Ecclesiastes 8:15–17

²⁴¶ There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

²⁴¶ ^*‖ There is nothing better for a man, then that he should eat and drinke, and that he should make his soule enioy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

¹⁸¶ Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

¹⁸¶ ^*††Behold that which I haue seene: It is good and comely for one to eate and to drinke, and to enioy the good of all his labour that he taketh vnder the sunne, all the dayes of his life, which God giueth him: for it is his portion.

¹²I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

¹³And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

¹²I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to reioyce, and to doe good in his life.

¹³And also that euery man should eate and drinke, and enioy the good of all his labour: it is the gift of God.

⁷¶ Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

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

⁹Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

⁷¶ Goe thy way, eate thy bread with ioy, and drinke thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy workes.

⁸Let thy garments bee alwayes white; and let thy head lacke no oyntment.

^9†*Liue ioyfully with the wife, whom thou louest, all the dayes of the life of thy vanitie, which he hath giuen thee vnder the Sunne, all the dayes of thy vanitie: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest vnder the Sunne.

³Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

⁴For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

³Forbidding to marry, and commanding to absteine from meates, which God hath created to bee receiued with thankesgiuing of them which beleeue, and know the trueth.

⁴For euery creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be receiued with thankesgiuing:

¹⁷Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

¹⁷Charge them that are rich in this world, that they bee not high minded, nor trust in ^†vncertaine riches, but in the liuing God, who giueth vs richly all things to enioy,

²²Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

^22*Wherefore I perceiue that there is nothing better, then that a man should reioyce in his owne workes: for that is his portion; for who shall bring him to see what shalbe after him?

²³For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

^23*For all his dayes are sorrowes, and his traueile, griefe; yea his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanitie.

¹³And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

¹³And I gaue my heart to seeke and search out by wisedome, concerning all things that are done vnder heauen: this sore trauell hath God giuen to the sonnes of man, ^‖to be exercised therewith.

²It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

² It is vaine for you to rise vp early, to sit vp late, to eate the bread of sorrowes: for so hee giueth his beloued sleepe.

⁸There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

⁸There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither childe nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither sayth hee, For whom doe I labour, and bereaue my soule of good? this is also vanitie, yea it is a sore trauell.

¹²The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

¹²The sleepe of a labouring man is sweete, whether he eate little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleepe.

²⁵I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

^25†I applyed mine heart to know, and to search, and to seeke out wisdome, and the reason of things, aud to know the wickednes of folly, euen of foolishnesse and madnesse.

⁷For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

^7‖For hee knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him, when it shall be?

⁹All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

⁹All this haue I seene, and applied my heart vnto euery worke that is done vnder the Sunne: there is a time wherein one man ruleth ouer another to his owne hurt.

⁴⁰Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

⁴⁰ Thus I was in y ^e day, the drought consumed mee, and the frost by night, aud my sleep departed from mine eyes.

¹¹He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

¹¹He hath made euery thing beautifull in his time: also hee hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can finde out the worke that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

¹⁶When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

^16†When I thought to know this, it was too painfull for me,

³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his wayes past finding out!

²³¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

²⁴That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

²³¶ All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I said, I will be wise, but it was farre from me.

²⁴That which is farre off, and exceeding deepe, who can finde it out?

²⁸¶ Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

²⁸¶ ^*Hast thou not knowen? hast thou not heard, that the euerlasting God, the LORD, the Creatour of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is wearie? there is no searching of his vnderstanding.

⁹Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

^9*Which doth great things & ^†vnsearchable: marueilous things ^†without number.

⁵As 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.

⁵As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones doe growe in the wombe of her that is with child: euen so thou knowest not the workes of God who maketh all.

⁷Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

⁸It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

⁹The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

⁷Canst thou by searching finde out God? canst thou finde out the Almightie vnto perfection?

⁸ It is ^†as high as heauen, what canst thou doe? deeper then hell, what canst thou know?

⁹The measure therof is longer then the earth, and broader then the sea.

³I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

⁴Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?

^3†I neither learned wisedome, nor haue the knowledge of the holy.

^4*Who hath ascended vp into heauen, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his sonnes name, if thou canst tell?

⁵Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

^5‖Many, O LORD my God; are thy wonderfull workes which thou hast done, and thy thoughts, which are to vs ward: they cannot be reckoned vp in order vnto thee: if I would declare and speake of them, they are moe then can be numbred.

²⁴O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

²⁴O LORD, how manifold are thy workes! in wisedome hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.