A06504:406
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
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.
London: printed by John Daye, 1573London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1573
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Better is the day of death, then the day of birth.
Better is the day of death, then the day of byrth.
1I Think this also is spoken proverbially. It seemeth to taste of gentility, & the flesh, to prefer death before life. But he speaketh not simply of life and death, but of such things as are to be ⟨p. 108⟩done, and are done even of the wisest men. Show me a man in office, or ruler of a house and family, and let him say, if it were better to wish death, then to live in so many dangers and toils? Solomon therefore compareth this life to himself, and not to the life to come, & saith: If we shall consider the life of man, then it is true that the day of death is better then the day of birth. For what greater evil can happen to a man, then that those which are in office, and do all they can with all their hart for the behoof of the common weal, and suffer whatsoever things for the common weals sake, yet at the length find nothing but all kind of ingratefulnes, contempt, loss, banishment. &c.
1I Thinke this also is spoken prouerbially. It séemeth to taste of gentilitie, & the fleshe, to preferre death before lyfe. But he speaketh not simply of lyfe and death, but of such thinges as are to be ⟨p. 108⟩done, and are done euen of ye wysest mē. Shew me a man in office, or ruler of a house and familie, and let him say, if it were better to wishe death, then to liue in so many daungers and toyles? Salomō therefore compareth this life to himselfe, and not to the lyfe to come, & saith: If we shall consider the lyfe of man, then it is true that the day of death is better then the day of byrth. For what greater euil can happen to a man, then that those which are in office, and doe all they can with all their hart for the behoofe of the common weale, and suffer whatsoeuer thinges for the common weales sake, yet at the length finde nothing but all kynde of ingratefulnes, contempt, losse, banishment. &c.