Wisdom of Solomon — The Coverdale Bible (1535)

The Wisdom of Solomon is a Greek-Jewish meditation on wisdom, immortality and God’s guidance of Israel’s history. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the Apocrypha, which Coverdale gathered into a section of their own under the heading “The boke of Wyszdome”. Coverdale’s summary of the chapters stands before the text; the 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 19 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter.

What this boke conteyneth.

• Chap. I. An exortaciō for iudges and rulers to loue wyszdome. The sprete of wyszdome hateth falsede, disfimulacion and Ypocrysie, rebuketh vnrighteousnesse and abhorreth wicked doers.
• Chap. II. The ymaginaciōs and thoughtes of the vngodly, how they geue thē selues ouer vnto synne, and persecute all vertue and trueth.
• Chap. III. The felicite and health of godly people, though they be put here to trouble and heuynesse: Agayne, what sorow shall happen to the vngodly and their children.
• Chap. IIII. To lyue chaist & godly withall, is cōmendable. A disprayse of the wicked. The honoure of verteous age. The shamefull death of the vngodly.
• Chap. V. How the iust men shal stōde against the wicked, that haue put them here to trouble & what sorowe shall come vpon the vngodly. Agayne, what ioye shal happen to the righteous, which haue God himself for their defēce.
• Chap. VI. An exortacion vnto soch as be in rule and auctorite, to receaue wyszdome. A commēdacion of wyszdome.
• Chap. VII. All men haue like intraūce in to the worlde: yet who so calleth vpon God for wyszdome, shal haue his desyre The profit that cōmeth by wyszdome passeth all other thinges.
• Chap. VIII. Wiszdome shulde be receaued in youth. He that marieth himself vnto her, shall optayne loue of God and men.
• Chap. IX. A prayer vnto God for the gift of wyszdome.
• Chap. X. What profit and good came by wyszdome in the olde tyme.
• Chap. XI. How wiszdome ledeth the righteous, & how the vngodly are punyshed thorow the mightie hande of God.
• Chap. XII. God is mercifull and suffreth longe, to the intent that synners shulde amende.
• Chap. XIII. Vayne are they that haue not the knowlege of the lyuynge God, but turne vnto to the creatures: vnhappie are they that honoure ymages.
• Chap. XIIII. The worshippinge of ymages. The power of God. Punyshment of them that make ymages, and of soch as worshipe them. How ymages came vp first. The honouringe of ymages is the cause, begynnynge, and ende of all myschefe.
• Chap. XV. The faithfull haue respecte vnto God and not vnto ymages.
• Chap. XVI. God punisheth the wicked, but defendeth the godly, & that by greate wonders.
• Chap. XVII. Of the greate darcknesse in Egipte, and blyndnesse of the vngodly.
• Chap. XVIII. How God destroied the firstborne of Egipte. Gods people eate the easter lambe ioyfully, the Egiptians mourne, God punysheth the synners in the wildernesse, Moses intreateth for the people.
• Chap. XIX. Like as the wicked are euer synnynge more and more, so doth the wrath of God neuer ceasse, tyll they be destroyed. Of them that were punyshed in the tyme of Loth.

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Chapter 1

O Set youre affeccion vpō wyszdome,[A] ⁽¹⁾ ye that be iudges of the earth. Haue a good opinion of the LORDE, & seke him in the synglenesse of hert.⁽²⁾ For he will be foūde of them that tempte him not, and appeareth vnto soch as put their trust in him. As for frowarde thoughtes, they separate from God, but vertue (yf it be alowed) refourmeth yᵉ vnwyse. And why? wyszdome shall not entre in to a frowarde soule, ner dwell in the body that is subdued vnto synne. For the holy goost abhorreth fayned nurtoure, & withdraweth himself frō yᵉ thoughtes that are without vnderstondinge: & where wickednes hath the vpper hāde, he flieth from thence.⁽³⁾ For the sprete of wyszdome is louynge, gentle and gracious, and wil haue no pleasure in him that speaketh euell with his lippes. For God is a witnesse of his reynes, a true searcher out of his hert, and an hearer of his tonge.⁽⁴⁾ For the sprete of yᵉ LORDE fylleth the rounde compasse of the worlde, and yᵉ same that vpholdeth all thinges, hath knowlege also of the voyce.

Therfore he that speaketh vnrighteous [B] thinges, can not be hydd,⁽⁵⁾ nether maye he escape the iudgmēt of reprofe. And why? inquysicion shal be made for the thoughtes of the vngodly, and the reporte of his wordes shal come vnto God, so that his wickednes shalbe punished. For the eare of gelousy heareth all thinges, and the noyse of the grudginges shal not be hydd. Therfore bewarre of murmuringe, which is nothinge worth, and refrayne youre tonge from slaūder. For there is no worde so darck and secrete,⁽⁶⁾ that it shall go for naught: and the mouth that speaketh lyes, slayeth the soule.

O seke not youre owne death in yᵉ erroure [C] of youre life,⁽⁷⁾ destroye not youre selues thorow the workes of youre awne handes. For God hath not made death, nether hath he pleasure in the destruccion of the lyuynge. For he created all thinges, that they might haue their beynge: yee all the people of the earth hath he made that they shulde haue health, that there shulde be no destruccion in them, and that the kyngdome of hell shulde not be vpon earth (for righteousnesse is euerlastinge and immortall, but vnrighteousnes bringeth death.) Neuerthelesse, the vngodly call her vnto them both wᵗ wordes & workes, & whyle they thinke to haue a frende of her, they come to naught: for the vngodly that are confederate with her and take hir parte, are worthy of death.

Notes to Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ 3. Reg. 3 Psal. 2. b

⁽²⁾ 2. Par. 15▪

⁽³⁾ Galat. 5.

⁽⁴⁾ Esaie 6. a Iere. 23. d Acto. 7. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ 3. Re. 2. g Matt. 6. a Heb. 4. b

⁽⁶⁾ Luce 12. a

⁽⁷⁾ Deut. 4. c

Chapter 2

[A] FOr yᵉ vngodly talke & ymagin thus amonge them selues (but not right:) The tyme of oure life is but short & tedious,⁽¹⁾ & when a man is once gone, he hath nomore ioye ner pleasure, nether knowe we eny man yᵗ turneth agayne from death: for we are borne of naught, & we shal be herafter as though we had neuer bene. For oure breth is as a smoke in oure nostrels, & yᵉ wordes as a sparck to moue oure herte. As for oʳ body, it shalbe very aszshes yᵗ are quēched, & oʳ soule shal vanish as yᵉ soft ayre. Oure life shall passe awaye as yᵉ trace of a cloude, & come to naught as yᵉ myst yᵗ is dryuē awaye wᵗ the beames of yᵉ Sonne, & put downe wᵗ the heate therof. Oure name also shalbe forgotten by litle & litle, & no man shal haue oure workes in remembraunce.

[B] For oʳ tyme is a very shadow yᵗ passeth awaye,⁽²⁾ & after oʳ ende there is no returnynge, for it is fast sealed, so yᵗ no mā cōmeth agayne. Come on therfore, let vs enioye yᵉ pleasures yᵗ there are, & let vs soone vse yᵉ creature like as in youth. We wil fyll oure selues wᵗ good wyne & oyntment, there shal no floure of the tyme go by vs. We wil crowne oʳ selues wᵗ roses afore they be wythered. There shal be no fayre medowe, but oʳ lust shall go thorow it. Let euery one of you be partaker of oure volupteousnes. Let vs leaue some token of oʳ pleasure in euery place, for yᵗ is oure porcion, els gett we nothinge. Let vs oppresse the poore righteous, let vs not spare the wyddowe ner olde man, let vs not regarde yᵉ heades yᵗ are gray for age. Let yᵉ lawe of vnrighteousnesse be oure auctorite, for yᵉ [C] thinge yᵗ is feble is nothinge worth. Therfore let vs defraude the righteous, & why⟨illegible⟩he is not for oʳ profit, yee he is cleane cōtrary to oʳ doinges. He checketh vs for offendinge agaynst yᵉ lawe, & slaundreth vs as transgressours of all nurtoʳ. He maketh his boost to haue yᵉ knowlege of God, yee he calleth him self Gods sonne. He is the bewrayer of oure thoughtes:⁽³⁾ It greueth vs also to loke vpon him, for his lyfe is not lyke other mens, his wayes are of another fashion. He counteth vs but vayne personnes, he wᵗ draweth him self from oʳ wayes as from fylthynes: he cōmendeth greatly yᵉ latter ende of the iust, & maketh his boast yᵗ God is his father. Let vs se then yf his wordes be true, let vs proue what shal come vpon him: so shal we knowe what ende he shal haue. For yf he be yᵉ true [D] sonne of God,⁽⁴⁾ he will receaue him & delyuer him from the handes of his enemies. Let vs examen him with despitefull rebuke and tormentinge, that we maye knowe his dignite & proue his pacience.⁽⁵⁾ Let vs condemne him with the most shamefull death: for like as he hath spoken, so shal he be rewarded.

Soch thinges do the vngodly ymagin, & go astraye, for their owne wickednes hath blynded them. As for the misteries of God, they vnderstonde them not: they nether hope for the rewarde of righteousnesse, ner regarde the worshipe that holy soules shall haue. For God created man to be vndestroied, yee after the ymage of his awne licknesse made he him.⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾ Neuerthelesse thorow envye of the deuell came death in to the worlde, and they that holde of his syde, do as he doth.⁽⁸⁾

Notes to Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 7. a ⟨illegible⟩at. 22 b Cor. 15. d

⁽²⁾ Par. 30. c ⟨illegible⟩sa. 22. b ⟨illegible⟩ 56. c ⟨illegible⟩ap. 5. b

⁽³⁾ Ioh. ⟨illegible⟩ Esa. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Psal. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ Gen. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ Gen. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 3

BVt the soules of yᵉ righteous are in [A] yᵉ hande of God,⁽¹⁾ & yᵉ payne of death shal not touch thē.⁽²⁾ In yᵉ sight of the vnwyse they appeare to dye, & their ende is takē for very destruccion. The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruccion, but they are in rest. And though they suffre payne before men,⁽³⁾ yet is their hope full of immortalite. They are punished but in few thinges, neuerthelesse in many thinges shal they be well rewarded. For God proueth them, & fyndeth thē mete for himself: yee as the golde in the fornace doth he trye them, & receaueth them as a brent offeringe, and when yᵉ tyme commeth they shalbe loked vpon.

The righteous shal shyne as the sparkes [B] yᵗ renne thorow the rede buszshe.⁽⁴⁾ They shal iudge the nacions, & haue dominion ouer yᵉ people, & their LORDE shal raigne for euer. They yᵗ put their trust in him, shal vnderstonde the trueth, & soch as be faithfull, wil agree vnto him in loue: for his chosen shal haue giftes & peace.⁽⁵⁾ But the vngodly shalbe punyshed acordinge to their awne ymaginaciōs, for they haue despysed the righteous, & forsaken the LORDE.

Whoso despyseth wyszdome & nurtoʳ, he [C] is vnhappie, and as for the hope of soch, it is but vayne, their labours vnfrutefull, and their workes vnprofitable. Their wyues are vndiscrete, and their childrē most vngodly. Their creature is cursed. Blessed is rather yᵉ baren & vndefyled, which hath not knowne the synfull bedd: she shall haue frute in the rewarde of the holy soules. And blessed is yᵉ gelded,⁽⁶⁾ which wᵗ his handes hath wrought no vnrighteousnesse, ner ymagined wicked thinges agaynst God. For vnto him shal be geuen yᵉ speciall gift of faith, and the most [D] acceptable porcion in yᵉ temple of God. For glorious is the frute of good laboure, & the rote of wyszdome shall neuer fade awaye. As for yᵉ childrē of aduoutrers, they shal come to an ende & the sede of an vnrighteous bedd shal be roted out. And though they lyue lōge, yet shal they be nothinge regarded, & their last age shalbe without honoure. Yf they dye haistely, they haue no hope, nether shal they be spoken to in the daye of knowlege. For horrible is the death and ende of the vnrighteous.

Notes to Chapter 3

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 4

[A] O How fayre is a chaist generacion wᵗ vertue? The memoriall therof is immortall, for it is knowne wᵗ God and men. When it is present, mē take exāple there at: and yf it go awaye, yet they desyre it. It is allwaie crowned & holden in honoʳ, & wynneth yᵉ rewarde of the vndefyled battayll. But the multitude of vngodly childrē is vnprofitable, and the thinges yᵗ are planted wᵗ whordome, shal take no depe rote, ner laye eny fast foundacion,⁽¹⁾ Though they be grene in the braunches for a tyme, yet shal they be shakē wᵗ the wynde: for they stonde not fast, & thorow the vehemence of the wynde they shalbe roted out. For the vnparfecte braunches shalbe broken, their frute shalbe vnprofitable & sower to eate, yee mete for nothinge. And why? all the children yᵗ are borne of the wicked, must beare recorde of the wickednesse agaynst their fathers & mothers, when they be axed. But though the righteous be ouertaken wᵗ death, yet shal he be in rest.

[B] Age is an honorable thinge: neuertheles it stondeth not only in the lenth of tyme, ner in the multitude of yeares: but a mans wyszdome is the graye hayre, and an vndefyled life is the olde age. He pleased God, & was beloued of him: so that where as he lyued amōge synners,⁽²⁾ he trāslated him. Yee sodēly was he taken awaye, to the intent yᵗ wickednesse shulde not alter his vnderstōdinge, & yᵗ ypocrisye shulde not begyle his soule. For yᵉ craftie bewitchinge of lyes make good thinges darck, yᵉ vnstedfastnesse also & wickednes of voluptuous desyre, turne asyde yᵉ vnderstondinge of yᵉ symple. Though he was soone deed, yet fulfilled he moch tyme. For his soule pleased God, therfore haisted he to take him awaye frō amonge yᵉ wicked. This the people se, & vnderstonde it not: they laye not vp soch thinges in their hertes, how yᵗ yᵉ louynge fauoʳ & mercy of God is vpō his saintes, & yᵗ he hath respecte vnto his chosen.

Thus yᵉ righteous yᵗ is deed, cōdemneth [C] the vngodly which are lyuinge: & yᵉ youth yᵗ is soone brought to an ende, yᵉ lōge life of yᵉ vnrighteous. For they se yᵉ ende of yᵉ wyse, but they vnderstōde not what God hath deuysed for him, & wherfore yᵉ LORDE hath taken him awaie. And why? they se him & despyse him, therfore shall God also laugh thē to scorne: So yᵗ they thē selues shal dye here after (but without honoʳ) yee in shame amonge yᵉ deed for euermore. For without eny voyce shal he burst those yᵗ be puft vp, & remoue thē frō yᵉ foundacions, so yᵗ they shalbe laied waist vnto the hyest. They shal mourne, and their memoriall shall perishe. So they beynge afrayed shall remembre their synnes, and their owne wickednesse shal bewraye thē.

Notes to Chapter 4

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 17. b ⟨illegible⟩ 1 a ⟨illegible⟩. 7. c

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 11. a

Chapter 5

THen shal yᵉ righteous stonde in greate [A] stedfastnesse agaynst soch as haue dealt extremely wᵗ thē,⁽¹⁾ & takē awaye their labours. When they se it, they shalbe vexed wᵗ horrible feare, & shal wonder at the haistynesse of yᵉ sodane health: groninge for very distresse of mynde, & shall saye within them selues (hauynge inwarde sorow, and mournynge for very anguysh of mynde):

These are they, whom we somtyme had in derision, & iested vpō. We fooles thought their life very madnesse,⁽²⁾ & their ende to be wᵗ out honoure. But lo, how they are counted amonge the children of God, & their porcion is amonge the sayntes. Therfore we haue erred from the waye of trueth, yᵉ light of righteousnesse hath not shyned vnto vs, and the Sōne of vnderstōdinge rose not vp vpō vs. We haue weeried oʳ selues in yᵉ waye of wickednesse & destruccion. Tedious wayes haue we gone: but as for the waye of the LORDE, we haue not knowne it.

What good hath oʳ pryde done vnto vs?[B] Or, what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vs?⁽³⁾ All those thinges are passed awaye like a shadowe, & as a messaunger rennynge before: as a shippe yᵗ passeth ouer the wawes of the water, which whan it is gone by, the trace therof can not be founde,⁽⁴⁾ nether yᵉ path of it in the floudes. Or as a byrde yᵗ flyeth thorow yᵉ ayre, & no man can se eny token where she is flowen, but only heareth the noyse of hir wynges, beatinge the light wynde, partinge the ayre thorow the vehemēce of hir goinge, & flyeth on shakynge hir wynges, where as afterwarde no tokē of hir waye can be foūde. Or like as whē an arowe is shott at a marck, it parteth the ayre, which immediatly cōmeth together agayne, so that a man can not knowe where it wente thorow. Euen so we in like maner as soone as we were borne, beganne immediatly to drawe to oure ende: & haue shewed no token of vertue, but are consumed in oure owne wickednesse.

[C] Soch wordes shal they that haue synned, speake in the hell: for the hope of the vngodly is like a drye thistell floure (or dust) that is blowne awaye wᵗ the wynde:⁽⁵⁾ like as thynne scomme yᵗ is scatred abrode wᵗ the storme: like as yᵉ smoke which is dispersed here & there wᵗ the wynde, & as yᵉ remembraunce of a straūger yᵗ tarieth for a daie, & thē departeth.

⁽⁶⁾But yᵉ righteous shal lyue for euermore: their rewarde also is wᵗ the LORDE, & their remembraunce wᵗ the Hyest. Therfore shal they receaue a glorious kyngdome & a beutifull crowne of the LORDES hande: for wᵗ his right hande shal he couer thē, & wᵗ his owne arme shall he defende thē. His gelousy also shal take awaye the harnesse, & he shal wapē yᵉ creature to be auēged of yᵉ enemies. He shal put on righteousnes for a brest plate,⁽⁷⁾ & take sure iudgment in steade of an helmett. The invyncible shylde of equite shall he take, his cruell wrath shal he sharpē for a speare, & the whole compase of the worlde shall fight with him agaynst the vnwyse.

[D] Thē shal the thonder boltes go out of yᵉ lighteninges, & come out of the rayne bowe of the cloudes to the place apoynted: out of the hard stony indignacion there shall fall thick hales, & yᵉ water of yᵉ see shalbe wroth agaynst thē, & the floudes shal renne roughly together. Yee a mightie wynde shal stōde vp agaynst them, & a storme shall scater thē abrode. Thus the vnrighteous dealinge of thē shal bringe all the lōde to a wyldernes, & wickednes shall ouerthrowe the dwellinges of the mightie.

Notes to Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ Matt. 19.

⁽²⁾ Sap. 3. a

⁽³⁾ 1. Par. 30. Sap. 2. b

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩0. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ob 8. a Psal. 1. b Pro. 10. d and 11. a ⟨illegible⟩ac. 1. b

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩sal. 39. a

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩phe. 6. b

Chapter 6

[A] WYszdome is better then strength, & a mā of vnderstādinge is more worth thē one yᵗ is strōge.⁽¹⁾ Heare therfore (O ye kinges) & vnderstonde: O lerne ye yᵗ be iudges of the endes of the earth. Geue are ye yᵗ rule yᵉ multitudes, & delite in moch people.⁽²⁾ For the power is geuē you of the LORDE, & the strēgth from the Hyest: which shal trie yoʳ workes and search out yoʳ ymaginaciōs: How that ye beynge officers of his kyngdome, haue not executed true iudgment, haue not kepte the lawe of righteousnes, ner walked after his will. Horribly & that right soone shall he appeare vnto you: for an harde iudgmēt shal they haue yᵗ beare rule. Mercy [B] is graūted vnto the symple,⁽³⁾ but they that be in auctorite shalbe sore punyshed. For God which is LORDE ouer all, shall excepte no mās personne, nether shal he stande in awe of eny mans greatnesse: for he hath made yᵉ small and greate, & careth for all alyke. But the mightie shal haue yᵉ sorer punyshmēt.

Vnto you therfore (o ye kinges) do I speake, yᵗ ye maye lerne wyszdome and not go amysse: for they yᵗ kepe righteousnes shalbe righteously iudged: and they yᵗ are lerned in righteous thinges, shal finde to make answere. Wherfore set yoʳ lust vpon my wordes, & loue thē, so shal ye come by nurtoʳ. Wyszdome is a noble thinge, & neuer faydeth awaie: yee she is easely sene of thē that loue her, & founde of soch as seke her. She preuēteth them yᵗ [C] desyre her, yᵗ she maye first shewe herself vnto thē. Who so awaketh vnto her by tymes, shal haue no greate trauayle, for he shal fynde her syttinge ready at his dores. To thinke vpon her, is parfecte vnderstandinge: & who so watcheth for her, shalbe safe, & that soone. For she goeth aboute, sekynge soch as are mete for her, sheweth her self cherefully vnto them in their goynges, & meteth them wᵗ all diligēce. For yᵉ vnfained desyre of refourmacion is hir begynnynge: to care for nurtoʳ is loue, and loue is the kepinge of hir lawes.⁽⁴⁾ Now the kepinge of yᵉ lawes is perfeccion & an vncorrupte life, & an vncorrupte life maketh a man familier wᵗ God. And so the desyre of wyszdome ledeth to yᵉ kingdome euerlastinge. Yf yoʳ delyte be thē in royall seates & [D] cepters (o ye kynges of the people) set youre lust vpō wyszdome,⁽⁵⁾ yᵗ ye maye raigne for euer more. O loue the light of wyszdome, all ye yᵗ be rulers of the people. As for wyszdome, what she is, and how she came vp, I wil tell you, and will not hyde the misteries of God from you: but wil seke her out from yᵉ begynnynge of the natiuyte, and brynge the knowlege of her in to light, and wil not kepe back the trueth: Nether will I haue to do wᵗ cōsumynge envye, for soch a man shal not be partaker of wiszdome. But the multitude of the wyse is the welfare of the worlde, and a wyse kynge is the vpholdinge of the people. O receaue nourtoure then thorow my wordes, and it shal do you good.

Notes to Chapter 6

⁽¹⁾ Eccls. 9. d

⁽²⁾ Rom. 13. a

⁽³⁾ Eccl⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 7

I Myself also am a mortall man, like [A] as all other, & am come of yᵉ earthy generaciō of him yᵗ was first made,⁽¹⁾ & in my mothers wōbe was I fashioned to be flesh: In the tyme of ten monethes was I brought together in bloude thorow the sede of man, & the cōmodious appetite of slepe. Whan I was borne, I receaued like ayre as other men, & fell vpon the earth (which is my nature) crienge & wepinge at the first, as all other do. I was wrapped in swadlinge clothes, & brought vp wᵗ greate cares. For there is no kinge yᵗ hath had eny other begynnynge of byrth. All men then haue one intraunce vnto life,⁽²⁾ & one goinge out in like maner.

[B] Wherfore I desyred, and vnderstandinge was geuē me: I called, & the sprete of wyszdome came in to me. I set more by her thē by kingdomes & royall seates, & counted riches nothinge in cōparison of her.⁽³⁾ As for precious stone I compared it not vnto her: for all golde is but grauell vnto her, & syluer shalbe counted but claye before hir sight. I loued her aboue welfare & beutie, & purposed to take her for my light, for hir shyne can not be quenched. All good thinges came to me wᵗ her,⁽⁴⁾ & innumerable riches thorow hir hādes. I was glad in thē all, for this wyszdome wēte before me, & I knew not yᵗ she is the mother of all good thinges. Now as I myself lerned vnfaynedly, so do I make other men partakers of her, & hyde her riches from no man: for she is an infinite treasure vnto men, which who so vse, become partakers of the loue & frendshipe of God, and are accepted vnto him for the giftes of wyszdome.

God hath graunted me to talke wysely, & [C] conueniētly to hādle the thinges yᵗ he hath graciously lent me. For it is he, yᵗ ledeth vnto wyszdome, & teacheth to vse wyszdome a right. In his hāde are we & oʳ wordes: yee all oʳ wyszdome,⁽⁵⁾ oʳ vnderstandinge & knowlege of all oʳ workes. For he hath geuē me yᵉ true sciēce of these thinges: so that I knowe how yᵉ worlde was made, & the powers of yᵉ elemētes: yᵉ begynnynge, endinge & myddest of yᵉ tymes: how the tymes alter, how one goeth after another, and how they are fulfilled: yᵉ course of the yeare: the ordinaunces of the starres: the natures & kindes of beastes: the furiousnesse of beastes: the power of yᵉ wyndes: the ymaginacions of mē: the deuersities of yonge plantes: the vertues of rootes, & all soch thinges as are secrete & not loked for, haue I lerned. For the worckmaster of all thinges hath taught me wyszdome. In hir is yᵉ [D] sprete of vnderstādinge, which is holy, manifolde, one onely, sotyll, curteous, discrete, quyck, vndefyled, playne, swete, louynge the thinge yᵗ is good, sharpe, which forbyddeth not to do well, gētle, kynde, stedfast, sure, fre: hauynge all vertues, circūspecte in all thinges: receauinge all spretes of vnderstādinge beīge cleane & sharpe. For wiszdome is neembler thē all neēble thīges: she goeth thorow & attayneth to all thīges, because of hir clennes. For she is yᵉ breth of yᵉ power of God, & a pure cleane expressinge of yᵉ clearnes of Allmightie God. Therfore can no vndefyled thinge come in to her:⁽⁶⁾ for she is yᵉ bryghtnes of yᵉ euerlastīge light, yᵉ vndefiled myrroʳ of yᵉ maiesty of God, & yᵉ ymage of his goodnesse. And for so moch as she is one, she maie do all [E] thinges: & beinge stedfast herself she renueth all, & amōge yᵉ people cōveyeth she herself in to yᵉ holy soules. She maketh Gods frendes & prophetes: for God loueth no mā, but him in whō wyszdome dwelleth. For she is more beutyfull then the Sonne, and geueth more light then the starres, and the daye is not to be cōpared vnto her: for vpō yᵉ daye cōmeth night. But wickednesse can not ouer come wyszdome, and foolishnes maye not be wᵗ her.

Notes to Chapter 7

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 1. c ⟨illegible⟩. 6. b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩ 6. d

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 3. a

⁽⁶⁾ Heb. 1. a

Chapter 8

WYszdome reacheth frō one ende to another [A] mightely, & louīgly doth she ordre all thinges. I haue loued her and laboured for her euē fro my youth vp: I dyd my diligēce to mary my self wᵗ her, soch loue had I vnto hir beutye. Who so hath yᵉ cōpany of God, cōmēdeth hir nobilyte, yee the LORDE of all thinges himself loueth her. For she is yᵉ scolemastresse of yᵉ nurtoʳ of God, & yᵉ choser out of his workes. Yf a man wolde desyre riches in this life, what is richer then wiszdome, yᵉ worketh all thīges? (Thou wilt saye:) vnderstādinge worketh. What is it amōge all thinges, yᵗ worketh more thē wyszdome? Yf a man loue vertue & righteousnes, let him laboʳ for wyszdome, for she hath greate vertues. And why? she teacheth sobernes & prudence, righteousnes & strēgh, which are soch thinges as mē can haue nothinge more profitable in their life. Yf a mā desyre moch [B] knowlege, she cā tell yᵉ thinges yᵗ are past, & discerne thinges for to come: she knoweth yᵉ sotilties of wordes, & cā expoūde darcke sentēces. She can tell of tokēs & wōderous thinges, or euer they come to passe, & the endes of all tymes & ages. So I purposed after this maner: I will take her vnto my cōpany, & comō louīgly wᵗ her: no doute she shal geue me good coūcell, & speake cōfortably vnto me in my carefulnes & grefe. For hir sake shal I be well and honestly taken amōge the comōs & lordes of yᵉ councell. Though I be yonge, yet shal I haue sharpe vnderstandinge: so yᵗ I shal be maruelous in yᵉ sight of greate mē, & yᵉ faces of prynces shal wōder at me. Whā I holde my tōge, they shal byde my leysure:⁽¹⁾ whā I speake, they shal loke vpō me: & yf I talke moch, they shal laye their handes vpō their mouth. Morouer, by the meanes of her I shal optayne immortalite, and leaue behinde me an euerlastinge memoriall, amōge thē yᵗ come after me. I shal set yᵉ people in ordre, & the nacions shalbe subdued vnto me. Horrible tyrauntes shal be afrayed, whan they do but heare of me: amonge the multitude I shal be counted good, & mightie in battayll. Whā I come home, I shal fynde rest wᵗ her: for hir cōpany hath no bytternes, & hir felashipe hath no tediousnesse, but myrth & ioye.

[C] Now whan I cōsidered these thinges by myself, & pondered them in my hert, how yᵗ to be ioyned vnto wyszdome is immortalite, & greate pleasure to haue hir frendshipe: how yᵗ in the workes of hir handes are infinite riches: how that, who so kepeth company wᵗ her shalbe wyse: and that he which talketh with her, shal come to honoure: I wente aboute sekynge, to gett her vnto me. For I was a ladd of a rype wytt, and had a good vnderstandinge.

But whan I grewe to more vnderstādinge, I came to an vndefyled body. Neuertheles whan I perceaued that I coude not kepe myself chaist, excepte God gaue it me (& yᵗ was a poynte of wyszdome also, to knowe whose gift it was) I stepte vnto the LORDE, and besought him, and with my whole hert I sayde after this maner:

Notes to Chapter 8

⁽¹⁾ Iob. 2⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 9

[A] O God of my fathers, & LORDE of mercies,⁽¹⁾ (thou yᵗ hast made all thīges wᵗ yⁱ worde, & ordeyned mā thorow thy wyszdome, yᵗ he shulde haue dominiō ouer yᵉ creature, which thou hast made: yᵗ he shulde ordre yᵉ worlde acordinge to equite & righteousnes, & execute iudgmēt wᵗ a true hert) geue me wyszdome, which is euer aboute yᵉ seate. & put me not out frō amōge yᵉ children: for I thy seruaunt & sonne of yᵉ handmayden,⁽²⁾ am a feble personne, of a shorte tyme, and to yōge to the vnderstandinge of iudgment and yᵉ lawes. And though a man be neuer so parfecte amonge the children of men, yet yf thy wyszdome be not with him, he shal be nothinge regarded.⁽³⁾ But thou hast chosen me to be a kynge vnto yᵉ people, and the iudge of thy sonnes and daughters.

[B] Thou hast cōmaunded me to buylde a temple vpon yᵉ holy mount, & an aulter in the cite wherin thou dwellest: a licknesse of thy holy tabernacle which thou hast prepared frō the beginnynge, and thy wyszdome with yᵉ, which knoweth yᵉ workes:⁽⁴⁾ which also was wᵗ yᵉ whan thou maydest yᵉ worlde, & knew what was acceptable in thy sight, & right in thy commaundementes. O sende her out of thy holy heauens and from the trone of thy maiesty, that she maye be with me, & laboure with me: that I maye knowe, what is acceptable in yᵉ sight. For she knoweth and vnderstandeth all thinges: and she shal lede me soberly in my workes, and preserue me in hir power. So shal my workes be acceptable, & then shal I gouerne thy people righteously, & be worthy to syt in my fathers seate. For what man is he,⁽⁵⁾ that maye knowe the councell of God? Or, who can thinke what the will of God is? For the thoughtes of mortall men are miserable, & oure forecastes are but vncertayne. And why? a mortall [C] and corruptible body is heuy vnto the soule,⁽⁶⁾ and the earthy mansion kepeth downe the vnderstandinge yᵗ museth vpon many thinges. Very hardly can we discerne the thinges that are vpon earth, and greate laboʳ haue we, or we can fynde the thinges which are before oure eyes: Who will then seke out the groūde of the thinges that are done in heauē? Oh LORDE, who cā haue knowlege of yᵉ vnderstandinge and meaninge, excepte thou geue wyszdome and sende thy holy goost frō aboue? that the wayes of them which are vpon earth maye be refourmed: yᵗ men maye lerne yᵉ thinges that are pleasaunt vnto the, and be preserued thorow wyszdome.

Notes to Chapter 9

⁽¹⁾ 3. Reg. 3. b Gen. 1

⁽²⁾ Psal. 115. b

⁽³⁾ 1. Par. 29. b 2. Par. 1. a

⁽⁴⁾ P⟨illegible⟩o. 8. c ⟨illegible⟩. 1. a

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 10

WYszdome preserued yᵉ first mā, whō [A] God made a father of the worlde,⁽¹⁾ whā he was created alone, brought him out of his offence, toke him out of the moulde of yᵉ earth, & gaue him power to rule all thinges. Whan the vnrighteous wente awaye in his wrath from this wyszdome, yᵉ brotherheade perished thorow yᵉ wrath of murthur. Agayne,⁽²⁾ whā yᵉ water destroyed yᵉ whole worlde,⁽³⁾ wyszdome preserued the righteous thorow a poore tre, wherof she was gouerner herself. Morouer whā wickednes had gotten yᵉ vpperhande, so yᵗ the nacions were puft vp with pryde,⁽⁴⁾ she knewe yᵉ righteous, preserued him fautlesse vnto God, and layed vp sure mercy for his children. She preserued the righteous,⁽⁵⁾ whan he fled from the vngodly yᵗ perished, what tyme as yᵉ fyre fell downe vpon yᵉ v. cities: Like as yet this [B] daye the vnfrutefull, waist and smokinge lōde geueth testimony of their wickednesse: yee the vnripe and vntymely frutes that growe vpon the trees.

And for a tokē of a remembraunce of the vnfaithfull soule, there standeth a piler of salt. For all soch as regarded not wyszdome, gat not only this hurte, that they knewe not the thinges which were good, but also left behinde them vnto mē, a memoriall of their foolishnes: so yᵗ in the thinges wherin they synned, they coude not be hydd. But as for soch as take hede vnto wyszdome, she shal delyuer them from sorowe.

[C] Whan the righteous fled because of his brothers wrath,⁽⁶⁾ wyszdome led him the right waye, shewed him yᵉ kyngdome of God, gaue him knowlege of holy thinges, made him riche in his laboures, and brought to passe the thinges that he wente aboute. In yᵉ disceatfulnes of soch as defrauded him, she stode by him, & made him ryche. She saued him from the enemies, and defended him from yᵉ disceauers. She made him stronge in battayll, and gaue him the victory, yᵗ he might knowe, how that wyszdome is stronger then all thinges.⁽⁷⁾ Whan the righteous was solde, she forsoke him not, but delyuered him frō synners. She wente downe with him in to the dongeon, and fayled him not in the bandes:⁽⁸⁾ tyll she had brought him the cepter of yᵉ realme, and power agaynst those that oppressed him. As for them that had accused him, she declared them to be lyers, & brought him to perpetuall worshipe.

[D] She delyuered the righteous people and fautlesse sede,⁽⁹⁾ from the nacions that oppressed them. She entred in to the soule of the seruaunt of God, and stode by him in wonders and tokens agaynst the horrible kynge. She gaue yᵉ righteous the rewarde of their labours, & led them forth a maruelous waye: on the daye tyme she was a shadowe vnto them, and a light of starres in the night season.⁽¹⁰⁾ She brought them thorow the reed see, and caried them thorow the greate water. She drowned their enemies in the see, and brought them out of the depe. So the righteous toke the spoyles of the vngodly, and praysed thy holy name (o LORDE) and magnified thy victorious hād with one acorde.⁽¹¹⁾ For wyszdome openeth the mouth of yᵉ domme, & maketh yᵉ tonges of babes to speake.

Notes to Chapter 10

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩7. c ⟨illegible⟩. 7. b

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 41 f

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1. b ⟨illegible⟩. 45.

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩4. f

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 11

[A] SHe ordred their workes in the hādes of the holy prophet:⁽¹⁾ so yᵗ they wente thorow yᵉ wyldernes yᵗ was not inhabited, & pitched their tētes in yᵉ waist deserte. They stode agaynst their enemies, & were auenged of their aduersaries.⁽²⁾ Whā they were thirstie, they called vpō yᵉ, & water was geuē them out of yᵉ rok, & their thirst slockened out of yᵉ harde stone. For by yᵉ thinges, where thorow their enemies were punished, were they helped in their nede. For vnto the enemies thou gauest mās bloude in steade of lyuynge water. And where as they had scarcenesse in yᵉ rebuke whan the children were slayne, thou gauest vnto thine awne a plenteous water vnloked for: declaringe by the thyrst yᵗ was at that tyme, how thou woldest bringe thine awne vnto honoʳ, & slaye their aduersaries.

For whan they were tryed & nourtured wᵗ [B] fatherly mercy,⁽³⁾ they knowleged how the vngodly were iudged, and punyshed thorow yᵉ wrath of God. These hast thou exorted as a father, & proued thē: but vnto yᵉ other thou hast bene a boysteous kynge, layed hard to their charge, & condēned thē. Whether they were absent or present, their punyshmēt was alyke. For their grefe was dubble: namely, mournynge, and yᵉ remēbraunce of thinges past. But whā they perceaued yᵗ their punishmētes dyd thē good, they thought vpon the LORDE, & wondered at yᵉ ende. For at the last they helde moch of him, of whō in yᵉ out castinge they thought scorne, as of an abiecte. Neuerthelesse yᵉ righteous dyd not so when they were thirstie: but euenlike as yᵉ thoughtes of yᵉ foolish were, so was also their wickednes. Where as certayne mē now (thorow [C] erroʳ) dyd worshipe dommeserpentes & vayne beestes,⁽⁴⁾ thou sendedst a multitude of domme beastes vpon them for a vengeaunce: yᵗ they might knowe, that loke where withall a mā synneth, by the same also shal he be punyshed. For vnto thy allmighty hande, that made the worlde of naught, it was not vnpossible,⁽⁵⁾ to sende amonge them an heape of Beeres, or woode lyōs, or cruell beastes of a straūge kynde, soch as are vnknowne, or spoute fyre, or cast out a smokinge breth, or shote horrible sparkes out of their eyes: which might not only destroye them with hurtinge, but also kyll them with their horrible sight. Yee without these beestes might they haue bene slayne with one winde, beynge persecuted of their awne workes, and scatered abrode thorow the breth of thy power.

Neuertheles thou hast ordred all thinges [D] in measure, nōbre & weight. For thou hast euer had greate strēgth & might, & who maye withstōde yᵉ power of thine arme? And why like as yᵉ small thynge yᵗ yᵉ balaunce weyeth, so is yᵉ worlde before yᵉ: yee as a droppe of yᵉ morninge dew, that falleth downe vpon the earth. Thou hast mercy vpon all, for thou hast power of all thynges: and makest the as though thou sawest not the sinnes of mē,⁽⁶⁾ because they shulde amende. For thou louest all the thinges that are, and hatest none of thē whō thou hast made: nether didest thou ordeyne or make eny thinge of euell will.

How might eny thinge endure, yf it wer not yᵉ will? Or how coude eny thinge be preserued, excepte it were called of yᵉ? But thou sparest all, for all are thine, o LORDE, thou louer of soules.

Notes to Chapter 11

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 17. b ⟨illegible⟩ a

⁽³⁾ Deut. 8. a

⁽⁴⁾ Sap. 12. e Rom. 1. c

⁽⁵⁾ Leui. 26. d Sap. 16. a Iere. 8. c

⁽⁶⁾ Rom. 2. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 12

[A] O LORDE, how gracious & swete is thy sprete in all thinges? Therfore chastenest thou thē measurably that go wrōge, and warnest them, concernynge the thinges wherin they offende: thou speakest vnto them (o LORDE) and exortest thē to leaue their wickednes, and to put their trust in the.⁽¹⁾ As for those olde inhabiters of thy holy londe, thou mightest not awaye with them, for they commytted abhominable workes agaynst the: as wytch craft, sorcery and Idolatry: they slew their owne children without mercy: they ate vp mens bowels, and deuoured the bloude: Yee because of soch abhominaciōs, myszbeleues & offeringes, thou slewest the fathers of the desolate soules by the handes of oure fathers: that yᵉ londe which thou louest aboue all other, might be a dwellinge for the childrē of God.

[B] Neuertheles thou sparedest thē also (as mē) & sendedst yᵉ forerūners of thyne hoost, euē hornettes to destroye thē out by lytle & litle. Not yᵗ thou wast vnable to subdue yᵉ vngodly vnto yᵉ righteous in battayll,⁽²⁾ or with cruell beestes, or wᵗ one rough worde to destroye thē together: But yᵉ mynde was to dryue thē out by lytle & litle, geuinge thē time & place to amende: knowinge well, yᵗ it was an vnrighteous nacion & wicked of nature, & yᵗ their thought might neuer be altered. For it was a cursed sede from yᵉ begynnynge, & feared no mā: Yet hast thou pardoned their synnes. For who wyl saye vnto the: why hast thou done yᵗ? Or who wyl stōde agaynst thy iudgmēt? Or who wil come before yᵉ face an auēger of vnrighteous mē? Or who wil blame [C] yᵉ, yf yᵉ people perish, whō thou hast made?⁽³⁾ For there is none other God but thou, yᵗ carest for all thinges: yᵗ thou mayest declare how yᵗ yᵉ iudgmēt is not vnright. There darre nether kīge, ner tyraūt in yᵉ sight requyre accōptes of them, whō thou hast destroyed.

For so moch thē as thou art righteous yᵉ self, thou ordrest all thīges righteously, & punishest euē hī yᵗ hath not deserued to be punyshed,⁽⁴⁾ & takest him for a straūger & an aleaunt in yᵉ lōde of yᵉ power. For yᵉ power is yᵉ beginnynge of righteousnes: and because thou art LORDE of all thinges, therfore art thou gracious vnto all. Whan men thinke yᵉ not to be of a full strength, thou declarest yᵉ power: & boldly delyuerest thou them ouer yᵗ knowe yᵉ not. But thou LORDE of power iudgest quyetly, and ordrest us with greate worshipe, for thou mayest do as thou wilt.

By soch workes now hast thou taught [D] thy people, that a mā also shulde be iust and louynge: and hast made thy childrē to be of a good hope: for euen when thou iudgest, thou geuest rowme to amende from synnes. For in so moch as thou hast punyshed, and wᵗ soch diligence delyuered yᵉ enemies of thy seruaūtes, which were worthy to dye (where thorow thou gauest thē tyme & place of amēdement yᵗ they might turne frō their wickednes) wᵗ how greate diligence then punyshest thou thine awne childrē, vnto whose fathers thou hast sworne & made couenaūtes of good promises? So where as thou doest but chasten vs, thou punyshest oʳ enemies dyuerse wayes: to yᵉ intēt yᵗ whā we punysh, we shulde remēbre yᵉ goodnesse: & whan we oʳ selues are punyshed, to put oure trust in thy mercy.

Wherfore where as men haue lyued ignoraūtly & vnrighteously, thou hast punyshed [E] thē sore,⁽⁵⁾ euē thorow yᵉ same thinges that they worshipped. For they wente astraye very lōge in yᵉ waye of erroʳ, & helde yᵉ beestes (which euē their enemies despysed) for goddes, lyuynge as children of no vnderstandinge. Therfore hast thou sent a scornefull punyshment amonge them, as amonge the chidrē of ignoraunce. As for soch as wolde not be refourmed by those scornes & rebukes, they felt the worthy punishmēt of God. For yᵉ thinges yᵗ they suffred, they bare thē vnpaciētly, beinge not contēt in them but vnwyllinge. And whan they peryshed by yᵉ same thinges that they toke for goddes, they knowleged then, that there was but one true God, whom afore they wolde not knowe: therfore came yᵉ ende of their dampnacion vpon them.

Notes to Chapter 12

⁽¹⁾ Deut. 9. a 12. d. 18. b

⁽²⁾ Exo. 23. d Deut. 7. d

⁽³⁾ 1. Pet. 5. a

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ob 9. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 13

VAyne are all men, which haue not yᵉ knowlege of God: as were they that [A] out of the good thinges which are sene, knewe not him,⁽¹⁾ that of himself is euerlastinge. Nether toke they so moch regarde of the workes that are made, as to knowe, who was the craftesman of them: but some toke the fyre, some the wynde or ayre, some yᵉ course of yᵉ starres, some yᵉ water, some toke Sonne and Moone, or the lightes of heauen which rule yᵉ earth, for goddes.⁽²⁾ But though they had soch pleasure in their beuty, that they thought them to haue bene goddes: yet shulde they haue knowne, how moch more fayrer he is that made them. For the maker of beuty hath ordened all these thinges. Or yf they marueled at the power and workes of thē, they shulde haue perceaued therby, yᵗ he which made these thinges, is mightier then they.

[B] For by the greatnesse & beutye of the creature, yᵉ maker therof maye playnely be knowne. Notwithstondinge they are the lesse to be blamed, that sought God & wolde haue founde him, and yet myssed. And why? for so moch as they wēte aboute in his workes and sought after them, it is a tokē, that they regarded and helde moch of his workes yᵗ are sene: howbeit they are not wholy to be excused. For yf their vnderstondinge and knowlege was so greate, yᵗ they coude discerne the worlde and yᵉ creatures, why dyd they not rather fynde out yᵉ LORDE therof?

But vnhappie are they, and amonge the deed is their hope, that call thē God which are but the workes of mens handes: golde, syluer and the thinge, that is founde out by connynge, the similitude of beastes, or eny vayne stone that hath bene made by hande of olde.⁽³⁾ Or as whan a carpenter cutteth downe a tre out of the wodd, and pareth of [C] the barck of it connyngly: and so with the one parte maketh a vessell to be vsed, and dighteth meate with the residue. As for the other parte that is left, which is profitable for nothinge (for it is a croked pece of wodd and full of knobbes) he carueth it diligently thorow his vanite, and (acordinge to the knowlege of his connynge) he geueth it some proporcion, fashioneth it after the similitude of a man, or maketh it like some beest, straketh it ouer with reed and paynteth it, and loke what foule spot is in it, he casteth some coloure vpon it. Then maketh he a conueniēt tabernacle for it, setteth it in the wall and maketh it fast with yron, prouydinge so for it, lest it happē to fall: for it is well knowne, that it can not helpe it self: And why? it is but an ymage, and must of necessite be helped.

[D] Then goeth he and offreth of his goodes vnto it for his children and for his wife: he seketh helpe at it, he axeth councell at it: he is not ashamed to speake vnto it yᵗ hath no soule: for health, he maketh his peticion vnto him that is sicke: for life, he prayeth vnto him that is deed: he calleth vpon him for helpe, that is not able to helpe him self: & to sende him a good iourneye, he prayeth him that maye not go. And in all the thinges yᵗ he taketh in hande (whether it be to optayne eny thinge or to worke) he prayeth vnto him that can do maner of good.

Notes to Chapter 13

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 44. b ⟨illegible⟩. 10. a

Chapter 14

AGayne, another mā purposinge to sayle [A] & begīnynge to take his iourney thorow yᵉ raginge see, calleth for helpe vnto a stock, yᵗ is farre weaker, thē yᵉ tre yᵗ beareth him. For as for it, coueteousnesse of moneye hath founde it out, & yᵉ craftesmā made it wᵗ his connynge. But yᵉ prouydence (O father) gouerneth all thinges frō yᵉ begynnynge, for thou hast made a waye in yᵉ see,⁽¹⁾ & a sure path in the myddest of yᵉ wawes: declaringe therby, yᵗ thou hast power to helpe in all thinges, yee though a man wente to the see without shippe. Neuerthelesse, yᵗ yᵉ workes of yᵉ wyszdome shulde not be vaine, thou hast caused an arke to be made:⁽²⁾ & therfore do men commytte their lyues to a small pece of wod passinge ouer the see in a shyppe, & are saued.

For in the olde tyme also whā the proude [B] giauntes perished,⁽³⁾ he (in whō the hope was left to increase yᵉ worlde) wēte in to the shippe, which was gouerned thorow thy hande, & so left sede behinde him vnto yᵉ worlde. For happie is yᵉ tre where thorow righteousnes cōmeth: but cursed is the ymage of wod, yᵗ is made wᵗ hādes, yee both it & he yᵗ made it: He, because he made it: & it, because it was called God, where as it is but a frayle thinge. For the vngodly & his vngodlynes are both like abhominable vnto God.⁽⁴⁾ Euen so yᵉ worke & he yᵗ made it also shal be punyshed together. Therfore shal there a plage come vpon the ymages of the Heithen: for out of the creature of God they are become an abhominacion, a temptacion vnto the soules of men, and a snare for the fete of the vnwyse. And why? the sekinge out of ymages is the beginnynge of whordome, and the bringinge vp of them is the destruccion of life. For they were not from the begynnynge, nether shall they cōtinue for euer. The welthy ydilnes of [C] men hath founde them out vpon earth, therfore shal they come shortly to an ende. Whē a father mourned for his sonne yᵗ was taken awaye frō him, he made him an ymage (in all yᵉ haist) of his deed sonne: & so begāne to worshipe him as God, which was but a deed mā & ordened his seruauntes to offre vnto him. Thus by processe of tyme & thorow lōge custome, this erroʳ was kepte as a lawe, & tyraūtes cōpelled mē by violēce to honoʳ ymages. As for those yᵗ were so farre of, yᵗ mē migt not worshipe them presently, their picture was brought frō farre (like the ymage of a kynge whō they wolde honoure) to the intent that with greate diligence they might worshipe him which was farre of, as though he had bene present. Agayne, the syngular connyn be of the craftesman gaue the ignoraunt also a greate occasiō to worshipe ymages. For the workman wyllinge to do him a pleasure that sett him a worke, laboured with all his connynge to make the ymage of the best fashion. [D] And so (thorow the beuty of the worke) the comon people was disceaued, in so moch that they toke him now for a God, which a litle afore was but honored as a man. And this was the erroure of mans life, whan men (ether for to serue their owne affeccion, or to do some pleasure vnto kinges) ascrybed vnto stones and stockes the name of God, which ought to be geuen vnto no man.

Morouer, this was not ynough for them that they erred in the knowlege of God: but where as they lyued in the greate warres of ignoraunce, those many and greate plages called they peace.⁽⁵⁾ For ether they slewe their awne children and offred them, or dyd sacrifice in the night season, or els helde vnreasonable watches: so that they kepte nether life ner mariage cleane: but ether one slewe another to death maliciously, or els greued his neghboure [E] wᵗ aduoutrie. And thus were all thinges myxte together: bloude, manslaughter, theft, dissimulacion, corrupcion, vnfaithfulnesse, sedicion, periury, disquyetinge of good men, vnthākfulnes, defylinge of soules, chaūginge of byrth, vnstedfastnesse of mariage, mysordre of aduoutrie and vnclennesse. And why? the honouringe of abhominable ymages, is the cause, the begynuynge and ende of all euell. For they yᵗ worshipe Idols, either they are madd whā they be mery, or prophecie lyes, or lyue vngodly, or els lightly mansweare them selues. For in so moch as their trust is in yᵉ Idols (which haue nether soule ner vnderstondinge) though they sweare falsely, yet they thinke it shal not hurte them.

Therfore commeth a greate plage vpon them, and that worthely: for they haue an euell opiniō of God, geuinge hede vnto Idols, swearinge vniustly to disceaue, and dispysinge righteousnes. For their swearinge is no vertue, but a plage of them that synne, and goeth euer with the offence of the vngodly.

Notes to Chapter 14

⁽¹⁾ Exo. 14. d

⁽²⁾ Gen. 6. c

⁽³⁾ Gen. 7. b

⁽⁴⁾ Psal. 7. a

⁽⁵⁾ Deut. 1⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩ere. 7. a ⟨illegible⟩nd 19. a

Chapter 15

[A] BVt thou (O oʳ God) art swete, longe sufferinge and true, and in mercy ordrest thou all thinges. Though we synne, yet are we thine, for we knowe thy strength. Yf we synne not, then are we sure, that thou regardest vs. For to knowe the, is parfecte righteousnes: Yee to knowe yᵉ righteousnes and power, is the rote of immortalite. As for the thinge that men haue founde out thorow theyr euell science, it hath not disceaued vs: as the payntinge of the picture (an vnprofitable laboure) and carued ymage, with diuerse colours, whose sight entiseth the ignoraunt: so that he honoureth and loueth the picture of a deed ymage, that hath no soule.

Neuertheles, they that loue soche euell [B] thinges, are worthy of death: they that trust in them, they that make them, they that loue them, and they that honoure them. The potter also taketh & tempereth soft earth, laboureth it, and geueth it the fashion of a vessell, what so euer serueth for oure vse: and so of one pece of claye he maketh some cleane vessel for seruice, and some contrary. But where to euery vessell serueth, that knoweth yᵉ potter himself. So with his vayne laboure he maketh a god of the same claye: this doth euen he, which a litle afore was made of earth himself, and within a litle whyle after (whan he dyeth) turneth to earth agayne.

Notwithstandinge, he careth not yᵉ more [C] because he shal laboʳ ner because his life is shorte: but stryueth to excell goldsmythes, yᵉ syluer smythes & copper smithes, and taketh it for an honoʳ to make vayne thinges. For his hert is ashes, his hope is but vaine earth & his life is more vyle then claye: for so moch as he knoweth not his awne maker, that gaue him his soule to worke, and brethed in him the breth of life. They counte oure life but a pastyme, and oure conuersacion to be butt a market, and that men shulde euer be gettinge, yee and that by euell meanes. Now he yᵗ of earth maketh frayle vessell and ymages, knoweth himself to offende aboue all other.

All the enemies of thy people and yᵗ holde [D] them in subieccion, are vnwyse, vnhappie and exceadinge proude vnto their owne soules:⁽¹⁾ for they iudge all the Idols of the Heithē to be goddes, which nether haue eyesight to se, ner noses to smell, ner eares to heare, ner fingers of handes for to grope: & as for their fete, they are to slowe to go. For man made them, and he that hath but a borowed sprete, fashioned them. But no man can make a God like vnto him: for seinge he is but mortall himself, it is but mortall that he maketh with vnrighteous handes. He himself is better then they whom he worshippeth, for he lyued though he was mortall, but so dyd neuer they. Yee they worshippe beestes also▪ which are most miserable: for compare thinges that can not fele vnto them, & they are worse then those. Yet is there not one of these beestes, that with his sight cā beholde eny good thinge, nether haue they geuen prayse ner thankes vnto God.

Notes to Chapter 15

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 16

[A] FOr these and soch other thinges haue they suffred worthy punyshment, & thorow yᵉ multitude of beestes are they roted out. Insteade of yᵉ which punishmentes thou hast graciously ordred thine awne people, & geuen them their desyre that they lōged for: a new & straunge taist, preparinge them quales to be their meate:⁽¹⁾ to the intent yᵗ (by the thinges which were shewed and sent vnto them) they yᵗ were so gredy of meate, might be withdrawen euen from the desyre that was necessary. But these within shorte tyme were brought vnto pouerte, and taisted a new meate. For it was requisite yᵗ (without eny excuse) destruccion shulde come vpō those which vsed tyrāny, & to shewe onely vnto the other, how their enemies were destroyed.⁽²⁾ For whan the cruell woodnesse of the beestes came vpon them, they peryshed thorow the stinges of the cruell serpentes▪

[B] Notwithstōdinge yⁱ wrath endured not perpetually, but they were put in feare for a litle season, yᵗ they might be refourmed, hauynge a token of saluacion, to remembre the cōmaundement of thy lawe. For he yᵗ cōuerted, was not healed by the thinge yᵗ he sawe, but by THE, O sauio of all. So in this thou shewdest thine enemies, yᵗ it is thou, which deliuerest frō all euell. As for thē whan they were bytten wᵗ greshoppers and flyes,⁽³⁾ they died, for they were worthy to perish by soch: But nether the teth of dragons ner of venymous wormes ouer came yᵉ children, for thy mercy was euer by them & helped thē. Therfore were they punyshed to remēbre thy wordes, but hastely were they healed agayne: lest they shulde fall in to so depe forgetfulnesse, that they might not vse thy helpe.

[C] It was nether herbe ner plaster yᵗ restored thē to health, but thy worde (o LORDE) which healeth all thinges. It is thou (o LORDE) yᵗ hast the power of life & death:⁽⁴⁾ thou ledest vnto deathes dore, & bringest vp agayne. But man thorow wickednes slayeth his owne soule, & when his sprete goeth forth, it turneth not agayne, nether maye he call agayne yᵉ soule yᵗ is takē awaye: It is not possible to escape yⁱ hande. For yᵉ vngodly yᵗ wolde not knowe yᵉ, were punyshed by yᵉ strēgth of thine arme:⁽⁵⁾ wᵗ straūge waters, hales and raynes were they persecuted, & thorow fyre were they cōsumed. For it was a wonderous thinge that fyre might do more then water which quēcheth all thinges: but yᵉ worlde is yᵉ auēger of the righteous. Some tyme was yᵉ fyre so tame, yᵗ the beestes which were sent to punysh yᵉ vngodly, brent not: & yᵗ because they shulde se & knowe, yᵗ they were persecuted wᵗ the punyshmēt of God. And somtyme brent the fyre in the water on euery syde, yᵗ it might destroye yᵉ vnrighteous naciō of the earth. Againe, thou hast fed thine awne people [D] wᵗ angels fode,⁽⁶⁾ & sent thē bred ready from heauē (without their labo) beynge very pleasaūt & well gusted. And to shewe thy riches & swetnesse vnto thy childrē, thou gauest euery one their desyre, so yᵗ euery man might take what liked him best. But the snowe & yse abode the violēce of the fyre, & melted not: yᵗ they might knowe, yᵗ the fyre burninge in the hale & rayne, destroied yᵉ frute of yᵉ enemies: yᵉ fyre also forgatt his strēgth agayne, yᵗ yᵉ righteous might be norished. For yᵉ creature yᵗ serueth yᵉ (which art yᵉ maker) is fearse in punyshinge yᵉ vnrighteous, but it is easy & gētle to do good, vnto soch as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd all thinges alter at the [E] same tyme, & were all obediēt vnto thy grace, which is yᵉ norse of all thinges, acordinge to yᵉ desyre of thē yᵗ had nede therof: yᵗ yᵉ childrē (O LORDE) whō thou louest,⁽⁷⁾ might knowe, yᵗ it is not nature & the growinge of frutes yᵗ fedeth mē, but yᵗ it is yᵉ worde, which preserueth thē yᵗ put their trust in the. For loke what might not be destroyed wᵗ the fyre, as soone as it was warmed wᵗ a litle Sonne beame, it melted: yᵗ all men might knowe, yᵗ thankes ought to be geuen vnto yᵉ before yᵉ Sonne ryse, & yᵗ thou oughtest to be worshipped before yᵉ daye sprynge. For yᵉ hope of yᵉ vnthankfull shal melt awaie as the wynter yse, & perishe as water, yᵗ is not necessary.

Notes to Chapter 16

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 11. g

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩1. a

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 10. d

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 32. f ⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 9. c

⁽⁶⁾ Exo. 16. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ Deut. 8. ⟨illegible⟩ Matt. 4 ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 17

GReate are thy iudgmētes (o LORDE)[A] & thy councels can not be expressed:⁽¹⁾ therfore men do erre, yᵗ wil not be refourmed wᵗ thy wyszdome. For whan the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subieciō, they were bounde wᵗ the bandes of darcknes & longe night, shutt vnder yᵉ rofe,⁽²⁾ thinkinge to escape yᵉ euerlastinge wiszdome. And whyle they thought to be hyd in yᵉ darcknesse of their synnes, they were scatered abrode in yᵉ very myddest of the darck coueringe of forgetfulnes, put to horrible feare & wonderously vexed. For the corner where they were, might not kepe them from feare: because yᵉ sounde came downe and vexed them: yee many terryble and straunge visions made them afrayed.

[B] No power of the fyre might geue them light, nether might the cleare flāmes of the starres lightē yᵗ horrible night. For there appeared vnto thē a sodane fyre, very dredeful: At yᵉ which (whan they sawe nothinge) they were so afrayed, that they thought yᵉ thinge which they sawe, to be the more fearfull. As for the sorcery & enchauntemēt yᵗ they vsed,⁽³⁾ it came to derisiō, and the proude wyszdome was brought to shame. For they yᵗ promysed to dryue awaie the fearfulnes & drede frō yᵉ weake soules, were sick for feare thē selues, and that wᵗ scorne. And though none of yᵉ wōders feared thē, yet were they afrayed at the beestes which came vpon thē, & at yᵉ Hissynge of the serpētes: In so moch that with trēblinge they swowned, & sayde they sawe not yᵉ ayre, which no mā yet maye escape.

[C] For it is an heuy thinge, whā a mans owne consciēce beareth recorde of his wickednes & condēpneth him. And why? a vexed & wounded consciēce, taketh euer cruell thinges in hāde.⁽⁴⁾ Fearfulnes is nothinge els, but a declaringe yᵗ a mā seketh helpe & defence, to answere for him self. And loke how moch lesse the hope is within, the more is yᵉ vn certaynte of the matter, for the which he is punished. But they yᵗ came in yᵉ mightie night, slepte yᵉ slepe yᵗ fell vpō thē frō vnder & frō aboue: somtyme were they afrayed thorow yᵉ feare of yᵉ wonders, & somtyme they were so weake, yᵗ they swowned withall: for an hastie & sodane fearfulnes came vpon thē. Afterwarde, yf eny of thē had fallē, he was kepte & shutt in preson, but without chaynes. But yf eny dwelt in a vyllage, yf he had bene an hyrd or huszbandman, he suffred intollerable necessite: for they were all bounde with one chayne of darcknesse.

[D] Whether it were a blasynge wynde, or a swete songe of yᵉ byrdes amonge the thicke braunches of the trees, or the vehemence of haistie rūnynge water, or greate noyse of yᵉ fallynge downe of stones, or the playenge & rūnynge of beastes whō they sawe not, or yᵉ mightie noyse of roaringe beestes, or yᵉ sownde yᵗ answereth agayne in the hye mountaynes: it made thē swowne for very feare. For all the earth shyned wᵗ cleare light, & no mā was hyndered in his laboʳ. Onely vpon thē there fell a heuy night, an ymage of darcknesse that was to come vpon them. Yee they were vnto them selues the most heuy & horrible darcknesse.

Notes to Chapter 17

⁽¹⁾ Rom. 11. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Exo. 10. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩od. 7. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 45. a

Chapter 18

NEuertheles thy sayntes had a very [A] greate light (and the enemies herde their voyce, but they sawe not the figure of them.) And because they suffred not yᵉ same thinges, they magnified the: and they yᵗ were vexed afore (because they were not hurte now) thanked the, and besought yᵉ (o God) yᵗ there might be a difference. Therfore had they a burnynge piler of fyre to lede them in the vnknowne waye,⁽¹⁾ & thou gauest them the Sonne for a fre gift without eny hurte. Reason it was, that they shulde want light & to be put in the preson of darcknes, which kepte thy childrē in captiuyte, by whom the vncorrupte light of the lawe of yᵉ worlde was for to be geuen. Whan they thought to slaye [B] the babes of the righteous (one beinge laied out,⁽²⁾ and yet preserued to be leder vnto the other) thou broughtest out the whole multitude of the children,⁽³⁾ and destroydest these in the mightie water. Of that night were oure fathers certified afore, that they knowinge vnto what oothes they had geuen credēce, might be of good cheare. Thus thy people receaued yᵉ health of the righteous, but the vngodly were destroied. For like as thou hast hurte oure enemies, so hast thou promoted vs whom thou calledest afore. For the righteous children of the good men offred secretly, & ordred the lawe of righteousnes vnto vnite: yᵗ the iust shulde receaue good and euell in like maner, singinge prayses vnto yᵉ father of all men. Agayne, there was herde an vnconuenient voyce of the enemies, & a piteous crie for childrē that were bewayled. The master and the seruaūt were punyshed [C] alike, the meane man and the kynge suffred in like maner. For they all together had innumerable that dyed one death.

Nether were yᵉ lyuinge sufficient to bury yᵉ deed, for in yᵉ twincklinge of an eye,⁽⁴⁾ the noblest nacion of thē was destroyed. As oft as God helped thē afore, yet wolde it not make thē beleue: but in yᵉ destruccion of yᵉ first borne they knowleged, that it was yᵉ people of God. For whyle all thinges were still, & whā yᵉ night was in yᵉ myddest of hir course, thy Allmightie worde (o LORDE) leapte downe frō heauē out of yᵉ royall trone, as a rough mā of warre, in yᵉ myddest of yᵉ londe yᵗ was destroyed: & yᵉ sharpe swerde perfourmed yⁱ straite cōmaundemēt, stādinge & fyllinge all thinges wᵗ death: yee it stode vpō yᵉ earth & reached vnto the heauen. Then the sight of the euell dreames vexed them sodenly, and fearfulnesse came vpon them vnawarres.

[D] Then laye there one here, another there half deed half quyck, and shewed the cause of his death. For the visions that vexed thē, shewed thē these thinges afore: so that they were not ignoraunt, wherfore they perished.

The tentacion of death touched the righteous also, and amonge the multitude in the wyldernesse there was insurreccion, but thy wrath endured not longe. For the fautlesse man wente in all the haist,⁽⁵⁾ and toke the battayll vpon him, brought forth the weap⟨illegible⟩ of his ministracion: euen prayer and yᵉ cēsours of recōcilinge, set himself agaynst yᵉ wrath, and so brought the misery to an ende: declaringe therby, that he was thy seruaunt. For he ouercame not the multitude with bodely power, ner with weapēs of might: but with the worde he subdued him that vexed him, puttinge the in remembraunce of the ooth & couenaūt made vnto the fathers. For whan the deed were fallen downe by heapes one vpon another, he stode in the myddest, pacified the wrath, and parted yᵉ waye vnto the lyuynge.⁽⁶⁾ And why⟨illegible⟩ in his longe garmēt was all the beuty, and in the foure rowes of the stones was the glory of the fathers grauē, and thy maiesty was written in the crowne of his heade. Vnto these the destroyer gaue place, and was afrayed of them: for it was only a tentacion worthy of wrath.

Notes to Chapter 18

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 16 g

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. b. c

Chapter 19

[A] AS for the vngodly, the wrath came vpō them without mercy vnto the ende. For he knew before what shulde happē vnto them: how that (whan they had cōsented to lett them go, and had sent them out with greate diligence) they wolde repente, & folowe vpon them. For whan they were yet mournynge and makinge lamētacion by the graues of the deed,⁽¹⁾ they deuysed another foolishnes: so that they persecuted them in their flienge, whom they had cast out afore wᵗ prayer. Worthy necessite also brought them vnto this ende, for they had cleane forgotten the thinges yᵗ happened vnto them afore. But the thinge that was wantynge of their punyshment, was requysite so to be fulfilled vpon them with tormētes: that thy people might haue a maruelous passage thorow, and that these might fynde a straunge death.

[B] Thē was euery creature fashioned agayne of the new acordinge to the wyll of their maker, obeyenge thy commaundementes, yᵗ thy children might be kepte without hurte. For the cloude ouershadowed their tentes, & the drye earth appeared, where afore was water: so yᵗ in the reed see there was a waye without impediment, and the greate depe became a grene felde: where thorow all yᵉ people wente that were defended with thy hande, seinge thy wonderous & maruelous workes. For as yᵉ horses, so were they fedd, & leapte like lābes, praysinge the (o LORDE) which haddest delyuered them. And why? they were yet myndefull of the thinges, that happened whyle they dwelt in the londe: how the grounde brought forth flyes insteade of catell, and how yᵉ ryuer scrauled with the multitude of frogges in steade of fyszshes.

But at the last they sawe a new creacion [C] of byrdes,⁽²⁾ what tyme as they were disceaued with lust, and desyred delicate meates. For whan they were speakinge of their appetite, the quales came vp vnto them from the see, and punyshmentes came vpon yᵉ synners, not without the tokēs which came to passe afore by the vehemēce of yᵉ streames: for they suffred worthely acordinge to their wickednesses, they dealt so abhominably & churlishly with straungers. Some receaued no vnknowne gestes, some brought yᵉ straungers in to bondage that dyd them good. Besyde all these thinges there were some, that not only receaued no straungers with their wylles, but persecuted those also,⁽³⁾ and dyd thē moch euell, that receaued thē gladly. Therfore were they punyshed with blyndnesse, like as they that were couered with sodane darcknesse at the dores of the righteous:⁽⁴⁾ so yᵗ euery one sought yᵉ intraunce of his dore.

Thus the elementes turned in to them selues,[D] like as whan one tune is chaunged vpon an instrument of musick, and yet all the residue kepe their melody: which maye easely be perceaued, by the sight of the thinges that are come to passe. The drye lōde was turned in to a watery, & yᵉ thinge that afore swamme in the water, wente now vpon the drye grounde. The fyre had power in the water (cōtrary to his awne vertue) and the water forgatt his awne kynde to quench. Agayne, the flammes of the noysome beastes hurte not the flesh of them that wēte with them, nether melted they the yse, which els melteth lightly. In all thinges hast thou promoted thy people (o LORDE) and brought them to honoure: thou hast not despysed them, but allwaye and in all places hast thou stonde by them.

Notes to Chapter 19

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ 14. a

⁽²⁾ Exo. 16. c Nu. 11. g

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩oh. b

⁽⁴⁾ Gen. 19. ⟨illegible⟩ 4. Re. 6. ⟨illegible⟩

The ende of the boke of wyszdome.

Colophon

This page is an archival transcription of the printed text, not a Good Works Translation. Source: Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe (M.D.XXXV; STC 2063.3), translated by Myles Coverdale, the copy in Cambridge University Library, keyed and encoded by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A10349, 2005) and released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 public-domain dedication.

2 places illegible in the Cambridge copy were filled from Samuel Bagster’s 1838 page-for-page reprint of the edition (archive.org, holyscriptures00cove), only where the reprint’s reading is certain; each fill is listed on this room’s Supplied Readings page; 103 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (3 in the text, 100 in the marginal notes).

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