The Value of Wisdom

1A good name is more worth then a precious oyntment, and the daye of death is better the ye daye of byrth.

2It is better to go in to an house of mournynge, then in to a bancket house. For there is the ende of all men, and he that is lyuinge, taketh it to herte.

3It is better to be sory then to laugh, for whe the countenaunce is heuy, the herte is ioyfull.

4The herte of ye wyse is in the mournynge house, but the hert of the foolish is in the house of myrth.

5It is better to geue eare to the chastenynge of a wyse man, then to heare the songe of fooles.

6For the laughinge of fooles is like ye crackynge of thornes vnder a pott. And yt is but a vayne thinge.

7Who so doeth wronge, maketh a wyse man to go out of his witt, and destroyeth a gentle hert.

8The ende of a thinge is better then the begynnynge. The pacient of sprete is better then the hie mynded.

9Be not haistely angrie in yi mynde, for wrath resteth in the bosome of a foole.

10Saye not thou: What is the cause that ye dayes of ye olde tyme were better, then they yt be now? for that were no wyse question.

11wysdome is better then riches, yee moch more worth then the eye sight.

12For wysdome defendeth as well as moneye, and the excellent knowlege and wysdome geueth life vnto him that hath it in possession.

13Considre the worke of God, how that no man can make the thinge straight, which he maketh croked.

14Vse well the tyme of prosperite, and remembre the tyme of mysfortune: for God maketh the one by the other, so that a man can fynde nothinge els.

The Limits of Human Wisdom

15These ij. thiges also haue I cosidred in ye tyme of vanite: yt the iust man perisheth for his rightuousnes sake, & the vngodly liueth in his wickednesse. 16Therfore be thou nether to rightuous ner ouer wyse, yt thou perish not: 17be nether to vnrightuous also ner to foolish, lest thou die before thy tyme. 18It is good for the to take holde of this, & not to let yt go out of thy hande. For he yt feareth God shal escape them all.

19wysdome geueth more corage vnto the wyse, then ten mightie men of the citie: 20for there is not one iust vpo earth, yt doth good, & sinneth not. 21Take not hede vnto euery worde yt is spoken, lest thou heare thy seruaunt curse the: 22for thine owne hert knoweth, that thou thy self also hast oft tymes spoke euell by other men.

23All these thinges haue I proued because of wysdome: for I thought to be wyse, but she wente farther fro me 24then she was before, yee & so depe that I might not reach vnto her. 25I applied my mynde also vnto knowlege, and to seke out sciece, wisdome and vnderstondinge: to knowe the foolishnesse of the vngodly, and the erroure of dotinge fooles. 26And I founde, that a woman is bytterer then death: for she is a very angle, hir hert is a nett, and hir handes are cheynes. Who so pleaseth God shal escape from her, but the synner will be taken wt her.

27Beholde (sayeth ye preacher) this haue I diligently searched out & proued, yt I might come by knowlege: which as yet I seke, and fynde it not. 28Amonge a thousande men I haue founde one, but not one woman amonge all. 29Lo, this onely haue I founde, that God made man iust & right, but they seke dyuerse sotylties,