Ecclesiastes, or The Preacher - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 885

ECCLESIASTES. 6.*.4 For he comes to vanity, and goes to darkness, and his name is wrapped in darkness !——He who has not seen the sun nor known it,·—-—rests better than him !-·even though he should have lived a thousand years twice over, and has not experienced pleasure ¥—D0 not the whole go to one place? Lxwrune 8. W32 Qupzizssncss uf Qiarilylg ®E¤1·t. AU the labour of a. man is for his

mouth;·~·and yet the mouth is not filled! Then what remains with the educated more than with the 7-16

ignorant,-—and the p0or,——who knows he walks with the living enjoying the sight of his eyes and the course ofhis life ?·-·—T his also is vanity and vexation of spirit I Who existed formerly? A name

was given to him ;—-·and it is known that name was ADAM. But he could not contend with a mightier than himself. Where there are many words there

is much uselessness,--What does man gain? For who knows what is best for man in his life ?-·—for the number of the days of his worthless life which he passes as a shadow ? for who can inform man what will be after him. under the sun? IO II I2

I H E SECOND BOO K OF TH E PREACHER.

10 11 :2 POEMS AND LECTURES. Inrnonucrony Poem. ®:t the Qui (lilhiezis uf Qifz. A good name is better than sweet perfume- And the day of death, than the day of birth ! Better go to the house of sorrow, Than go to the house of feasting; For that, is the end of all men, And the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad face, the heart is improved. The heart of the Wise seeks the house of Grief, But the heart of the Fools, the house of ]oy. Better hear the reproof of the Wise. Than attend to the singing of Fools ! As crackling thorns sound under a pot, So the laughter of Fools is vain l Oppression can madden the wise, And a bribe perverts the mind. The end of a thing excels the beginning, And a gentle spirit excels a proud. Excite not your spirit to anger, For anger resides in the bosom of fools ! LECTURE 9. _ (9** H}? yum!} nf @w£md2¤i• Do not ask why the former times

were better than these ?———for V it is not wise to enquire why,—Seience is good with an estate, and it is useful is able to straighten what He has bent ? In the day of prosperity be happy;

and in the day of adversity reflect; for GOD made both this and that. To spare words, no man can discover anything about events after himself! to those who see the sun, for science is a defence, as money is a defence, and abundant knowledge of science may preserve the life of its possessor. Consider the Creation of GOD. Who I have observed all this in my

unhappy days,·-that sornetimes a good man perished by his goodness; and sometimes a bad man is pre- served by his crimes! Do not be 88n 16