Ecclesiastes 4
Vanity is increased unto men by oppression,
Ecclesiastes 4:1 I turnede me to othere thingis, and Y siy fals chalengis, that ben don vndur the sunne, and the teeris of innocentis, and no man coumfortour; and that thei forsakun of the help of alle men, moun not ayenstonde the violence of hem. Ecclesiastes 4:2 And Y preiside more deed men than lyuynge men; Ecclesiastes 4:3 and Y demyde hym, that was not borun yit, and siy not the yuels that ben don vndur the sunne, to be blisfulere than euer eithir.
by envy,
Ecclesiastes 4:4 Eft Y bihelde alle the trauelis of men, and bisynesses; and Y perseyuede that tho ben opyn to the enuye of neiybore; and therfor in this is vanyte, and superflu bisynesse.
by idleness,
Ecclesiastes 4:5 A fool foldith togidere hise hondis, and etith hise fleischis, Ecclesiastes 4:6 and seith, Betere is an handful with reste, than euer either hondful with trauel and turment of soule.
by covetousness,
Ecclesiastes 4:7 I bihelde and foond also another vanytee vndir the sunne; Ecclesiastes 4:8 oon is, and he hath not a secounde; not a sone, not a brother; and netheles he ceesith not for to trauele, nether hise iyen ben fillid with richessis; nether he bithenkith, and seith, To whom trauele Y, and disseyue my soule in goodis? In this also is vanyte, and the worste turment.
by solitariness,
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Therfor it is betere, that tweyne be togidere than oon; for thei han profite of her felouschipe. Ecclesiastes 4:10 If oon fallith doun, he schal be vndurset of the tothere; wo to hym that is aloone, for whanne he fallith, he hath noon reisynge him. Ecclesiastes 4:11 And if tweyne slepen, thei schulen be nurschid togidere; hou schal oon be maad hoot? Ecclesiastes 4:12 And if ony man hath maistri ayens oon, tweyne ayen stonden hym; a threfolde corde is brokun of hard.
by wilfulness.
Ecclesiastes 4:13 A pore man and wijs is betere than an eld kyng and fool, that kan not bifore se in to tyme to comynge. Ecclesiastes 4:14 For sum tyme a man goith out bothe fro prysoun and chaynes to a rewme; and anothir borun in to a rewme is wastid bi nedynesse. Ecclesiastes 4:15 I siy alle men lyuynge that goen vndur the sunne, with the secounde yong wexynge man, that schal rise for hym. Ecclesiastes 4:16 The noumbre of puple, of alle that weren bifore hym, is greet with outen mesure, and thei that schulen come aftirward, schulen not be glad in hym; but also this is vanyte and turment of the spirit.
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