and feares are spent.
And yet this food so carefully attaynd,
Cannot sustaine our life one longer day,
Then God by prouidence hath it ordaynd:
And when our time is come, we must away,
And though a little food will life sustaine,
Yet long without supply we not remaine.
Cannot sustaine our life one longer day,
Then God by prouidence hath it ordaynd:
And when our time is come, we must away,
And though a little food will life sustaine,
Yet long without supply we not remaine.
8.
What hath the wise, in all he doth possesse
More then the foole, whereof he may reioyce?
The vse of needfull things, he hath no lesse
That simple is, then who of wit hath choyce:
Both do but eat to liue, and liue to die,
Both like afflictions in their fortunes trie.
More then the foole, whereof he may reioyce?
The vse of needfull things, he hath no lesse
That simple is, then who of wit hath choyce:
Both do but eat to liue, and liue to die,
Both like afflictions in their fortunes trie.
What doth the misers care increase his state,
More then free spenders honest thrift doth his?
Yet th'one by wretchednesse doth purchase hate,
The others bountie alwayes praysed is:
Both care to liue, both can but liue thereby,
And both of force, must yeeld (ere long) to dy.
More then free spenders honest thrift doth his?
Yet th'one by wretchednesse doth purchase hate,
The others bountie alwayes praysed is:
Both care to liue, both can but liue thereby,
And both of force, must yeeld (ere long) to dy.
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9. To take thy share and wish no more, is best: desire is vaine.
10. What art thou mā, to striue with God? his wil thou must sustain.
10. What art thou mā, to striue with God? his wil thou must sustain.
9.
And therefore sure, whilst we are here to liue,
It is the best to liue with chearefull hart,
And cause of good report the world to giue,
And not for vs to breed our proper smart:
Our daies consume vnpleasing to our selues,
Offensiuely to such as with vs dwels.
It is the best to liue with chearefull hart,
And cause of good report the world to giue,
And not for vs to breed our proper smart:
Our daies consume vnpleasing to our selues,
Offensiuely to such as with vs dwels.
Yet both in end are vaine, and soone haue end,
No constancie or permanence in either,
The one or other can not life defend,
Both to the graue, are like to go togither:
Vaine and inconstant, is the fruit of all,
Wise, fond, sad, glad, into the earth must fall.
No constancie or permanence in either,
The one or other can not life defend,
Both to the graue, are like to go togither:
Vaine and inconstant, is the fruit of all,
Wise, fond, sad, glad, into the earth must fall.
10.
What can a man attaine by any thing,
Which he on earth, atchieueth any way,
But euen a name and fame, the which doth bring
A swelling Eccho of his prayse a day,
But is assoone forgotten as is gaynd,
And with a thousand slaunders may be staynd.
Which he on earth, atchieueth any way,
But euen a name and fame, the which doth bring
A swelling Eccho of his prayse a day,
But is assoone forgotten as is gaynd,
And with a thousand slaunders may be staynd.
His prayse cannot exceed, nor soone attaine
The like that many worthies had before,
Their fame is gone, thine cannot long remaine,
If thou be wise expect not any more:
For God thy maker hath ordayned so,
When he sayth yea, flesh may not answere no.
The like that many worthies had before,
Their fame is gone, thine cannot long remaine,
If thou be wise expect not any more:
For God thy maker hath ordayned so,
When he sayth yea, flesh may not answere no.
| Chap. 6. Ecclesiastes, otherwise called the Preacher | |