Song of Solomon 3

¹ For mynde of a wijs man schal not be, in lijk maner as nether of a fool with outen ende, and tymes to comynge schulen hile alle thingis togidere with foryetyng; a lerned man dieth in lijk maner and an vnlerned man. ² And therfor it anoiede me of my lijf, seynge that alle thingis vndur sunne ben yuele, and that alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of the spirit. ³ Eft Y curside al my bisynesse, bi which Y trauelide moost studiousli vndur sunne, and Y schal haue an eir after me, ⁴ whom Y knowe not, whether he schal be wijs ether a fool; and he schal be lord in my trauels, for whiche Y swatte greetli, and was bisi; and is ony thing so veyn? ⁵ Wherfor Y ceesside, and myn herte forsook for to trauele ferthere vnder sunne. ⁶ For whi whanne another man trauelith in wisdom, and techyng, and bisynesse, he leeueth thingis getun to an idel man; and therfor this is vanyte, and greet yuel. ⁷ For whi what schal it profite to a man of al his trauel, and turment of spirit, bi which he was turmentid vndur sunne? ⁸ Alle hise daies ben ful of sorewis and meschefs, and bi nyyt he restith not in soule; and whether this is not vanyte? ⁹ Whether it is not betere to ete and drynke, and to schewe to hise soule goodis of hise trauels? and this thing is of the hond of God. ¹⁰ Who schal deuoure so, and schal flowe in delicis, as Y dide? ¹¹ God yaf wisdom, and kunnyng, and gladnesse to a good man in his siyt; but he yaf turment, and superflu bisynesse to a synnere, that he encreesse, and gadere togidere, and yyue to hym that plesith God; but also this is vanyte, and veyn bisynesse of soule.