That of his grace I should bestow I thank them too with heart and hand, of you. And thus contented, lo! I stand 257 270 280 ECCLESIASTES. CHAPTER I. I, SOLOMON, David's son, King of Jerusalem, Chosen by God to teach the Jews, and in his laws to lead them, Confess, under the sun that everything is vain; The world is false; man he is frail, and all his pleasures pain. Alas! what stable fruit may Adam's children find In that they seek by sweat of brows and travail of their mind! We, that live on the earth, draw toward our decay ; Our children fill our place a while, and then they vade1 away. Such changes maketh earth, and doth remove for none, But serves us for a place to play our tragedies upon. 10 When that the restless sun westward his course hath run, Towards the east he hastes as fast, to rise where he begun. When hoary Boreas hath blown his frozen blast, Then Zephyrus, with his gentle breath, dissolves the ice as fast. Floods that drink up small brooks, and swell by rage of rain, Discharge in seas, which them repulse, and swallow straight again. These worldly pleasures, Lord! so swift they run their race, That scarce our eyes may them discern, they bide so What hath been, but is now? the like hereafter shall: What new device grounded so sure, that dreadeth not the fall? 20 What may be called new, but such things in times past As Time buried, and doth revive, and Time again shall waste? Things past, right worthy fame, have now no bruit at all; Even so shall die such things as now the simple wonders call. I, that in David's seat sit crowned, and rejoice, That with my sceptre rule the Jews, and teach them with my voice, Have searched long to know all things under the sun, To see how in this mortal life a surety might be won. This kindled will to know; strange things for to desire God hath graff'd in our greedy breasts a torment for our hire. 30 The end of each travail forthwith I sought to know; much woe. Defaults of nature's work no man's hand may restore, Which be in number like the sands upon the salt flood's shore. Then, vaunting in my wit, I 'gan call to my mind What rules of wisdom I had taught, that elders could not find. And, as by contraries to try most things we use, Men's follies, and their errors eke I 'gan them all peruse, Thereby with more delight to knowledge for to climb : But this I found an endless work of pain, and loss of time; For he to wisdom's school that doth apply his mind, The further that he wades therein, the greater doubts shall find; 40 And such as enterprise to put new things in ure, 43 Of some that shall scorn their device, may well themselves assure. CHAPTER II. FROM pensive fancies then I 'gan my heart revoke, And gave me to such sporting plays as laughter might provoke; But even such vain delights, when they most blinded me, Always, methought, with smiling grace a king did ill agree. Then sought I how to please my belly with much wine, To feed me fat with costly feasts of rare delights, and fine; And other pleasures eke to purchase me, with rest: But, Lord! what care of mind, what sudden storms of ire, By princely acts thus strove I still to make my fame endure. Delicious gardens eke I made to please my sight, And graff'd therein all kinds of fruits that might my mouth delight. Conduits, by lively springs from their old course I drew, For to refresh the fruitful trees that in my gardens grew. Of cattle great increase I bred in little space; Bondmen I bought; I gave them wives, and served me with their race. Great heaps of shining gold by sparing 'gan I save; 19 With things of price so furnished as fits a prince to have. 1 Cure:' care. To hear fair women sing sometime I did rejoice, 21 Ravished with their pleasant tunes, and sweetness of their voice. Lemans I had, so fair and of so lively hue, That whoso gazed in their face might well their beauty rue. Never erst sat there king so rich in David's seat; Yet still, methought, for so small gain the travail was too great. From my desirous eyes I hid no pleasant sight, Nor from my heart no kind of mirth that might give them delight; Which was the only fruit I reap'd of all my pain, To feed my eyes, and to rejoice my heart with all my gain. 30 But when I made my count, with how great care of mind And heart's unrest, that I had sought so wasteful fruit to find, Then was I stricken straight with that abused fire, The error then I saw, that their frail hearts doth move, above: 40 In whose most perfect works such craft appeareth plain, That to the least of them, there may no mortal hand attain. And like as lightsome day doth shine above the night, So dark to me did folly seem, and wisdom's beams as bright, |