Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

VIII. 14 Unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked.

Which speed ill, and are outwardly punished, as the wicked deserve to be.

VIII. 15 Then I commended mirth, because &c.

I resolved that it was good for man to be cheerful in his calling, and the good and holy use of God's blessings.

IX. 1 No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

No man can, by the success of these outward things, judge and know, whether he be in the love or hatred of God.

IX. 3 And madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Their heart is resolved to go madly and desperately forward in their wickedness, while they live; and when they have done thus lewdly, they drop into the grave, if not into hell.

IX. 4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: but a living dog is better than a dead lion.

If we compare the estate of the living and the dead, whether in itself or in respect of the present world, no doubt that of the living is better; for while we live here we may be still in hope, either of amending, or of receiving further graces and blessings; both which are, in regard of this life, cut off from the dead; and, as our common proverb runs, the most vile and contemptible of all creatures, the dog, that is alive, is better than the most generous of all beasts, the lion, which is now dead.

IX. 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know. not any thing, neither have they any more a reward.

However, in respect of a better life and the glorious estate of the soul, the case is quite contrary; yet, in reference to our present and sensible condition, the living know something; if no more but this, that they must die: but the dead know nothing at all, of these earthly occurrences; neither have they any more part or interest in these affairs, or any sense of their increase or diminution. IX. 6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any moré a portion in any thing that is done under the sun.

Also, together with their senses, their affections are ceased: their love and their hatred of their wonted objects are now perished; their envy and their desires are gone; neither have they ought to do with any thing, that is done here below.

IX. 8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

Testify the joy of thy heart, by the neatness and brightness of thy garments; and let thy head lack no store of sweet and precious oils, to cheer thy spirits and perfume thy skin.

IX. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Whatever occasion of honest delight offer itself unto thee, take it; and whatever opportunity is offered thee of doing good, embrace it gladly and do it accordingly, with all thy heart; for thou hast but a while to do it or to enjoy it, since that in the

grave, whither - thou goest, there is no work to be done, no device to be contrived, no use of knowledge or wisdom.

IX. 11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

I saw and observed, that, here on earth, all things do not fall out according to the probability of second causes, but by an overruling of Providence: the swiftest man doth not always win the race, nor the strong prevail in battle; the wise man doth not always get maintenance, nor the prudent wealth, nor the skilful approbation and favour; but every one, in his time, hath a several issue and event, according to the predetermination of the Almighty, beyond or contrary to his own hopes.

IX. 12 For man also knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare ; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

For inan cannot foreknow the time of his death or danger; but, even as the heedless fish runs unawares into the net, and the silly bird into the snare, so are we wretched men caught in the net and snare of evil occurrents, in the time which God hath secretly set, and surprized suddenly with unavoidable calamities.

IX. 14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.

There were many men in it, yet but one wise man the number of the other was helpless, if not burdenous: that wise man was poor; and that poor man, by a stratagem, unthought of by the rest, found means to rescue and deliver that city; yet when he had done, no man regarded that man, because he was poor in estate, though rich in wisdom.

IX. 17 The words of the wise are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

The words of a wise poor man, though spoken softly out of a fearful and lowly kind of bashfulness, are worthy of more respect, than the imperious loud clamours of him that rules among fools.

X. 1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little foliy him that is in reputation for

reisdom and honour.

Let the ointment be never so fragrant, yet if dead flies be suffered to corrupt in it, the sweet smell thereof will be turned to a loathsome stench; so let a man be in never so good reputation for wis dom and honour, yet some one foolish humour and weak miscarriage of his mars and stains his estimation.

X. 2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart

at his left.

A wise man's heart is apt to give meet counsels, and to suggest dextrous and ready ways for the performance of any enterprize; whereas the fool's heart, and hand, goes sinisterly to work, and is utterly unapt to all good uses.

X. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. Yea, let the fool but walk by the way, and his very motion, and gesture, shews what he is, and proclaims his want of wit: much more do his words and actions bewray him.

X. 4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

If the prince be angry with thee, do not, in a stomach or froward pettishness, give up thine office; but yield way humbly to that displeasure, and seek by submission to satisfy his indignation. X. 5 As an error which proceedeth from the ruler.

As an error, that proceeds from princes, in the ill choice which they make of those whom they promote.

X. 6 Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. That foolish and unfit men are advanced to places of dignity and employments in public affairs, while those that are truly able, both for their parts and estate, and are well worthy of eminent places, are neglected and disregarded ;

X. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.

Which, what is it other, than as if servants should ride on horseback, while princes walk by their stirrups, as their grooms on foot in a servile attendance?

X. 8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

It is a dangerous matter, to attempt any thing against authority and established government: whosoever doth so, doth but dig a pit whereinto himself shall fall; and, while he is breaking up an old hedge, is unawares stung with an adder that lay under those bushes.

X. 9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

Such a one doth as the man, who, while he labours to remove an old heap of stones, bruiseth his feet; or, as he, who, cleaving of wood, cuts himself with the axe, or receives some of the splinters into his eye.

X. 10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. Strength without wit prevails not: if the axe be blunt and want an edge, there needs much force to be put to it in vain: wisdom doth, as it were, whet the edge of the axe, and directs to do that, with ease, which otherwise cannot be atchieved with much labour.

X. 11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

As the serpent which is not charmed will bite or sting the

passenger,

so will a busy and babbling detractor wound the absent, with his malicious tongue.

X. 12 But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

The words of a fool will be the occasion of his own undoing.

X. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, whọ can tell him?

A fool is full of words: a man cannot tell what he would have, or what he would say; and what the end of his speech or drift will be, no man can tell.

X. 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

Fools tire out themselves with laboursome and needless circuitions; and, out of simplicity, fetch large compasses over untracked ways, because they do not so much as know the beaten road to the city, which is both easy and short.

X. 16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

Woe to thee, O land, whose king, being unmeet for age or impotency to sway the public government, is not assisted with temperate and orderly peers, but such as spend that time, which they should set apart to justice, in riot and revelling.

X. 17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness !

Blessed art thou, O land, whose king is royally descended, and whose princes are sober and temperate; eating and drinking seasonably, and without excess, as those that would nourish their health, and not their luxury and disorder.

X. 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

Feasts are for jollity and pleasure, and wine is for mirth; but it is money, that must provide these, and all other helps, whether for delight or necessity.

X. 20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

Do not entertain so much as an undutiful thought in thy heart, concerning thy sovereign; neither do thou speak evil of great persons that are in authority, so much as in thy bedchamber; for God will find means to bring it out, and revenge it; and rather than it should not be revealed, God will cause the very fowls of the air to disclose it.

XI. 1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Bestow thy beneficence upon them, which are utterly unlikely ever to return it; for he, that seeth in secret, will, when thou hast forgotten it, restore it unto thee with a happy increase.

XI. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou know. cst not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Be not straight handed in thine alms, but give them liberally to all that have need; for thou knowest not how soon thou mayest have need of others' bounty, nor how soon thou shalt be bereaved of an opportunity to give thine own.

XI. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

As the clouds which are full of rain empty themselves upon earth, so the liberal heart that is full of bounty empties itself in seasonable contributions; and which way soever thou castest thy beneficence, whether to the south or north, thou shalt be sure there to find it, through God's gracious remuneration, with advantage.

XI. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

Let not every circumstance of vain fear discourage thee from doing good and distributing: he, that is too curious to observe every wind that blows, shall never find opportunity to sow.

XI. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

As thou knowest not how or when the soul comes into the body; or how and by what degrees the child is formed, in all the several parts thereof, within the womb of the mother: so, much less canst thou know those secret works of God, which he will do in time

to come.

XI. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether &c.

Be thou constant and assiduous in doing good, and desist not at any time if one of thy endeavours succeed not, yet another may; and thou knowest not which of them may speed the best.

XI. 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

Indeed life is sweet, and light gives cheerfulness unto our life; it is a comfortable thing to enjoy the benefit thereof, which our eye sends into our soul:

XI. 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.

But let a man live, and enjoy both the light and all the pleasures and delights of this life, never so many years; yet, let him bethink himself of that darkness of death, and the grave whereinto he is entering, and consider the long continuance of that darkness, in comparison of this short and momentary life and light; he shall have no lust to surfeit of these things, but shall confess that all that comes is vanity.

XI. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth.

Go to then, O thou vain young man, take thy full scope of pleasure in thy youth, &c. Deny nothing to thyself, that either thine

[ocr errors]
« PoprzedniaDalej »