Title page of An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed, London, 1573

A06504:34

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowedAn exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed

Name: An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed
Author: Martin Luther

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed.An exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed.

Martin Luther 1483–1546London: printed by John Daye, 1573London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1573

181 [i.e. 187] leaves · 71k words · STC 16979 · ESTC S105591

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Chapter 1 › Most vain vanity.Chapter 1 › Most vayne vanitie.

Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.

[ Earlier:33–46 of 797

:33p. 11

Most vain vanity.

Most vayne vanitie.

:34p. 11

This an Hebrew phrase. For where the Hebrews have no superlative nor comparative degree, they are constrained by way of compounding to make their superlative and comparative degrees.¹ So they use to call a most excellent and singular song, the song of songs, as Solomon hath done. A vanity of vanities, that is, the greatest vanity that can be, that is, nothing else but vanity. All this he speaketh not against the creatures them selves, but against the hart of man, that ⟨image 13⟩abuseth the creatures to his own hinderance. And this repetition, vanity of vanities, and all things are vain, is Solomons peculiar copiousness.

THis an Hebrew phrase. For where the Hebrues haue no superlatiue nor comparatiue degrée, they are constrained by way of compounding to make their superlatiue and comparatiue degrées.¹ So they vse to call a most excellent and singular song, the song of songes, as Salomon hath done. A vanitie of vanities, that is, the greatest vanitie that can bée, that is, nothing els but vanitie. All this he speaketh not against ye creatures thē selues, but against the hart of man, that ⟨image 13⟩abuseth the creatures to his owne hinderaunce. And this repetition, vanitie of vanities, and all thinges are vayne, is Salomons peculiar copiousnes.

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The book

Title as printed

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowed.An exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed.

Author

Martin Luther 1483–1546

Place

London

Printer

John DayeIohn Daye

Year

1573

Size

181 [i.e. 187] leaves

Words

71,187

Catalogue

STC 16979 · ESTC S105591

Text

EEBO-TCP A06504

Passages

797

Sections

334

Title page

An exposition of Solomons book called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seen and allowedAn exposition of Salomons booke called Ecclesiastes or the preacher. Seene and allowed

Most vain vanity.

Most vayne vanitie.

What hath a man of all the labour he taketh under the Sun?

What hath a man of all the labour he taketh vnder the Sunne?

Under the Sun.

Vnder the Sunne.

One generation passeth away, and an other cometh, but the earth abideth, or endureth still.

One generation passeth away, and an other commeth, but the earth abydeth, or indureth still.

The sun riseth and goeth down, and returneth to his place again breathing, that he may rise up again. The wind goeth toward the South, and turneth to the North, fetcheth his compass, whirleth about, goeth forth, and returneth again to his circuits from whence he did come.

The sunne riseth and goeth down, and returneth to hys place agayne breathyng, that hee may rise vp agayn. The wynde goeth toward the South, and turneth to the North, fetcheth his compasse, whyrleth about, goeth forth, and returneth againe to his circuites from whence he dyd come.

And breathing again to his place.

And breathing againe to his place.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

Most vain vanity.

Most vayne vanitie.

What hath a man of all the labour he taketh under the Sun?

What hath a man of all the labour he taketh vnder the Sunne?

Under the Sun.

Vnder the Sunne.

One generation passeth away, and an other cometh, but the earth abideth, or endureth still.

One generation passeth away, and an other commeth, but the earth abydeth, or indureth still.

The sun riseth and goeth down, and returneth to his place again breathing, that he may rise up again. The wind goeth toward the South, and turneth to the North, fetcheth his compass, whirleth about, goeth forth, and returneth again to his circuits from whence he did come.

The sunne riseth and goeth down, and returneth to hys place agayne breathyng, that hee may rise vp agayn. The wynde goeth toward the South, and turneth to the North, fetcheth his compasse, whyrleth about, goeth forth, and returneth againe to his circuites from whence he dyd come.

And breathing again to his place.

And breathing againe to his place.