Ecclesiastes, Chapter 7

An honest Name, acquir'd by vertuous deeds,
The fragrant smell of Precious Oyles exceeds.
Even so the Houre of Death, that of our Birth:
Which Fame secures, and Earth restores to Earth.
Better to be at Funerals a Guest;
Then entertained at a Nuptiall feast:
For all must to the shades of Death descend;
And those that live should thinke of their last End.
Sorrow then Mirth, more to perfection moves:
For a sad Countenance the Soule improves.
The wise will therefore ioyne with such as mourne:
But fooles into the Bowers of Laughter turne.
A wise mans reprehensions, though severe,
More then the songs of Fooles should please the eare.
As thornes beneath a Caldron catch the fire,
Blaze with a noise, and suddenly expire;
Such is the immoderate laughter of vaine fooles:
This Vanitie in our distemper rules.
Oppressions purchases the Judgement blind;
Make wise men mad; a Guift corrupts the Mind.
Beginnings in their Ends, their meed obtaine:
Humility more conquers then Disdaine.
Nor be thou to distracting Anger prone:
By her deformities a foole is knowne.
Nor murmuring say: Why are these dayes of ours
Worse then the former? doth the chiefe of Powers
So differently the affaires of mortals sway?
Such questions but thy Arrogance display.
Wisedome, with Ancient Wealth, not got by care,
Great blessings heape on those who breath this Aire.
Both are to mortals a protecting shade,
When bitter stormes, or scorching beames invade:
But if divided; he who is possest
Of Life-infusing Wisedome, is more blest.
Gods works consider: who can rectifie,
Or make that streight which he hath made awry?
In thy prosperitie let joy abound;
Nor let adversitie thy patience wound:
For these by him so intermixed are,
That no man should presume, nor yet despaire.
All perturbations, all things that have beene,
I, in my dayes of vanitie, have seene:
How their owne justice have the just destroy'd;
And how the vicious have their vice enjoy'd.
Be therefore not too righteous, nor too wise:
For why should'st thou thy safetie sacrifice?
Be not too wicked, nor too foolish: why
Should'st thou by violence untimely dye?
Tis best for thee, that thou to neither leane;
But warily observe the safer Meane.
For they shall all their miseries transcend,
Who God adore, and on his will depend.
A wise man is by wisedome fortifi'd:
More strong then twenty which the Citie guide.
For Justice is not to be found on Earth:
None good, nor innocent, of humane Birth.
Give not to all that's said an open eare;
Least thou thy Servants execrations heare:
For thy owne heart can tell, that thou hast done
The like to others. Thy example shun.
All this by wisedome try'd, I seemed wise:
But shee from humane apprehension flyes.
Can that which is so farre remov'd, and drown'd
In such profundities, by Man be found?
Yet in her search I exercis'd my Mind;
Of things the Causes, and Effects to find:
The wickednesse of Folly sought to know;
Folly and Madnesse from one fountaine flow.
More sharpe then Death I found her subtle Art,
Who nets spreds in her Eyes, snares in her Heart;
Her Armes inthralling chaines: the prudent shall
Escape; the foole by her enchantments fall.
Of all the Preacher hath experience made;
The reasons, one by one, distinctly waigh'd:
Yet could I not attaine to what I most
Desir'd to know: in my inquiry lost.
One good among a thousand Men have knowne:
Among the female, sex of all, not one.
Though in perfection God did Man create;
Yet we through vanitie degenerate.