Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) — The Coverdale Bible (1535)

Ecclesiasticus, the wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach, is a book of instruction and praise of famous men, prefaced by his grandson’s prologue. In Coverdale’s Bible of 1535 it stands in the Apocrypha, which Coverdale gathered into a section of their own under the heading “Ecclesiasticus called Iesus Syrac The prologe of Iesus the sonne of Syrac vnto his boke”. The 1535 Bible has no verse numbers, so the text keeps its own paragraphs, in 51 chapters, with the marginal notes and references printed after each chapter.

Ecclesiasticus called Iesus Syrac The prologe of Iesus the sonne of Syrac vnto his boke.

MAny and greate mē haue declared wyszdome vnto vs out of yᵉ lawe, out of yᵉ prophetes & out of other that folowed thē. In the which thinges Israel ought to be commended, by the reason of doctrine and wiszdome: Therfore they that haue it & reade it, shulde not onely thē selues be wyse there thorow, but serue other also with teachinge and wrytinge.

After that my graundfather Iesus had geuen diligent laboure to reade the lawe, the prophetes and other bokes that were left vs of oure fathers, and had wel exercised himself therin: he purposed also to wryte some thinge of wyszdome and good maners, to the intēt that they which were wyllinge to lerne and to be wyse, might haue the more vnderstandinge, and be the more apte to lede a good conuersacion.

Wherfore I exorte you to receaue it louyngly, to reade it with diligence, and to take it in good worth: though oure wordes be not so eloquent as the famous oratours. For the thinge that is wryttin in the Hebrue tonge, soundeth not so well whan it is trāslated in to another speache. Not only this boke of myne, but also the lawe, the prophetes, and other bokes sounde farre other wyse, then they do, whan they are spoken in their awne language.

Now in the XXXVIII. yeare whan I came in to Egipte in the tyme of Ptolomy Euerges, and continued there all my life, I gat libertie to reade and wryte many good thinges. Wherfore I thought it good and necessary, to bestowe my diligence and trauayle to interprete this boke. And consideringe that I had tyme, I laboured and dyd my best to perfourme this boke, and to brynge it vnto light: that the straūgers also which are disposed to lerne, might applye them selues vnto good maners, & lyue acordinge to yᵉ lawe of yᵉ LORDE.

What this boke conteyneth.

• Chap. I. All wyszdome commeth of God, for he onely is wyse The frute of Gods feare.
• Chap. II. An exortacion vnto pacience & to the feare of God.
• Chap. III. A doctryne for children, how they shulde honoure father and mother: & how men ought to be gentle and lowly.
• Chap. IIII. Wyszdome lerneth to be mercifull and louynge vnto euery man. What rewarde wyszdome geueth, to them that loue her and seke her.
• Chap. V. Let no man trust in his riches, let no man leane vpon his owne power, let no man despyse the mercy & longe sufferynge of God.
• Chap. VI. Of true & false frendshipe. An exortacion to herken vnto wyszdome.
• Chap. VII. Many goodly lessons and documētes.
• Chap. VIII. He teacheth to bewarre of strife, to thincke scorne of no mā, to avoyde suerryshipp, to bewarre of branelesse and cruell people.
• Chap. IX. How mē shulde behaue them selues with their wyues, & how olde frendshipe ought nor to be broken &c. with many other good lessons.
• Chap. X. Of iudges & rulers of the people. How pryde ought to be eschued.
• Chap. XI. Many good instruccions.
• Chap. XII. How and to whom a mā shulde do good.
• Chap. XIII. How the poore shulde kepe himself from the riche.
• Chap. XIIII. The vnfaithfulnes and wickednes of rich nygardes. An exortacion to do good & to cleue vnto wyszdome.
• Chap. XV. The profit that commeth of the feare of God & of wyszdome, which the wicked will not receaue.
• Chap. XVI. The multitude of euell children is not good, for the grace of God is not amonge the vngodly. The pacience, mercy, and wyszdome of God.
• Chap. XVII. How God made man, endewed him with giftes, openynge his wil & lawe vnto him: but chose Israel out of all people.
• Chap. XVIII. The wyszdome of God and ordre of his workes, which no man maye comprehende. The dayes of man are shorte. God suffreth longe, rebuketh and teacheth all soch as wil receaue nurtoure.
• Chap. XIX. Many good lessons of wyszdome.
• Chap. XX. Men ought to geue warnynge, to exorte and to rebuke: but not to be cruell, violent or malicious. Of sylence, and speakinge, & how to bewarre of lyes.
• Chap. XXI. All maner of synnes ought to be eschued The difference of the wyse and foolish.
• Chap. XXII. A foole wyll not be refourmed nor rebuked. Be faithfull vnto thy neghboure and frende.
• Chap. XXIII. A faithfull prayer vnto God, to preserue the mouth and tonge from noysome wordes and oothes, & the hert from euell thoughtes. How greate abhominacion aduoutry is.
• Chap. XXIIII. A commendacion of wyszdome.
• Chap. XXV. There is nothinge better, then an honest verteous woman. Agayne, there is nothinge worse then an euell, vngodly, & frowarde woman.
• Chap. XXVI. A commendacion and prayse of a good honest woman, and how noysome an euell wyfe is.
• Chap. XXVII. Many goodly sentences.
• Chap. XXVIII. Men ought not to take vengeaūce, but euery man to forgeue his neghboure, & not to beare euell wil ner to stryue. What harme commeth of false tongues & slaunderers.
• Chap. XXIX. How mē shulde haue compassion and lende vnto their neghbours: and how they that borowe, ought to behaue them selues agayne. Of vnaduysed suertieshipe. How euery man ought to be content with that he hath, and not to be chargeable vnto other.
• Chap. XXX. Who so loueth his children, teacheth them, nurtoreth them and chasteneth thē. Health is a noble gift.
• Chap. XXXI. The misery of the cuvetous. How one shulde be haue him self at the table, and be measurable in meate and drynke. What harme commeth of drynkinge to moch wyne.
• Chap. XXXII. To be set in rule & dignite, shulde not make a man proude and hye minded, but to feare, to be diligent and faithful vnto them, that are committed vnto him &c. with other good lessons.
• Chap. XXXIII. How God ought to be feared, & his lawe kepte. The difference of dayes and of men. The ordringe of children and housholde.
• Chap. XXXIIII. The hope of the vngodly is vayne: the righteous shalbe preserued, for he putteth his trust in God, which wil not be reconciled with offeringes, but with an innocent life.
• Chap. XXXV. The offringe that pleaseth God is to kepe his cōmaundementes, to be thankful, mercifull, and to ceasse from synne God is the defender of wyddowes, fatherlesse, and oppressed, and heareth their prayer.
• Chap. XXXVI. An earnest prayer vnto God for helpe agaynst the enemies. The prayse of an honest woman.
• Chap. XXXVII. Of true & false frēdshipe. Good councell ought to be sought at them, which are verteous and feare God, but first at God himself. Of wyszdome and sobernesse.
• Chap. XXXVIII. Phisicians and medicyns ought not to be despysed, but vsed as a gift of God: neuertheles God himself is first to be sought in all sicknesse. Men shulde be measurable in mourninge for the deed, & prepare them selues also vnto death. Euery workman ought to be diligent in his laboure, and to please God with kepinge his commaundementes.
• Chap. XXXIX. Wyszdome and the feare of God excell all other thinges. All thinges are made to serue the faithfull.
• Chap. XL. The life of man is a battayll. All thinges passe awaie, but the trueth abydeth for euer. The liberall and louynge condicions of the righteous. The vnfaithfullnes and nigardnesse of the vngodly.
• Chap. XLI. Death is fearfull vnto the wicked, but a ioye vnto the righteous. The cursinge of the vngodly. A good name is a noble thinge. What the thinges be, wherof a man ought to be ashamed.
• Chap. XLII. Where one ought not to be ashamed. The care and bringinge vp of childrē. The power and wyszdome of God.
• Chap. XLIII. The beuty of the firmamēt, wher by the power and wyszdome of God is knowne, & shulde by right be praysed.
• Chap. XLIIII. A commendacion and prayse of the olde fathers.
• Chap. XLV. Of the faithfull worthies, and their noble actes. Of the presthode and offeringes. The punyshment of the sedicious.
• Chap. XLVI. The manlynesse of Iosue & Caleb. Of the rulers in Israel, vnto the tyme of faithfull Samuel.
• Chap. XLVII. Of Nathan, Dauid and Salomon.
• Chap. XLVIII. Of Elyas, Ezechias and Esay.
• Chap. XLIX. The actes of good Iosias. The decaye of Ierusalem. Of the prophetes and patriarckes.
• Chap. L. A commēdacion of Simeon the sonne of Onias.
• Chap. LI. A prayer of Iesus Syrac. Wyszdome calleth the ignoraunt vnto her.

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Chapter 1

ALl wyszdome cōmeth [A] of God the LORDE, ⁽¹⁾ & hath bene euer wᵗ him, and is before all tyme. Who hath nombred yᵉ sonde of the see, yᵉ droppes of the rayne & the dayes of tyme? Who hath measured the heyth of heauē, yᵉ bredth of the earth & the depenesse of the see? Who hath sought out the grounde of Gods wiszdome, which hath bene before all thinges? Wiszdome hath bene before all thinges,⁽²⁾ and the vnderstandinge of prudence from euerlastinge. (Gods worde in the heyth is the well of wyszdome, and the euerlastinge cōmaundementes are the intraunce of her.) Vnto whom hath yᵉ rote of wyszdome bene decla⟨illegible⟩red? Or who hath knowne hir wyt? Vnto whom hath the doctrine of wyszdome bene discouered and shewed? and who hath vnderstande the many folde entraūce of her?

There is one: euē the Hyest, the maker of [B] all thinges, yᵉ Allmightie, yᵉ kynge of power (of whom men ought to stonde greatly in awe) which sytteth vpon his trone, beinge a God of dominion: He hath created her thorow yᵉ holy goost: he hath sene her, nombred her, and measured her: He hath poured her out vpon all his workes, and vpon all flesh acordinge to his gift: he geueth her richely vnto them that loue him. The feare of the LORDE is worshipe and triūphe, gladnesse & a ioyfull crowne. The feare of the LORDE maketh a mery hert, geueth gladnesse, ioye and longe life. Who so feareth the LORDE, it shal go well with him at the last, & in the daye of his death he shal be blessed.

[C] The loue of God is honorable wiszdome: loke vnto whom it appeareth, they loue it, for they se what wōderous thinges it doth. The feare of LORDE is the begynnynge of wyszdome,⁽³⁾ and was made with the faithfull in the mothers wombe: it shall go with the chosen wemen, and shalbe knowne of yᵉ righteous and faithfull. The feare of the LORDE is yᵉ right Gods seruyce, that preserueth and iustifieth the hert, and geueth myrth & gladnesse. Who so feareth the LORDE, shal be happie: and whan he hath nede of comforte, he shal be blessed. To feare God is the wiszdome that maketh rich, and bringeth all good with her. She fylleth the whole house with hir giftes, & the garners with her treasure. The feare of the LORDE is the crowne of wyszdome, and geueth plenteous peace & health. He hath sene her & nombred her: knowlege and vnderstandinge of wyszdome hath he poured out as rayne: and them that helde her fast, hath he brought vnto honoʳ.

[D] The feare of the LORDE is the rote of wyszdome, and hir braunches are longe life. (In the treasures of wyszdome is vnderstondinge and deuocion of knowlege, but wyszdome is abhorred of synners.) The feare of the LORDE dryueth out synne, for he that is without feare, can not be made righteous, & his wilfull boldnes is his owne destruccion. A paciēt man wyl suffre vnto the tyme, and thē shal he haue yᵉ rewarde of ioye. A good vnderstōdinge wil hyde his wordes for a tyme, and many mēs lippes shal speake of his wyszdome. In the treasures of wyszdome is the declaracion of doctrine, but the synner abhorreth the worshipe of God. My sonne, yf thou desyre wiszdome, kepe the commaundement, and God shal geue her vnto the: for the feare of the LORDE is wyszdome & nurtoure, he hath pleasure in faith and louynge mekenesse, and he shal fyll the treasures therof. Be not obstinate and vnfaithfull to the feare of the LORDE, and come not vnto him with a duble hert. Be not an ypocrite in the sight of men, and take good hede what thou speakest. Marck well these thinges, lest thou happen to fall and brynge thy soule to dishonoure, and so God discouer thy secretes, and cast the downe in the myddest of the congregacion: because thou woldest not receaue the feare of God, and because thy hert is full of faynednes and disceate.

Notes to Chapter 1

⁽¹⁾ 3. Re. 3. ⟨illegible⟩ and 4. c Iob 28. c Iacobi 1.

⁽²⁾ Rom. 11.

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩al. 110. b ⟨illegible⟩. 9. b

Chapter 2

MY sonne, yf thou wilt come in to yᵉ [A] seruyce of God,⁽¹⁾ stonde fast in rightousnes and feare, & arme thy soule to tentacion: sattle thine hert, and be paciēt: bowe downe thine eare, receaue the wordes of vnderstondinge, and shrencke not awaye, whan thou art entysed. Holde the fast vpon God, ioyne thy self vnto him & suffre, that thy life maye encreace at the last. What so euer happeneth vnto the, receaue it: suffre in heuynesse, and be pacient in thy trouble.⁽²⁾ For like as golde and syluer are tryed in the fyre, euen so are acceptable men in the fornace of aduersite. Beleue in God, and he shal helpe the: ordre thy waie a right, and put thy trust in him. Holde fast his feare, and growe therin▪ O ye yᵗ feare the LORDE, take sure holde of his mercy: shrencke not awaye frō him, that ye fall not. O ye that feare yᵉ LORDE, beleue him, and youre rewarde shall not be emptye. O ye that feare yᵉ LORDE, put youre trust in him, & mercy shal come vnto you for pleasure. O ye yᵗ feare yᵉ LORDE, set yoʳ loue vpō him, & yoʳ hertes shal be lightened.

Considre the olde generacions of men (o [B] ye children) and marck them well:⁽³⁾ was there euer eny one confounded, that put his trust in the LORDE? Who euer contynued in his feare, and was forsaken? Or whom dyd he euer despyse, that called faithfully vpō him? For God is gracious and mercifull, he forgeueth synnes in yᵉ tyme of trouble, and is a defender for all them yᵗ seke him in yᵉ trueth. Wo be vnto him that hath a dubble hert, wicked lippes and euell occupied handes, & to the synner yᵗ goeth two maner of waies. Wo be vnto them that are lowse of hert, which put not their trust in God, and therfore shal they not be defended of him. Wo be vnto them that haue lost pacience, forsaken the right wayes, and are turned back in to frowarde wayes. What wyl they do, whan the LORDE shal begynne to vyset thē?

They that feare yᵉ LORDE, wil not mystrust [C] his worde: and they that loue him,⁽⁴⁾ wyl kepe his commaundement. They that feare the LORDE, wyl seke out yᵉ thinges that are pleasaunt vnto him: and they that loue him, shal fulfill his lawe.⁽⁵⁾ They that feare yᵉ LORDE wil prepare their hertes, and hūble their soules in his sight. (They that feare the LORDE, kepe his commaundementes, and wil be pacient,⁽⁶⁾ tyll they se himself) sayenge: better it is for vs to fall in to the handes of yᵉ LORDE, then in to the hādes of men: for his mercy is as greate as him self.

Notes to Chapter 2

⁽¹⁾ Matt. ⟨illegible⟩ Tim. ⟨illegible⟩ 2. Pe⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Sap. 3 ⟨illegible⟩ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Psal ⟨illegible⟩ Esa▪ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 24. c ⟨illegible⟩ d

Chapter 3

[A] THe children of wyszdome are a cōgregacion of the righteous, and their exercise is obedience and loue. Heare me youre father (o my deare children) and do there after,⁽¹⁾ that ye maie be safe. For the LORDE wil haue the father honoured of the children, and loke what a mother commaūdeth hir children to do, he wil haue it kepte. Who so honoureth his father, his synnes shall be forgeuē him: and he that honoureth his mother, is like one that gathereth treasure together. Who so honoureth his father, shal haue ioye of his owne children: & whan he maketh his prayer, he shal be herde. He that honoureth his father,⁽²⁾ shall haue a longe life: & he that is obedient for yᵉ LORDES sake, his mother shal haue ioye of him.

[B] He that feareth the LORDE, honoureth his father and mother, and doth them seruyce, as it were vnto the LORDE himself. Honoure thy father in dede, in worde and in all pacience,⁽³⁾ that thou mayest haue his blessinge: for the blessinge of yᵉ father buyldeth vp the houses of the children, but the mothers curse roteth out the foundacions. Reioyse not whan thy father is reproued, for it is no honoure vnto the, but a shame. For the worshipe of a mans father is his awne worshipe, and where the father is without honoure, it is the dishonesty of the sonne. My sonne, make moch of thy father in his age, and greue him not as longe as he lyueth. And yf his vnderstandinge fayle, haue pacience wᵗ him, & despyse him not in thy strength. For the good dede that thou shewest vnto thy father, shall not be forgotten: and whan thou thy self wantest, it shall be rewarded the (and for thy mothers offence thou shalt be recompensed with good, yee it shal be founded for the in righteousnes) and in the daye of trouble thou shalt be remembred: thy synnes also shall melt awaye, like as the yse in yᵉ fayre warme wether.

[C] He yᵗ forsaketh his father, shall come to shame: & he that defyeth his mother, is cursed of God. My sonne, perfourme yᵉ workes wᵗ louynge mekenesse, so shalt thou be loued aboue other men.⁽⁴⁾ The greater thou art, the more hūble thy self (in all thinges) and thou shalt fynde fauoʳ in the sight of God. For greate power belongeth onely vnto God, & he is honoured of the lowly.

Seke not out the thinges that are aboue thy capacite,⁽⁵⁾ and search not the grounde of soch thinges as are to mightie for the: but loke what God hath commaunded the,⁽⁶⁾ thinke vpō that allwaye, and be not curious in many of ⁽⁷⁾ his workes. For it is not nedefull for the, to se wᵗ thine eyes, yᵉ thinges yᵗ are secrete. Make not thou to moch search in superfluous thinges, and be not curious in many of his workes: for many thinges are shewed vnto the allready, which be aboue yᵉ capacite of men. The medlinge with soch hath begyled many a man, and tangled their wyttes in vanite. Now he that loueth parell, shal perish therin.

An harde herte shall fayre euell at yᵉ last [D] (an hert that goeth two wayes, shal not prospere: & he that is frowarde of hert, wyll euer be the worse and worse) A wicked hert shall be ladē wᵗ sorowes, and yᵉ vngodly sinner wyll heape one synne vpon another. The councell of the proude hath no health, for yᵉ plante of synne shal be roted out in thē. The hert of him yᵗ hath vnderstandinge, shal perceaue hye thinges, and a good eare wil gladly herken vnto wyszdome. An hert that is wyse & hath vnderstādinge, wyl abstayne from synnes, and increase in the workes of righteousnes. Water quencheth burnynge fyre,⁽⁸⁾ & mercy reconcyleth synnes. God hath respecte vnto him yᵗ is thankfull: he thinketh vpon him agaynst the tyme to come: so that whan he falleth, he shal fynde a stronge holde.

Notes to Chapter 3

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ b ⟨illegible⟩ b ⟨illegible⟩. 5. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 5. a

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩7. d ⟨illegible⟩ 49. a ⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 25. d Rom. 12. a

⁽⁶⁾ Deut. 4. a

⁽⁷⁾ Some rede * thy workes.

⁽⁸⁾ Psal. 40. a Dan. 4. d Math. 5. a

Chapter 4

MY sonne, defraude not the poore of [A] his almes,⁽¹⁾ and turne not awaye thine eyes from him that hath nede. Despise not an hongrie soule, and defye not the poore in his necessite: greue not the hert of him that is helplesse, and withdrawe not the gift from yᵉ nedefull. Refuse not the prayer of one that is in trouble, and turne not awaye thy face from the nedy. Cast not thine eyes asyde frō yᵉ poore, yᵗ thou geue him not occasion to speake euell of the. For yf he complayne of yᵗ in the bytternes of his soule, his prayer shal be herde: euē he yᵗ made him, shal heare him. Be curteous vnto yᵉ company of the poore, humble thy soule vnto the elder, & bowe downe yᵉ heade to a man of worshipe. Let it not greue the to bowe downe thine eare vnto the poore, but paye thy dett, and geue him a frendly answere, and yᵗ wᵗ mekenesse.

Delyuer him yᵗ suffreth wrōge frō yᵉ hāde [B] of yᵉ oppressoʳ,⁽²⁾ & be not faint harted whā thou sittest in iudgmēt. Be merciful vnto yᵉ fatherles as a father, & be in steade of an huszbāde vnto their mother: so shalt thou be as an obediēt sonne of yᵉ Hyest, and he shal loue the more thē yⁱ mother doth. Wiszdome bretheth life in to hir children, receaueth thē yᵗ seke her, & wyll go before thē in yᵉ waye of righteousnes. He yᵗ loueth her, loueth life: & they yᵗ seke her diligētly, shal haue greate ioye. They yᵗ kepe her, shal haue the heretage of life: for where she entreth in, there is the blessinge of God. They that honoure her, shal be yᵉ seruauntes of the holy one: and they that loue her, are beloued of God. Who so geueth eare vnto her, shal iudge the Heithē: and he that hath respecte vnto her, shall dwell safely.

[C] He that beleueth her, shal haue her in possession, and his generacion shal endure: for whan he falleth, she shal go with him before all. ⟨illegible⟩eare, drede and tentacion shal she bringe vpon him, and trye him in hir doctrine: tyll she haue so proued him in his thoughtes, that he committe his soule vnto her. Thē shal she stablish him, bringe the right waye vnto him, make hī a glad mā, shewe him hir secretes, and heape vpon him the treasures of knowlege, vnderstondinge and righteousnes. But yf he go wronge, she shall forsake him, and geue him ouer in to the handes of his enemie.

[D] My sonne, make moch of the tyme, eschue the thinge yᵗ is euell,⁽³⁾ and for yᵉ life shame not to saye yᵉ trueth. For there is a shame yᵗ bringeth synne,⁽⁴⁾ and there is a shame that bringeth worshipe and fauoʳ.⁽⁵⁾ Accepte no person after thine owne will, that thou be not confounded to thine owne decaye. Be not ashamed of yᵉ neghboʳ in his aduersite, & kepe not back yᵉ councell whā it maye do good, nether hyde yᵉ wyszdome in hir beuty. For in the tōge is wyszdome knowne, so is vnderstandinge, knowlege and lernynge in the talkinge of the wyse, & stedfastnesse in yᵉ workes of righteousnes. In no wise speake agaynst the worde of treuth, but be ashamed of the lyes of thine owne ignoraunce. Shame not to confesse thine erroure, and submitte not thyself vnto euery man because of synne. Withstande not yᵉ face of the mightie, and stryue not agaynst the streame. But for the trueth stryue thou vnto death, and God shal fight for the agaynst thine enemies. Be not haystie in thy tonge, nether slack and negligent in thy workes. Be not as a lyon in thine owne house, destroyinge thy housholde folkes, and oppress⟨illegible⟩nge them yᵗ are vnder the. Let not thine hande be stretched out to receaue,⁽⁶⁾ and shutt whan thou shuldest geue.

Notes to Chapter 4

⁽¹⁾ Deut. 15. a Mat. 25. c

⁽²⁾ Gen. 14. ⟨illegible⟩ Exo. 2. b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩phe. 5. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ath. 10. e

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eui. 19. d

⁽⁶⁾ Act. 20. c

Chapter 5

TRust not vnto thy riches, and saye [A] not: tush, I haue ynough for my life.⁽¹⁾ (For it shall not helpe in the tyme of vengeaunce and temptacion) Folowe not the lust of thine owne hert in thy strength, and saye not: tush, how shulde I, or who wyl cast me downe because of my workes? for doutles God shal auenge it. And saye not: I haue committed mo synnes, butt what euell hath happened me? For the Allmightie is a pacient rewarder.⁽²⁾ Because yᵗ synne is for geuē yᵉ, be not therfore without feare, nether heape one synne vpō another. And saye not: tush, the mercy of the LORDE is greate,⁽³⁾ he shal forgeue my synnes, be they neuer so many. For like as he is mercifull,⁽⁴⁾ so goeth wrath from him also, and his indignacion cōmeth downe vpon synners.

Make no tariēge to turne vnto yᵉ LORDE, [B] & put not of frō daye to daie: for sodenly shal his wrath come, & in the tyme of vengeaunce he shal destroie yᵉ.⁽⁵⁾ Trust not in wicked riches for they shal not helpe in the daye of punishment and wrath. Be not caried aboute to euery wynde, and go not in to euery waye: for so doth the synner that hath a dubble tonge (Stonde fast in yᵉ waye of yᵉ LORDE) be stedfast in thy vnderstandinge, abyde by yᵉ worde, and folowe the worde of peace and righteousnes. Be gētle to heare yᵉ worde of God, that thou mayest vnderstande it, and make a true answere wᵗ wyszdome.⁽⁶⁾ Be swift to heare, but slowe and pacient in geuinge answere. Yf thou hast vnderstondinge, shappe thy neghboʳ an answere: Yf no, laye thine hāde vpō yᵉ mouth: lest thou be trapped in an vndiscrete worde, & so cōfoūded. Honoʳ & worshipe is in a mās wyse talkinge, but yᵗ tōge of yᵉ vndiscrete is his awne distrucciō.⁽⁷⁾ Be not a preuy accuser as longe as thou lyuest, and vse no slaunder wᵗ thy tonge. For shame and sorow goeth ouer the thefe, and an euell name ouer him that is dubble tonged: but he that is a preuy accuser of other men, shalbe hated envyed and confounded. Se that thou iustifie the small and greate alyke.

Notes to Chapter 5

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 6

BE not yᵉ neghbours enemye for yᵉ frēdes [A] sake: for who so is euel shal be yᵉ heyre of rebuke & dishono, & who soeuer beareth envye and a dubble tōge, offendeth.⁽¹⁾ Be not proude in the deuyce of thyne owne vnderstandinge, lest yᵉ leaues wyther, and yᵉ frute be destroyed, & so thou be left as a drye tre▪ For a wicked soule destroyeth him that hath it, maketh him to be laughed to scorne of his enemies, (and bringeth him to the porcion of the vngodly.⁽²⁾) A swete worde multiplieth frendes, and pacifieth thē yᵗ be at variaunce, and a thankfull tonge will be plenteous in a good man. Holde frendshipe wᵗ many, neuertheles haue but one counceler [B] of a thousande.

⁽³⁾Yf thou gettest a frende, proue him first, and be not haistie to geue him credence. For some man is a frende but for a tyme, and wyl not abyde in the daye of trouble. And there is some frende that turneth to enemyte, and taketh parte agaynst the: and yf he knowe eny hurte by the, he telleth it out. Agayne, some frende is but a companyon at the table,⁽⁴⁾ and in the daye of nede he contynueth not. But a sure frende wil be vnto yᵗ euen as thyne owne self, and deale faithfully with thy housholde folke. Yf thou suffre trouble and aduersite, he is with the, and hydeth not him self from the. Departe frō thine enemies, yee and bewarre of thy frendes.

[C] A faithful frende is a stronge defence: who so findeth soch one, findeth a noble treasure. A faithfull frende hath no peare, the weight of golde and syluer is not to be compared to the goodnesse of his faith. A faithfull frende is a medicyne of life, & they yᵗ feare the LORDE, shal fynde him. Who so feareth the LORDE, shal prospere with frendes: and as he is himself, so shal his frende be also My sonne, receaue doctryne frō thy youth vp, so shalt thou fynde wyszdome tyll thou be olde. Go to her as one that ploweth, and soweth, and wayte paciētly for hir good frutes.⁽⁵⁾ For thou shalt haue but litle laboure in hir worke, but thou shalt eate of hir frutes right soone. O how exceadīge sharpe is wiszdome to vnlerned men? an vnstedfast body wyl not remayne in her. Vnto soch she is as it were a twichstone, & he casteth her from him in all the haist: for wyszdome is wᵗ him but in name, there be but few yᵗ haue knowlege of her. (But with them that knowe her, she abydeth euē vnto yᵉ appearinge of God.)

Geue eare (my sonne) receaue my doctryne, [D] and refuse not my councell. Put thy fote in to hir lynckes,⁽⁶⁾ and take hir yock vpon thy neck: bowe downe thy shulder vnder her, beare hir paciently, and be not weery of hir bandes. Come vnto her with yᵉ whole hert, and kepe hir wayes with all thy power. Seke after her, and she shalbe shewed the: and whā thou hast her, forsake her not. For at the last thou shalt fynde rest in her, and that shal be turned to thy greate ioye. Then shal hir fetters be a stronge defence for the, & hir yock a glorious rayment. For the bewtye of life is in her, and hir bandes are the couplinge together of saluacion. Yee a glorious rayment is it, thou shalt put it on, and the same crowne of ioye shalt thou weere.

My sonne, yf thou wilt take hede, thou [E] shalt haue vnderstādinge: and yf thou wilt applye yᵉ mynde, thou shalt be wyse. Yf thou wilt bowe downe thine eare, thou shalt receaue doctryne: and yf thou delyte in hearinge, thou shalt be wyse. Stonde with yᵉ multitude of soch elders as haue vnderstandinge, and consente vnto their wyszdome with thine hert:⁽⁷⁾ that thou mayest heare all godly sermons, and that the worthy sentences escape the not. And yf thou seist a man of discrete vnderstandinge, gett the soone vnto him, and let thy fote treade vpon the steppes of his dores.⁽⁸⁾ Let thy mynde be vpon the commaundementes of God, & be earnestly occupied in his lawes: so shal he stablish yᵉ hert, and geue yᵉ wyszdome at thine owne desyre.

Notes to Chapter 6

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩ 3⟨illegible⟩. b ⟨illegible⟩. 7. a ⟨illegible⟩ c

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 11. c

⁽⁷⁾ Eccli. 8. a

⁽⁸⁾ Psal. 1. a

Chapter 7

DO no euell, so shall there no harme [A] happen vnto the. Departe awaye from the thinge that is wicked, and no mysfortune shal medle with the. My sonne, sowe no euell thinges in the sorowes of vnrighteousnes, so shalt thou not reape thē seuenfolde. Labo not vnto man for eny lordshipe, nether vnto the kynge for the seate of honoure.⁽¹⁾ Iustifie not thy self before God (for he knoweth the hert) and desyre not to be reputed wyse in the presence of the kynge. Make no laboure to be made a iudge, excepte it so were, yᵗ thou coudest mightely put downe wickednes: for yf thou shuldest stōde in awe of yᵉ presence of the mightie, thou shuldest fayle in geuynge sentence. Offende not in yᵉ multitude of the cite, and put not thyself amonge the people.⁽²⁾ Bynde not two synnes together, for in one synne shalt thou not be vnpunyshed. Saye not: tush, God wil loke vpō the multitude of my oblacions, and whan I offre to the hyest God, he wyl accepte it.

Be not faynt harted whan thou makest [B] yᵉ prayer, nether slack in geuinge of allmesse. Laugh no man to scorne in the heuynesse of his soule, for God (which seyth all thinges) is he that can bringe downe,⁽³⁾ and set vp agayne. Accepte no lesynge agaynst thy brother, nether do the same agaynst thy frende. Vse not to make eny maner of lye, for the custome therof is not good. Make not many wordes, whan thou art amonge the elders: and whan thou prayest, make not moch bablinge.⁽⁴⁾ Let no laborious worke be tedious vnto the, nether the huszbandrie which the Allmightie hath created. Make not thy boast in the multitude of thy wickednes, but humble thy self euen from thine hert: and remembre that the wrath shall not be longe in tarienge, and that the vengeaunce of the flesh of yᵉ vngodly is a very fyre and worme. Geue not ouer thy frende for eny good, ner thy faithfull brother for the best golde.

[C] Departe not from a discrete and good woman, that is fallen vnto the for thy porcion in the feare of the LORDE, for yᵉ gift of hir honesty is aboue golde.⁽⁵⁾ Where as thy seruaunt worketh truly, intreate him not euell, ner the Hyrelinge that is faithfull vnto the. Loue a discrete seruaunte as thine owne soule, defraude him not of his libertie, nether leaue him a poore man.⁽⁶⁾ Yf thou haue catell, loke well to them: and yf they be for thy profit, kepe them. Yf thou haue sonnes, brynge them vp in nurtoʳ and lernynge,⁽⁷⁾ & holde thē in awe from their youth vp. Yf thou haue daughters, kepe their body, & shew not thy face cherefull towarde thē. Marye yᵉ daughter, and so shalt thou perfourme a weightie matter: but geue her to a man of vnderstandinge. Yf thou haue a wife after thine owne mynde, forsake her not: (but cōmitte not thy self to the hatefull.)

⁽⁸⁾Honoure thy father from thy whole herte, and forgett not the sorofull trauaile that thy mother had wᵗ the: remembre that thou wast borne thorow them, and how cāst thou recōpense them the thinges that they haue [D] done for the? Feare the LORDE with all yᵉ soule, & honoure his ministers. Loue thy maker with all thy strēgth,⁽⁹⁾ and forsake not his seruauntes. Feare the LORDE with all thy soule,⁽¹⁰⁾ & honoure his prestes. Geue thē their porcion of the first frutes and increase of yᵉ earth, like as it is commaūded the: geue thē yᵉ shulders, and their appoynted offeringes, and firstlinges, Reach thine hande vnto the poore, that God maye blesse the with plenteousnes.⁽¹¹⁾ Be liberall vnto all men lyuynge, yet let not but do good euen to them that are deed.⁽¹²⁾

⁽¹³⁾Let not them that wepe be without comforte, but mourne with soch as mourne. Let it not greue the to vyset the sick,⁽¹⁴⁾ for that shal make the to be loued. What so euer thou takest in hande, remembre the ende, and thou shalt neuer do amysse.

Notes to Chapter 7

⁽¹⁾ Psal. 142. Eccls. 7. c Iob 9. a. c Luc. 19. b

⁽²⁾ Eccli. 12.

⁽³⁾ 1 Reg. 2. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Mat. 6. b Eccli. 1. c Ro. 12. b

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eui. 19. c

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eut. 25. a

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 30. a

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 3. a ⟨illegible⟩obi. 4. a

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eut. 12. c

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 18. b. c

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩alat. 6. b

⁽¹²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1. d

⁽¹³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 12. b

⁽¹⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 25. c

Chapter 8

[A] STryue not with a mightie man, lest thou chaunse to fall in to his hādes. Make no variaūce wᵗ a riche mā,⁽¹⁾ lest he happen to bringe vp an harde quarell agaynst yᵉ.⁽²⁾ For golde & siluer hath vndone many a man, yee euē yᵉ hertes of kynges hath it made to fall. Stryue not wᵗ a mā that is full of wordes, & laye no stickes vpon his fyre. Kepe no company with the vnlerned, lest he geue thy kynred an euell reporte.⁽³⁾ Despyse not a man that turneth himself awaye from synne, and cast him not in the teth withall: but remēbre yᵗ we are frayle euerychone.⁽⁴⁾ Thynke scorne of no mā in his olde age, for we waxe olde also. Be not glad of the death of thine enemie, but remembre that we must dye all the sorte of vs (and fayne wolde we come in to ioye.⁽⁵⁾) Despyse not the sermons of soch elders as haue vnderstandinge, but acquaunte thy self wᵗ the wyse sentences of them: for of them thou shalt lerne wyszdome and the doctrine of vnderstandinge, and how to serue greate men without complaynte.

Go not from yᵉ doctryne of the elders, for [B] they haue lerned it of their fathers. For of them thou shalt lerne vnderstandinge, so yᵗ thou mayest make answere in yᵉ tyme of nede. Kyndle not yᵉ coales of synners, lest thou be brent in the fyrie flammes of their synnes Resist not the face of the blasphemer, that he laye not wayte for thy mouth. Lende not vnto him that is mightier then thyself:⁽⁶⁾ Yf thou lendest him, counte it but lost. Be not suertie aboue yᵉ power: yf thou be, then thynke surely to paye it. Go not to lawe wᵗ the iudge, for he wyl iudge acordinge to his owne honoure. Trauayle not by the waye wᵗ him yᵗ is branelesse, lest he do the euell:⁽⁷⁾ for he foloweth his awne wilfulnes, & so shalt thou perish thorow his foly.

Stryue not with him that is angrie and [C] cruell,⁽⁸⁾ and go not with him in to yᵉ wyldernes: for bloude is nothinge in his sight, and where there is no helpe, he shal murthur yᵉ. Take no councell at fooles,⁽⁹⁾ for they loue nothinge but the thinges that please themself. Make no coūcell before a straunger, for thou canst not tell what wyll come of it. Opē not thine hert vnto euery man, lest he be vnthāfull to the, and put the to reprofe.

Notes to Chapter 8

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩att. 5. e

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 9

BE not gelous ouer yᵉ wyfe of thy bosome, yᵗ she shew not some shrewed [A] poynte of wicked doctryne vpō the. Geue not the power of thy lyfe vnto a woman, lest she come in yⁱ strength, and so thou be confounded. Loke not vpon a womā that is desyrous of many men, lest thou fall in to hir snares. Vse not the company of a womā that is a player and daūser, & heare hir not, lest thou perish thorow hir entysinge. Beholde not a maydē, that thou be not hurt in hir bewtye.⁽¹⁾ Cast not thy mynde vpon harlottes in eny maner of thinge, lest thou destroye both thy self and thine heretage. Go not aboute gasinge in euery layne of the cite, nether wādre thou abrode in the stretes therof. Turne awaye thy face from a beutyfull woman,⁽²⁾ and loke not vpon the fayrnesse of other.

[B] Many a man hath perished thorow the bewty of women,⁽³⁾ for thorow it the desyre is kyndled as it were a fyre. (An aduouterous woman shalbe trodden vnder fote as myre, of euery one that goeth by the waye. Many a man wonderinge the bewtye of a straūge woman, haue bene cast out, for hir wordes kyndle as a fyre.) Sytt not wᵗ another mans wyfe by eny meanes, lye not with her vpon the bedd, make no wordes with her at yᵉ wyne: lest thine hert consent vnto her, & so thou with thy bloude fall in to destruccion. Forsake not an olde frende, for the new shal not be like him.

A new frende is new wine: let him be olde, & thou shalt drynke him with pleasure. Desyre not yᵉ honoure and riches of a synner, for thou knowest not what destruccion is for to come vpon him. Delyte not thou in the thinge that the vngodly haue pleasure in: beinge sure, that the vngodly shall not be accepted vntyll their graue.

[C] Kepe the from the man that hath power to slaye, so nedest thou not to be afrayed of death. And yf thou commest vnto him, make no fawte, lest he happen to take awaye thy life. Remembre that thou goest in the myddest of snares, and vpon the bulworkes of yᵉ cite. Bewarre of thy neghboure as nye as thou canst,⁽⁴⁾ and medle with soch as be wyse and haue vnderstandinge. Let iust men be thy gestes, let thy myrth be in the feare of God, let the remembraūce of God be in thy mynde, and let all thy talkynge be in the commaundementes of the Hyest. In the handes of craftesmen shall the workes be commended, so shal the prynces of the people in the wyszdome of their talkynge. A man full of wordes is perlous in his cite: and he that is temerarious and past shame in his talkinge, is to be abhorred.

Notes to Chapter 9

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 5. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 5. c

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 34. a ⟨illegible⟩ 11 a ⟨illegible⟩ 10. ⟨illegible⟩ 12

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ c ⟨illegible⟩ 2. b

Chapter 10

[A] A Wyse iudge wil ordre his people with discrecion, and where a man of vnderstandinge beareth rule, there goeth it well. As the iudge of the people is himself, euē so are his officers: and loke what maner of man the ruler of the cite is, soch are they that dwell therin also.⁽¹⁾ An vnwise kinge destroyeth his people, but where they that be in auctorite are men of vnderstandinge, there the cite prospereth.

The power of the earth is in the hande of God, and whan his tyme is, he shal set a profitable ruler vpon it. In the hande of God is the power of man, and vpō the scrybes shal he laye his honoure. Remembre no wronge of thy neghboure,⁽²⁾ and medle thou wᵗ no vnrighteous workes. Pryde is hatefull before God and men, and all wickednes of the Heithen is to be abhorred.⁽³⁾ Because of vnrighteous dealinge, wronge, blasphemies and diuerse disceate, a realme shal be trāslated frō one people to another.

There is nothinge worse then a cuvetous [B] man. What prydest thou the, o thou earth and aszshes? There is not a more wicked thinge, then to loue moneye. And why? soch one hath his soule to sell: yet is he but fylthie dōge whyle he lyueth.

And though the phisician shewe his helpe neuer so longe, yet in conclucion it goeth after this maner: to daye a kynge, tomorow deed. For whan a man dyeth, he is the heyre of serpentes, beastes and wormes. The begynnynge of mans pryde, is to fall awaye from God: and why? his hert is gone from his maker, for pryde is the origenall of all synne. Who so taketh holde therof, shalbe fylled with cursinges, and at yᵉ last it shal ouer throwe him. Therfore hath the LORDE brought the cōgregacions of the wicked to dishonoʳ, and destroyed them vnto the ende.

God hath destroyed the seates of proude [C] prynces, and sett vp the meke in their steade.⁽⁴⁾ God hath wythered the rotes of the proude Heithen, and planted the lowly amonge them. God hath ouerthrowne the londes of the Heithen,⁽⁵⁾ and destroyed them out of the grounde. He hath caused them to wyther awaye, he hath brought them to naught, and made the memoriall of them to ceasse from out of the earth. (God hath destroyed the name of the proude, and left the name of yᵉ humble of mynde.) Pryde was not made for man, nether wrothfulnes for mens children. The sede of men that feareth God, shalbe brought to honoure: but yᵉ sede which transgresseth the commaundementes of yᵉ LORDE shalbe shamed. He yᵗ is the ruler amōge brethren, is holdē in honoure amōge them, and he regardeth soch as feare the LORDE.

The glory of the riche, of the honorable [D] and of the poore is the feare of God.

Despyse not thou the iust poore man, and magnifie not yᵉ rich vngodly. Greate is the iudge and mightie in hono, yet is there none greater, then he yᵗ feareth God. Vnto yᵉ seruaunt that is disceete,⁽⁶⁾ shal the fre do seruyce. He that is wyse and well nurtoured, wyll not grudge whan he is refourmed, & an ignoraūt body shal not come to honoure.⁽⁷⁾ Be not proude to do thy worke, and dispare not in the tyme of aduersite.⁽⁸⁾ Better is he yᵗ laboureth, and hath plenteousnes of all thinges, then he yᵗ is gorgious, and wanteth bred.

[E] My sonne, kepe thy soule in mekenes, and geue her hir due honoure. Who shal iustifie him, that synneth agaynst himself? Who wil honoure him, that dishonoureth his owne life? The poore is honoured for his faithfulnes and trueth, but yᵉ rich is had in reputaciō because of his goodes. He that ordreth himself honestly in pouerte, how moch more shal he behaue himself honestly in riches? And who so ordreth himself vnhonestly in riches, how moch more shal he behaue himself vnhonestly in pouerte?

Notes to Chapter 10

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 12. a

⁽²⁾ Leui. 19. c

⁽³⁾ Iere. 27. a Dan. 4. c

⁽⁴⁾ Sap. 6. b Luc. 1. d 14. b 18. b

⁽⁵⁾ Gen. 19. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. 17. a

⁽⁷⁾ 2. Re. 12. c

⁽⁸⁾ Pro. 12. b

Chapter 11

[A] THe wyszdome of him yᵗ is brought lowe,⁽¹⁾ shal lift vp his heade, and shal make him to sytt amonge greate mē. Commende not a man in his bewtye, nether despyse a man in his vtter appearaūce. The Bey is but a small beast amonge the foules, yet is hir frute exceadīge swete. Be not proude of thy rayment, and exalte not thyself in the daye of thy honoure:⁽²⁾ for yᵉ workes of the Hyest onely are wonderfull: yee glorious, secrete and vnknowne are his workes. Many tyrauntes haue bene fayne to syt downe vpō the earth,⁽³⁾ & yᵉ vnlickly hath worne yᵉ crowne Many mightie mē haue bene brought lowe, and the honorable haue bene delyuered in to other mens handes.⁽⁴⁾ Condemne no man, before thou haue tryed out the matter: and whan thou hast made enquisicion, then refourme righteously. Geue no sentēce before thou hast herde the cause,⁽⁵⁾ but first let men tell out their tayles.

Stryue not for a matter that toucheth [B] not thyself, and stonde not in the iudgment of synners. My sonne, medle not with many matters:⁽⁶⁾ & yf thou wylt be riche, thou shalt not gett it: and though thou rennest yᵉ waye afore, yet shalt thou not escape. There is some mā that laboureth,⁽⁷⁾ and the more he weerieth himself, the lesse he hath. Agayne, some man is slouthfull, hath nede of helpe, wāteth strēgth, and hath greate pouerte, and Gods eye loketh vpon him to good, setteth him vp from his lowe estate,⁽⁸⁾ and lifteth vp his heade: so that many men maruell at him, and geue honoure vnto God.

Prosperite and aduersite, life and death,[C] pouerte and riches come all of the LORDE. ⁽⁹⁾ (Wyszdome, nurtoure and knowlege of yᵉ lawe are with God: loue and yᵉ wayes of good are with him. Erroure and darcknes are made for synners: and they that exalte them selues in euell, waxe olde in euell.) The gift of God remayneth for the righteous, and his good wyl shal geue prosperite for euer. Some man is rich by lyuynge nygardly, and yᵗ is the porcion of his rewarde, in that he sayeth: now haue I gotten rest, and now wyl I eate and drynke of my goodes myself alone.⁽¹⁰⁾ And yet he considereth not, that the tyme draweth nye, yᵗ he must leaue all these thinges vnto other men, and dye himself. Stonde thou fast in thy couenaunt, and exercyse thy self therin, and remayne in the worke vnto yᵉ age. Contynue not in the workes of synners, but put thy trust in God, and byde in thine estate: for it is but an easy thīge in yᵉ sight of God, to make a poore man riche, and that sodenly. The blessinge of God haisteth to yᵉ rewarde [D] of the rightous, and maketh his frutes soone to florish and prospere. Saye not: what helpeth it me? and what shal I haue yᵉ whyle? Agayne, saye not: I haue ynough, how can I wante? Whan thou art in welfare, forget not aduersite:⁽¹¹⁾ and whan it goeth not well with the, haue a good hope, that it shal be better. For it is but a small thinge vnto God, in the daye of death to rewarde euery mā acordinge to his wayes. The aduersite of an houre maketh one to forgett all pleasure, and whan a man dyeth, his workes are discouered. Prayse no body before his death, for a man shalbe knowne in his children.

Bringe not euery man in to thine house,[E] for the disceatfull layeth wayte dyuersly. Like as a partrich in a maūde, so is the hert of the proude: and like as a spye, that loketh vpon the fall of his neghbo. For he turneth good vnto euell, and slaundreth the chosen. Of one sparck is made a greate fyre, & an vngodly mā layeth wayte for bloude. Bewarre of the disceatfull, for he ymagineth wicked thinges, to bringe yᵗ in to a perpetuall shame. Yf thou takest an aleaūt vnto yᵉ, he shal destroye the in vnquietnes, and dryue the from thine owne wayes.

Notes to Chapter 11

⁽¹⁾ Gen. 41. f Dan. 6. a

⁽²⁾ Acto. 12. d

⁽³⁾ 1. Reg. 15. f Hest. 6.7

⁽⁴⁾ Deut. 13. b and .17. b Iosu. 7. c and .22. c

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 18. b

⁽⁶⁾ Mat. 19. c 1. Ti. 6. b

⁽⁷⁾ Pro. 10. c

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 12

WHan thou wylt do good, knowe to [A] whom thou doest it, & so shalt thou be greatly thanked for thy benefites. Do good vnto the righteous,⁽¹⁾ and thou shalt fynde greate rewarde: though not of him, yet (no doute) the LORDE him self shal rewarde the. He stōdeth not in a good case, that is allwaye occupied in euell, & geueth no allmes: for the Hyest hateth the synners, and hath mercy vpon them that shew the workes of repētaunce. Geue thou vnto soch as feare God, and receaue not a synner: As for the vngodly and synners, he shall recompense vengeaūce vnto them, and kepe them to the daye of wrath. Geue thou vnto the good, and receaue not the synner: do well vnto him that is lowly, but geue not to the vngodly. Let not the bred be geuen him, that he be not mightier then thy self therin. For so shalt thou receaue twyse as moch euell, in all the good that thou doest vnto him: And why? the Hyest hateth synners, and shal rewarde vengeaunce to the vngodly.

[B] In prosperite a frende shal not be knowne, & in aduersite an enemye shal not be hyd. For whan a mā is in wealth, it greueth his enemies: but in heuynes and trouble a man shal knowe his frende. Trust neuer thine enemy, for like as an yron rusteth, so doth his wikednes. And though he make moch croutchinge and knelinge, yet kepe well thy mynde, and bewarre of him. Sett him not by yᵗ, nether let him sytt at thy right hāde: lest he turne him, gett in to thy place, take thy rowme and seke thy seate, and so thou at the last remembre my wordes, and be pricked at my sayenges.

[C] Bynde not two synnes together, for there shal not one be vnpunyshed.⁽²⁾ Who wil haue pite of the charmer, that is stynged of yᵉ serpēt, or of all soch as come nye yᵉ beastes? Euē so is it wᵗ him yᵗ kepeth cōpany with a wicked mā, & lappeth him self in his synnes. For a season wil he byde wᵗ the, but yf thou stomble,⁽³⁾ he tarieth not. An enemy is swete in his lippes, he can make many wordes & speake many good thinges: Yee he can wepe wᵗ his eies, but in his herte he ymagineth, how to throwe the in to the pytte: & yf he maye fynde oportunyte, he wil not be satisfied wᵗ bloude. Yf aduersite come vpon the, thou shalt fynde him there first: & though he pretēde to do yᵉ helpe, yet shal he vndermyne yᵉ. He shal shake his heade, & clape his handes ouer yᵗ for very gladnes, & whyle he maketh many wordes, he shall dysguyse his countenaunce.

Notes to Chapter 12

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩alat. 6. b ⟨illegible⟩. Tim. 5. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 7. a

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 4⟨illegible⟩. b

Chapter 13

[A] WHo so toucheth pitch, shalbe fyled withall:⁽¹⁾ and he that is famyliar wᵗ yᵉ proude, shal clothe himself with pryde. He taketh a burthen vpon him, that accompanyeth a more honorable man then him self. Therfore kepe no familiarite with one that is richer then thy self. How agree the ketell & the pott together? for yf yᵉ one be smytten agaynst the other, it shal be brokē. The rich dealeth vnrighteously, & threateneth withall: but yᵉ poore beinge oppressed and wrōgeously dealt withall, suffreth scarcenesse, & geueth fayre wordes. Yf thou be for his profit, he vseth the: but yf thou haue nothinge, he shal forsake the. As longe as thou hast eny thinge of thine owne, he shal be a good felowe with the: Yee he shal make the a bare man, and not be sory for the. Yf he haue nede of the, he shall defraude the: & (with a preuy mock) shal he put the in an hope, and geue the all good wordes, and saye: what wantest thou? Thus shal he shame yᵗ in his meate, vntill he haue supte the cleane vp twyse or thryse, and at the last shal he laugh the to scorne. Afterwarde, whan he seyth that thou hast nothinge, he shal forsake the, and shake his heade at the.

Bewarre, that thou be not disceaued and [B] brought downe in thy symplenesse. (Be not to humble in thy wyszdome, lest whan thou art brought lowe, thou be disceaued thorow foolishnes.) Yf thou be called of a mightie man, absent thy self, so shal he call the to him the more oft. Preasse not thou vnto him, that thou be not shott out: but go not thou farre of, lest he forgett the. Withdrawe not yⁱ self frō his speach, but beleue not his many wordes. For wᵗ moch cōmunicacion shall he tempte the, and (wᵗ a preuy mock) shall he question yᵉ of thy secretes. The vnmercifull mynde of his shal marck yᵉ wordes, he shal not spare to do yᵉ hurte & to put yᵗ in preson. Bewarre, & take good hede to yⁱ self, for thou walkest in parell of yᵗ ouerthrowinge.

(Now whā thou hearest his wordes, make [C] the as though thou werest in a dreame, & wake vp. Loue God all thy life longe, & call vpon him in thy nede.) Euery beast loueth his like, euen so let euery man loue his neghboure. All flesh wil resorte to their like, and euery man will kepe company with soch as he is himself. But as yᵉ wolfe agreeth with the lambe, so doth the vngodly with yᵉ righteous.⁽²⁾ What felishippe shulde an holy man haue with a dogg? How can the ryche and the poore agree together? The wilde asse is the lyons pray in the wildernesse, euen so are poore men the meate of the ryche. Like as the proude maye not awaye with lowlynes, euen so doth the riche abhorre the poore. Yf a rich man fall, his frendes sett him vp agayne: but whan the poore falleth, his frendes forsake him. Yf a rich mā fall in to an erroure, he hath many helpers: he speaketh proude wordes, and yet men iustifie him.

[D] But yf a poore man go wronge, he is punyshed: yee though he speake wisely, yet can it haue no place. Whan the riche man speaketh, euery body holdeth his tōge: and loke what he sayeth, they prayse it vnto the cloudes. But yf the poore man speake, they saye: What felowe is this? and yf he do amysse, they shal destroye him. Riches are good vnto him that hath no synne in his conscience, and pouerte is a wicked thinge in the mouth of the vngodly. The h⟨illegible⟩rt of man chaungeth his countenaunce, whether it be in good or euell. A chearfull countenaunce is a tokē of a good hert, for els is it an harde thinge to knowe the thought.

Notes to Chapter 13

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 7. a

⁽²⁾ 2. Cor. 6. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 14

[A] BLissed is the man, that hath not fallen with yᵉ worde of his mouth,⁽¹⁾ and is not pricked with the conscience of synne. Happie is he that hath had no heuynes in his mynde, and is not fallen from his hope. It becommeth not a cuvetous man and a nygarde, to be ryche: and what shulde a nygarde do with golde? He that with all his carefulnes heapeth together vnrighteously, gathereth for other folkes, and another mā shal make good chere with his goodes. He yᵗ is wicked vnto him self, how shulde he be good vnto other mē? How can soch one haue eny pleasure of his goodes? There is no thinge worse, then whan one disfauoureth himself, & this is a rewarde of his wickednes. Yf he do eny good, he doth it not knowinge therof, and agaynst his will, and at the last he declareth his vngraciousnes. A nygarde hath a wicked eye, he turneth awaye his face, and despyseth his owne soule. A couetous mans eye hath neuer ynough in the porcion of wickednes,⁽²⁾ vntyll the tyme that he wither awaye, and haue lost his owne soule.

[B] A wicked eye spareth bred, & there is scarcenesse vpō his table. My sonne, do good to yᵉ self of yᵗ thou hast, & geue yᵉ LORDE his due offeringes. Remembre yᵗ death tarieth not, & how yᵗ the couenaunt of the graue is shewed vnto the: (for the couenaunt of this worlde shal dye the death.⁽³⁾) Do good vnto yᵗ frende before thou dye, and acordinge to thy abylite reach out thine hande, and geue vnto yᵉ poore. Be not dispoynted of yᵉ good daye, & let not yᵉ porcion of yᵉ good daie ouerpas the. Shalt thou not leaue thy trauayles and labours vnto other men? In the deuydinge of the heretage geue and take, and sanctifie thy soule. Worke thou righteousnes before thy death, for in yᵉ hell there is no meate to fynde. All flesh shal fade awaye like grasse,⁽⁴⁾ & like a florishinge leaf in a grene tre. Some growe, some are cast downe: euen so is yᵉ generacion of flesh and bloude: one commeth to an ende, another is borne.

All transitory thinges shall fayle at the [C] last, and the worker therof shal go withall. Euery chosen worke shall be iustified, and he yᵗ medleth withall, shal haue honoure therin. Blessed is the man yᵗ kepeth him in wyszdome, and exercyseth himself in vnderstandinge, & with discrecion shal he thinke vpon the fore knowlege of God. Which considereth yᵉ wayes of wyszdome in his hert, hath vnderstandinge in hir secretes, goeth after her (as one that seketh hir out) & contynueth in hir wayes. He loketh in at hir windowes, & herkeneth at hir dores: He taketh his rest besyde hir house, & festeneth his stake in hir walles: He shall pitch his tent nye vnto hir hande, and in his tent shal good thinges rest for euermore: He shal sett his children vnder hir coueringe, & shal dwell vnder hir braunches. Vnder hir coueringe shal he be defended from the heate, and in hir glory shall he rest.

Notes to Chapter 14

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 19. c ⟨illegible⟩nd 25. c ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 27. c ⟨illegible⟩ccl⟨illegible⟩. 1. a

⁽³⁾ Eccli. 4. a ⟨illegible⟩obi. 4. b ⟨illegible⟩uc. 16. b

⁽⁴⁾ Esa. 4⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩ Pet. ⟨illegible⟩ Iacob. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 15

HE that feareth God, wil do good: and [A] who so kepeth the lawe, shal optayne wyszdome. As an honorable mother shal she mete him, and as a vyrgin shall she receaue him.⁽¹⁾ With yᵉ bred of life and vnderstandinge shall she fede him,⁽²⁾ and geue him the water of wholsome wyszdome to drynke. Yf he be constant in her, he shall not be moued: and yf he holde him fast by her, he shal not come to cōfucion. She shall brynge him to honoure amonge his neghbours, and in the myddest of the congregacion shall she open his mouth. With the sprete of wyszdome and vnderstādinge shal she fyll him, and clothe him with the garment of glory. She shal heape the treasure of myrth & ioye vpō him, and geue him an euerlastinge name to heretage. Foolish men wyll not take holde vpon her, but soch as haue vnderstandinge, wil mete her, for she is farre from pryde and disceate. Men that go aboute with lyes, wil not remembre her: (but men of trueth shall be founde in her, euen vnto the beholdinge of God.) Prayse is not semely in the mouth of yᵉ vngodly, for he is not sent of yᵉ LORDE. For of God commeth wyszdome, & the prayse shall stonde by the wyszdome of God, and shal be plenteous in a faithfull mouth, and the LORDE shal geue her vnto him.

[B] Saye not thou: It is the LORDES faute that I am gone by, for thou shalt not do yᵉ thinge that God hateth. Saye not thou: he hath caused me to go wronge, for he hath no nede of the vngodly. God hateth all abhominacion of erroure, & they that feare God wyl loue no soch.⁽³⁾ God made man from the begynnynge, & left him in the hande of his councell. He gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes: yf thou wilt obserue the commaundementes, & kepe acceptable faithfulnes for euer, they shal preserue yᵉ. He hath set water and fyre before the,⁽⁴⁾ reach out thine hande vnto which thou wilt. Before man is life and death, good and euell: loke what him liketh, shalbe geuen him. For the wyszdome of God is greate and mightie in power, and beholdeth all men contynually.⁽⁵⁾ The eyes of the LORDE are vpon them that feare him, and he knoweth all the workes of man▪ He hath commaūded no man to do vngodly, nether hath he geuen eny man leue to synne.

Notes to Chapter 15

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 33. b

Chapter 16

[A] DElyte not thou in the multitude of vngodly children, and haue no pleasure in them, yf they feare not God. Trust not thou to their life, and regarde not their labours: for one sonne yᵗ feareth God is better, thē a thousande vngodly. And better it is for a man to dye without childrē, thē to leaue behynde him soch children as are vngodly. For by one yᵗ hath vnderstandinge, maye a whole cite be vpholden, but though the vngodly be many, yet shal it be waysted thorow them. Many soch thinges hath myne eye sene, and greater thinges then these haue I herde with myne eares. In the congregacion of the vngodly shal a fyre burne,⁽¹⁾ & amonge vnfaithfull people shal the wrath be kyndled.

[B] The olde giaūtes optayned no grace for their synnes,⁽²⁾ which were destroyed, trustinge to their owne strēgth. Nether spared he them, amōge whom Loth was a straunger: but smote them and abhorred them because of the pryde of their wordes.⁽³⁾ He had no pitie vpō them, but destroyed all the people, that were so stoute in synne.⁽⁴⁾ And for so moch as he ouersawe not the sixe hundreth thousande, that gathered them selues together in yᵉ hardnesse of their hert: it were maruell yf one beynge hardnecked, shulde be fre. For mercy & wrath is with him:⁽⁵⁾ he is both mightie to forgeue, and to poure out displeasure. Like as his mercy is greate, euē so is his punyshment also, he iudgeth a man acordinge to his workes. The vngodly shal not escape in his spoyle, and the longe pacience of him that sheweth mercy, shal not byde behynde. All mercy shall make place vnto euery man acordinge to the deseruynge of his workes, (and after the vnderstandinge of his pilgremage.)

Saye not thou: I wyl hyde my self from [C] God, for who wyl thinke vpon me from aboue? I shal not be knowne in so greate a heape of people, for what is my soule amonge so many creatures? Beholde, the heauen, yee the heauen of heauens, the depe, the earth and all that therin is, shall be moued at his presence: the mountaynes, the hilles and the foundacions of the earth shal shake for feare, whan God vysiteth them. These thinges doth no hert vnderstonde, but he vnderstandeth euery hert, and who vnderstandeth his wayes? No man seyth his storme, and the most parte of his workes are secrete. Who wil declare the workes of his righteousnes? Or who shal be able to abyde them? for the couenaunt is farre from some, and the tryenge out of men is in the fulfillynge. He that is humble of hert, thinketh vpon soch thinges: but an vnwyse and erroneous man casteth his mynde vnto foolish thinges.

My sonne, herken thou vnto me, & lerne [D] vnderstādinge, and marck my wordes with thine hert: I wyll geue the a sure doctrine, & planely shal I enstrucke the. God hath sett his workes in good ordre from the begynninge, and parte of them hath he sundered from the other. He hath garnyshed his workes from euerlastinge, and their begynnynges acordinge to their generacions. None of thē hyndered another, nether was eny of them dishobedient vnto his worde. After this, God loked vpō the earth, and fylled it with his goodes. With all maner of lyuinge beastes hath he couered the grounde, and they all shalbe turned vnto earth agayne.

Notes to Chapter 16

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 19. c

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩4. c ⟨illegible⟩ 2⟨illegible⟩ f

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 17

BOd shope man of the earth, and turned [A] him vnto earth agayne.⁽¹⁾ He gaue him the nombre of dayes and certayne tyme, yee and gaue him power of the thinges that are vpō earth. He clothed him with strength, and made him after his owne licknes. He made all flesh to stonde in awe of him, so that he had the dominion of all beastes & foules.⁽²⁾ He made out of him an helper like vnto him self, and gaue them discrecion and tonge, eyes and eares, and a hert to vnderstande, and fylled them with instruccion & vnderstandinge. He created for them also the knowlege of the sprete, fylled their hert with vnderstandinge, and shewed them good and euell. He sett his eye vpō their hertes, declaringe vnto them his greate and noble workes: (that they shulde prayse his holy name together, reioyse of his wonders, & be tellinge of his noble actes.⁽³⁾) Besydes this, he gaue them instruccion, and the lawe of life for an heretage. He made an euerlastinge couenaunt with them, and shewed them his righteousnes & iudgmentes. They sawe his glory with their eyes, and their eares herde the maiesty of his voyce. And he saide vnto them: bewarre of all vnrighteous thinges. He gaue euery man also a commaundement concernynge his neghboure.

[B] Their waies are euer before him, and are not hyd from his eyes.⁽⁴⁾ He hath sett a ruler vpon euery people, but Israel is yᵉ LORDES porcion. All their workes are as the Sonne in yᵉ sight of God, & his eyes are allwaye lokynge vpon their wayes. All their vnrighteousnesses are manifest vnto him, & all their wickednesses are open in his sight. The mercy yᵗ a man sheweth is as it were a purse wᵗ him,⁽⁵⁾ and a mans good dede preserueth him as the apple of an eye. At the last shall he awake,⁽⁶⁾ & rewarde euery man vpon his heade as he hath deserued, and shal turne them together in to the nethermost partes of the earth.⁽⁷⁾ But vnto them that wyll repent, he hath geuē the waye of righteousnes. As for soch as be weake, he comforteth thē, suffreth them, and sendeth them the porcion of yᵉ verite. O turne then vnto the LORDE, forsake thy synnes, make thy prayer before the LORDE, do the lesse offence, turne agayne vnto the LORDE, forsake thine vnrighteousnes, be an vtter enemy to abhominacion (lerne to knowe the righteousnes and iudgmentes of God, stonde in the porcion that is sett forth for the & in the prayer of the most hye God. Go in to the porcion of the holy worlde, with soch as be lyuinge and geue thankes vnto God.)

[C] Who wil prayse the LORDE in the hell? Abyde not thou in the erroure of the vngodly,⁽⁸⁾ but geue him thākes before death. As for yᵉ deed, thankfulnesse perisheth from him as nothinge. Geue thou thankes in thy life, yee whyle thou art lyuynge & whole shalt thou geue thankes, and prayse God and reioyse in his mercy. O how greate is the louynge kyndnesse of the LORDE, and his mercifull goodnes vnto soch as turne vnto him? For all thinges maye not be in man: & why? the sonne of man is not immortall, and he hath pleasure in the vanyte of wickednes. What is more cleare thē the Sonne? yet shal it fayle. Or what is more wicked, then the thinge that flesh and bloude hath ymagined? and that same shall be reproued. The LORDE seyth the power of the hye heauen, and all are but earth and aszshes.

Notes to Chapter 17

⁽¹⁾ Gene. 1. c

⁽²⁾ Gen. 2. d

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩xo. 20. a ⟨illegible⟩eut. 4.5. ⟨illegible⟩nd 9.

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩om. 13. a ⟨illegible⟩eut. 4. c ⟨illegible⟩nd 10. c

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 29. b

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩att. 25. c

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩cto. 3. c

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩sal. 6. a ⟨illegible⟩sa. 38. d

Chapter 18

HE that lyueth for euermore, made all [A] thinges together.⁽¹⁾ God onely is righteous, & remayneth a victorious kynge for euer.⁽²⁾ Who shalbe able to expresse the workes of him? Who hath sought out the grounde of his noble actes? Who shal declare the power of his greatnesse? Or, who will take vpon him to tell out his mercy? As for the wonderous workes of yᵉ LORDE, there maye nothinge be taken from them, nothinge maye be put vnto them, nether maye the grounde of them be founde out. But whan a man hath done his best, he must begynne agayne: and whan he thinketh to be come to an ende, he must go agayne to his laboure. What is man? Wherto is he worth? What good or euell can he do?⁽³⁾ Yf the nombre of a mans dayes be allmost an hundreth yeare, it is moch.

Like as the droppes of rayne are vnto yᵉ [B] see, and as a grauell stone is in comparison of the sonde:⁽⁴⁾ so are these few yeares to the dayes euerlastinge. Therfore is yᵉ LORDE pacient with them, and poureth out his mercy vpon them. He sawe and perceaued the thoughtes and ymaginacions of their harte, that they were euell: therfore heaped he vp his mercifull goodnes vpon them, and shewed them the waie of righteousnes. The mercy that a mā hath, reacheth to his neghboure: but yᵉ mercy of God is vpon all flesh. He chasteneth, he teacheth and nourtureth: yee euen as a shepherde turneth agayne his flock, so doth he all them that receaue chastenynge, nurtoure and doctryne. Mercifull is he vnto them,⁽⁵⁾ that stonde in awe of his iudgmentes.

My sonne, whan thou doest good, make [C] no grudginge at it: and what so euer thou geuest, speake no discomfortable wordes. Shal not the dew coole the heate? Euen so is a worde better then a gift. Is not a frendly worde a good honest gift?⁽⁶⁾ but a gracious man geueth them both. A foole shal cast a man in the tethe, and that roughly,⁽⁷⁾ & a gift of the nygarde putteth out yᵉ eyes. Get the righteousnes before thou come to iudgmēt: Lerne before thou speake, and go to phisick or euer thou be sick:⁽⁸⁾ examen and iudge thy self, before the iudgment come, and so shalt thou fynde grace in the sight of God. Humble thy self afore thou be sick, and in tyme of thy disease shewe thy conuersacion. Let not to praye allwaye, and stonde not in feare to be refourmed vnto death, for the rewarde of God endureth for euer. Before thou prayest, prepare thy soule, and be not as one yᵗ tempteth God. Thynke vpon the wrathfull indignacion that shalbe at the ende, and the houre of vēgeaunce, whā HE shal turne awaie his face.⁽⁹⁾ Whan thou hast ynough, remembre the tyme of honger: and whan thou art rych, thynke vpon the tyme of pouerte and scarcenesse.

[D] From the mornynge vntyll the euenynge the tyme is chaunged, and all soch thynges are soone done in yᵉ sight of God. A wyse man feareth God in all thinges, and in the dayes of transgression he kepeth him self from synne. A discrete man hath pleasure in wyszdome, and he that fyndeth her, maketh moch of her. They that haue had vnderstandinge, haue dealt wysely in wordes, haue vnderstonde the trueth and righteousnes, and haue sought out wyse sentēces and iudgmentes.⁽¹⁰⁾ Folowe not thy lustes, but turne yᵉ from thine owne will. For yf thou geuest thy soule hir desyres, it shal make thine enemies to laugh the to scorne. Take not thy pleasure in greate volupteousnes, & medle not to moch withall. Make not to greate cheare of the thinge that thou hast wonne by avauntage: lest thou fall in to pouerte, and haue nothinge in thy purse.

Notes to Chapter 18

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Psal ⟨illegible⟩ Ecc⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ Cor. 11. d

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 6. b ⟨illegible⟩ 13. b

Chapter 19

[A] A Labourynge man that is geuen vnto dronckennes, shall not be riche: and he that maketh not moch of small thynges,⁽¹⁾ shal fall by litle and litle. Wyne and women make wyse men rēnagates, and put men of vnderstādinge to reprofe: and he that accompanieth aduouterers shal become a wicked man. Mothes and wormes shall haue him to heretage, yee he shall be sett vp to a greater example, and his soule shalbe roted out of the nombre.⁽²⁾ He that is haistie to geue credence, is light mynded, and doth agaynst himself. Who so reioyseth in wickednes, shal be punished: he that hateth to be refourmed, his life shalbe shortened: and he that abhorreth bablinge of wordes, quencheth wickednes. (He that offendeth agaynst his owne soule, shal repent it: and he that reioyseth in wickednes, shalbe punyshed.)

Rehearse not a wicked and churlish worde [B] twyse, and thou shalt not be hyndered. Shew thy secretes nether to frende ner foo, & yf thou hast offended, tell it not out. For he shal herken vnto the and marck the: and whan he fyndeth oportunyte, he shall hate the.⁽³⁾ Yf thou hast herde a worde agaynst yᵉ neghboure, lett it be deed within the: and be sure, thou shalt haue no harme therby. A foole trauaileth with a worde, like as a woman that is payned with bearinge of childe. Like as an arowe shott in a dogges thye, so is a worde in a fooles hert.⁽⁴⁾ Tell thy frende his faute, lest he be ignoraunt, and saye: I haue not done it, or yf he haue done it, that he do it nomore. Reproue thy neghboure, that he kepe his tonge: and yf he haue spokē, that he saye it nomore.

Tell thy neghboure his faute, for oft tymes [C] an offence is made, and geue not credēce to euery worde. A man falleth somtyme with his tonge, but not with his will.⁽⁵⁾ For what is he, yᵗ hath not offended in his tonge? Geue thy neghboure warnynge, before thou threaten him, and geue place vnto the lawe of the LORDE. The feare of God is all wyszdome, & he that is a right wyse man kepeth the lawe. As for the doctrine of wickednes, it is no wyszdome, and the prudence of synners is no good vnderstondinge: it is but wickednesse and abhominacion & a blasphemynge of wyszdome. A symple man of small vnderstandinge that feareth God, is better then one that hath moch wyszdome, and transgresseth the lawe of the Hyest.

A craftye sotell man can be wyse, but he [D] is vnrighteous, and with giftes he wraysteth the open and manyfest lawe. A wicked man can behaue himself humbly, and can douke with his heade, and yet is he but a disceauer within. He hydeth his face,⁽⁶⁾ and disguyseth it: & because he shulde not be knowne, he preuenteth the.

And though he be so weake that he can do the no harme, yet whan he maye fynde oportunyte, he shall do some euell. A man maye be knowne by his face, and one that hath vnderstondinge, maye be perceaued by the loke of his countenaunce. A mans garment, laughter & goynge,⁽⁷⁾ declare what he is.

Notes to Chapter 19

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 19. g ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩eg. 11 a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 22. c

⁽³⁾ Eccli. 22 and ⟨illegible⟩7.

⁽⁴⁾ Leui. 19 Matt. 18

⁽⁵⁾ Eccli. 14 and 25. ⟨illegible⟩ Iacob. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ Matt. 6. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ Eccli. 21.

Chapter 20

SOme man reproueth his neghbo oft [A] tymes, but not in due season:⁽¹⁾ Agayne, some man holdeth his tonge, and he is wyse and discrete. It is moch better to geue warnynge and to reproue, then to beare euell will: for he that knowlegeth him self openly, shalbe preserued from hurt and destruccion. Like as whan a chamberlayne thorow desyre and lust defyleth a mayden, euen so is it with him that vseth violence and vnrighteousnes in yᵉ lawe: (O how good a thinge is it, a man yᵗ is reproued, to shewe openly his repentaunce? for so shalt thou escape wylfull synne.)

Some man kepeth sylence, and is founde wyse: but he that is not ashamed what he sayeth, is hatefull. Some man holdeth his tonge, because he hath not the vnderstandinge of the language: and some man kepeth sylence,⁽²⁾ waytinge a conuenyent tyme. A wyse man wyll holde his tonge tyll he se oportunyte, but a wanten and an vndiscrete body shal regarde no tyme. He that vseth many wordes, shal hurte his owne soule: and he that taketh auctorite vpō him vnrighteously, shalbe hated.

Some man hath oft tymes prosperite in wicked thinges: Agayne, some man getteth moch, and hath harme and losse. There is some gift that is nothinge worth: Againe, there is some gift, whose rewarde is dubble. Some man getteth a fall for beynge to proude, and some commeth to worshipe from lowe estate. Some man bieth moch for a litle pryce, and must paye for it seuen folde.

[B] A wyse man with his wordes maketh him self to be loued,⁽³⁾ but the fauours of fooles shalbe poured out. The gift of the vnwyse shal do the no good, for his eyes are seuen folde.⁽⁴⁾ He shal geue litle, & saye he gaue moch: he openeth his mouth and crieth out, as it were one that crieth out wyne. To daye he lendeth, tomorow he axeth it agayne, and soch a man is to be hated. The foole sayeth: I haue no frende, I haue no thanke for all my good dedes: yee euen they that eate my bred, speake no good of me. O how oft, and of how many shal he be laughed to scorne? He taketh a more perlous fall by soch wordes, then yf he fell vpon the grounde: euen so shal the falles of wicked men come haistely. In the mouth of him that is vntaught, are many vnconuenient and vnmete wordes. A wyse sentence shall not be alowed at the mouth of the foole, for he speaketh it not in due season.

[C] Some man synneth not, because he hath not wherwithall, and in his rest he shall be stynged. Some man there is that destroyeth his owne soule with shame, and for an vnwyse bodyes sake destroieth he it, (and with acceptinge of personnes shal he vndoo him self.) Some man promiseth his frende a gift for very shame, and getteth an enemye of him for naught. A lye is a wicked shame in a man, yet shall it be euer in the mouth of the vnwyse. A thefe is better, then a man that is accustomed to synne, but they both shal haue destruccion to heretage. The condicions of lyers are vnhonest, and their shame is euer with them.

A wyse man shall brynge himself to honoure [D] with his wordes,⁽⁵⁾ and he that hath vnderstondinge shall be sett by amonge greate men. He that tylleth his londe,⁽⁶⁾ shal increase his heape of corne: he that worketh righteousnes, shall be exalted, & he that pleaseth greate men, shall escape moch euell.⁽⁷⁾ Rewardes and giftes blynde the eyes of the wyse, and make him domme, that he can not tell mē their fautes. Wyszdome that is hyd, and treasure that is hoorded vp,⁽⁸⁾ what profit is in them both? Better is he that kepeth his ignoraunce secrete, then a man that hydeth his wyszdome.

Notes to Chapter 20

⁽¹⁾ Eccli. 31. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 3. a ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 32. a

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 6. a

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 18. c

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 21

MY sonne, yf thou hast synned, do it [A] nomore:⁽¹⁾ but praye for thy foresynnes, that they maye be for geuen the. Fle from synne, euen as from a serpent: for yf thou commest to nye her, she wyll byte the. The teth therof are as the teth of a lyon, to slaye the soules of men. The wickednes of man is as a sharpe two edged swerde, which maketh soch woundes that they can not be healed.

Stryfe and wrongeous dealinge shall waist awaye a mans goodes, & thorow pryde a rich house shalbe brought to naught: so the riches of the proude shalbe roted out. The prayer of the poore goeth out of the mouth, and commeth vnto the eares,⁽²⁾ and his vengeaunce (or defence) shall come, and yᵗ haistely. Who so hateth to be refourmed, it is a token of an vngodly personne: but he that feareth God, wyl remembre himself. A mightie man is knowne afarre of by his tonge, but he that hath vnderstondinge, perceaueth that he shal haue a fall.

Who so buyldeth his house with other [B] mens cost, is like one that gathereth stones in wynter.⁽³⁾ The congregacion of the vngodly is like stubble gathered together, their ende is a flamme of fyre. The waye of the vngodly is sett with stones, but in their ende is hell, darcknes, and paynes. He that kepeth the lawe, wyll holde fast the vnderstandinge therof, and the ende of the feare of God is wyszdome. He that is not wyse, wyll not be taught in good: but the vnwyse man aboundeth in wickednes: and where bytternes is, there is no vnderstōdinge. The knowlege of the wyse shall flowe like water that renneth ouer, and his councell is like a fountayne of life.

[C] The hert of a foole is like a brokē vessell, he can kepe no wyszdome. Whan a man of vnderstondinge heareth a wyse worde, he shal commende it, and make moch of it. But yf a volupteous man heare it, he shall haue no pleasure therin, but cast it behynde his back. The talkynge of a foole is like an heuy burthen by the waye: but to heare a wyse man speake, it is a pleasure. Where a doute is in the congregacion, it is axed at the mouth of the wyse, and they shal pondre his wordes in their hertes. Like as a house that is destroyed, euen so is wyszdome vnto a foole: As for the knowlege of the vnwyse, it is but darck wordes. Doctryne is vnto him yᵗ hath no vnderstandinge, euen as fetters aboute his fete, and like mannicles vpon his right hande.⁽⁴⁾ A foole lifteth vp his voyce wᵗ laughter, but a wyse man shall scarse laugh secretly.

Lernynge is vnto a wyse man a Iewell [D] of golde, and like an armlett vpō his right arme. A foolish mans foote is soone in his neghbours house, but one that hath experience, shall be ashamed at the personne of the mightie. A foole wyll pepe in at yᵉ wyndow in to the house, but he that is well nourtured, wyll stonde without. A foolish man stondeth herkenynge at the dore, but he that is wyse, wyll be ashamed.

The lippes of the vnwyse wylbe tellynge foolish thinges, but yᵉ wordes of soch as haue vnderstandinge, shalbe weyed in the balaunce. The hert of fooles is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wyse is in their hert. Whan the vngodly curseth the blasphemer, he curseth his owne soule.⁽⁵⁾ A preuy accuser of other men shal defyle his owne soule, and be hated of euery man: (but he that kepeth his tonge and is discrete, shall come to honoure.)

Notes to Chapter 21

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 19. d

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 19. d

Chapter 22

[A] A Slouthfull body is moulded of a stone of claie: he that toucheth him, must wash his handes agayne. A mysnurtored sonne is the dishonoure of the father. A foolish daughter shalbe litle regarded. A wyse daughter is an heretage vnto hir husbande: but she that commeth to dishonesty, bringeth hir father in heuynes. A daughter that is past shame, dishonoureth both hir father & hir huszbande: the vngodly shal regarde her, but they both shal despise her. the playenge of Musick is not mete where heuynes is, euen so is the correcciō & doctryne of wyszdome euer vnpleasaunt vnto fooles.

Who so teacheth a foole, is euen as one [B] that gleweth a potsherde together: as one that telleth a tayle to him that heareth him not, and as one that rayseth a mā out of an heuy slepe. Who so telleth a foole of wyszdome, is euen as a man, which speaketh to one yᵗ is a slepe. Whā he hath tolde his tayle, he sayeth: what is the matter? Whā one dyeth, lamentacion is made for him, because the light fayleth him: euē so let mē mourne ouer a foole, for he wanteth vnderstandinge. Make but litle wepinge because of the deed. for he is come to rest: but the life of the foole is worse then the death.⁽¹⁾ Seuen dayes do men mourne for him that is deed, but the lamentacion ouer the vnwyse and vngodly shulde endure all the dayes of their life.

Talke not moch with a foole, and go not [C] with him that hath no vnderstondinge. Bewarre of him, lest it turne the to trauayle, & thou shalt not be defyled with his synne. Departe from him, and thou shalt fynde rest, & shalt not be drawē back in to his foolishnes. What is heuyer then leade? And what shulde a foole be called els, but leade? Sōde,⁽²⁾ salt & a lōpe of yron is easier to beare, then an vnwyse, foolish, and vngodly man. Like as the band of wodd bounde together in the foundacion of the house can not belowsed, euē so is it with yᵉ hert yᵗ is stablished in yᵉ thought of coūcell. The thought of the wyse, shal nether feare ner be offended at eny tyme.

Like as a fayre playstred wall in a winter [D] house, & an hye buyldinge, maye not abyde yᵉ wīde & storme: euē so is a fooles hert afraied in his ymaginacion: he feareth at euery thinge, and can not endure. He that nyppeth a mans eye, bryngeth forth teares: and he that pricketh the hert, bringeth forth yᵉ meanynge & thought. Who so casteth a stone at the byrdes, frayeth them awaye: & he yᵗ blasphemeth his frēde, breaketh yᵉ frēdshipe▪ though thou drewest a swerde at thy frende, yet dispayre not, for thou mayest come agayne to yᵉ frende. Yf he speake sowerly, feare not, for ye maye be agreed together agayne: excepte it be so that thou blaspheme him, dyszdayne him, opē his secretes and wounde him tratorously: for all soch thinges shal dryue awaye a frende.

[E] Be faithfull vnto yᵉ neghbo in his pouerte, that thou mayest reioyse with him also in his prosperite. Abyde stedfast vnto him in yᵉ tyme of his trouble, that thou maiest be heyre wᵗ him in his heretage. Like as the vapor and smoke goeth out at the ouen before yᵉ fyre, euen so euell wordes, rebukes and threatenynges go before bloudsheddinge. Be not ashamed to defende yⁱ frende: as for me, I wyl not hyde my face from him, though he shulde do me harme. Who so euer heareth it, shal bewarre of him. Who shal set a watch before my mouth,⁽³⁾ & a sure seale vpon my lippes, yᵗ I fall not wᵗ thē, & yᵗ my tonge destroye me not?

Notes to Chapter 22

⁽¹⁾ Gen. 50. b

⁽²⁾ Pro. 27. a

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩al. 140

Chapter 23

[A] O LORDE, father and gouernoure of my life, leaue me not in their ymaginaciō & councell. Oh let me not fall in soch reprofe. Who wyll kepe my thought with yᵉ scourge, and the doctryne of wyszdome in myne herte? that he spare not myne ignoraunce, that I fall not with them, lest myne ignoraunces increase, that myne offences be not many in nombre, and that my synnes exceade not: lest I fall before myne enemyes, and so my aduersary reioyse. O LORDE, thou father & God of my life, leaue me not in their ymaginacion. O let me not haue a proude loke, but turne awaye all volupteousnes fro me. Take fro me the lustes of the body, let not the desyres of vnclennes take holde vpon me, and geue me not ouer in to an vnshamefast and obstinate mynde.

[B] Heare me (o ye children) I will geue you a doctryne, how ye shal ordre yoʳ mouth: who so kepeth it, shal not perish thorow his lippes, ner be hurt thorow wicked workes (As for the synner, he shalbe taken in his owne vanite: he that is proude and cursed, shal fall therin.⁽¹⁾) Let not thy mouth be accustomed with swearinge, for in it there are many falles. Let not the namynge of God be continually in yᵉ mouth: for like as a seruaunt which is oft punyshed can not be without some sore, euen so what so euer he be yᵗ sweareth and nameth God, shal not be cleane pourged frō synne. A man that vseth moch swearinge, shalbe fylled with wickednes, and the plage shall neuer go from his house. Yf he begyle his brother, his faute shalbe vpon him: yf he knowlege not his synne, he maketh a dubble offence: and yf he sweare in vayne, he shall not be founde righteous, for his house shalbe full of plages.

[C] The wordes of yᵉ swearer bringeth death (God graunte yᵗ it be not founde in the house of Iacob.⁽²⁾) But they yᵗ feare God, eschue all soch and lye not weltringe in synne. Vse not yᵉ mouth to vnhonest and fylthye talkynge, for in it is the worde of synne.⁽³⁾ Remembre yⁱ father and thy mother, whā thou art set amonge greate men: lest God forget yᵗ in their sight, and lest thou dotinge in thy custome, suffre rebuke. and wyshe not to haue bene borne, and so curse the daye of thy natiuite. The man that is accustomed with the wordes of blasphemy,⁽⁴⁾ wyl neuer be refourmed all yᵉ dayes of his life. To synne twyse is to moch, but the thirde bringeth wrath and destruccion. An whote stomack can not be quenched (euē like a burnynge fyre) tyll it haue swalowed vp somthīge: euē so an vnchaste mā hath no rest in his flesh, tyll he haue kyndled a fyre.

All bred is swete to an whoremonger, he wyl not leaue of, tyll he haue his purpose. A [D] man that breaketh wedlock, & regardeth not his soule, but sayeth: Tush, who seyth me?⁽⁵⁾ I am compassed aboute with darcknes, the walles couer me, no body seyth me: whom nede I to feare? The Hyest wyl not remembre my synnes. (He vnderstondeth not that his eyes se all thinges, for all soch feare of mē dryueth awaye the feare of God from him: for he feareth onely the eyes of men, and considereth not that the eyes of the LORDE are clearer then the Sonne, beholdinge all yᵉ wayes of men and the grounde of the depe, and lokynge euen to mens hertes in secrete places. The LORDE God knewe all thinges or euer they were made, and after they be brought to passe also he loketh vpon them all.⁽⁶⁾ The same mā shalbe opēly punyshed in yᵉ stretes of yᵉ cite, and shalbe chased abrode like a yonge horse foale: and whan he thinketh leest vpon it, he shalbe takē, Thus shal he be put to shame of euery man, because he wolde not vnderstonde the feare of the LORDE. And thus shal it go also wᵗ euery wyfe yᵗ leaueth hir huszbande, & getteth enheretaunce by a straūge mariage. First, she hath bene vnfaithfull vnto the lawe of yᵉ Hyest: Secōdly,[E] she hath forsaken hir owne huszbande:⁽⁷⁾ Thirdly, she hath played yᵉ whore in aduoutry, & gottē hir childrē by another man. She shalbe brought out of yᵉ cōgregaciō, and hir childrē shalbe loked vpō. Hir childrē shal not take rote: & as for frute, hir braūches shal brīge forth none. A shamefull reporte shal she leaue behynde her, & hir dishono shal not be put out. And they yᵗ remayne, shal knowe, yᵗ there is nothīge better, thē yᵉ feare of God: & yᵗ there is nothinge sweter, then to take hede vnto the commaundementes of the LORDE. A greate worshipe is it to folowe yᵉ LORDE, for longe life shalbe receaued of him.

Notes to Chapter 23

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩xo. 20. b ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 27. d ⟨illegible⟩att. 5. d

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩eui. 24. c

⁽³⁾ Ephe ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ Esa ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 24

[A] WYszdome shal prayse hirself, & be honoured in God, & reioyse in yᵉ myddest of his people: In the cōgregacions of the Hyest shal she open hir mouth, & tryumphe in yᵉ beholdinge of his power: In yᵉ myddest of hir people shal she be exalted, & wondred at in the holy fulnesse: In the multitude of the chosen she shalbe commended, & amonge soch as be blessed she shalbe praysed, & shal saye: I am come out of the mouth of yᵉ Hyest, first borne before all creatures. I caused yᵉ light yᵗ fayleth not, to aryse in the heauen, & couered all the earth as a cloude. My dwellinge is aboue in yᵉ heyth, & my seate is in the piler of the cloude. I my self alone haue gone rounde aboute the compasse of heauen, & pearsed the grounde of yᵉ depe: I haue walked in the floudes of yᵉ see, & haue stonde in all landes: my domynion is in euery people and in euery nacion, & with my power haue I troden downe the hertes of all, both hye and lowe.

[B] In all these thinges also I sought rest, & a dwellinge in some enheritaunce. So yᵉ creator of all thinges gaue me a commaundement: & he that made me, appoynted me a tabernacle, and saide vnto me: Let thy dwellinge be in Iacob, and thy inheritaunce in Israel, & rote thy self amōge my chosen. I was created from the begynninge and before the worlde,⁽¹⁾ & shal not leaue of vnto the worlde to come.⁽²⁾ In the holy habitacion haue I serued before him, and so was I stablished in Sion.⁽³⁾ In yᵉ holy cite rested I in like maner, & in Ierusalem was my power. I toke rote in an honourable people, euen in the porcion of yᵉ LORDE & in his heretage, & kepte me in yᵉ fulnes of the sayntes. I am sett vp an hye like a Ceder vpō Libanus, & as a Cypers tre vpon the mount Hermon: I am exalted like a palme tre in Cades, & as a rose plāte in Iericho: As a fayre olyue tre in the felde, & am exalted like as a plantayne tre by the water syde. I haue geuen a smell in the stretes, as yᵉ Cynamom and Balme, that hath so good a sauoure: yee a swete odoure haue I geuen, as it were Myrre of the best.

[C] I haue made my dwellinges to smell as it were of rosyn, Galbanum, of Clowes and Incense, & as Libanus whan it is not hewē downe, & mine odoure is as the pure Balme. As the Terebynte haue I stretched out my braunches, and my braunches are the braunches of honoure and louynge fauoure.⁽⁴⁾ As yᵉ vyne haue I brought forth frute of a swete sauoure, and my floures are yᵉ frute of hono and riches. I am the mother of bewtye, of loue, of feare, of knowlege & of holy hope. In me is all grace of life and trueth:⁽⁵⁾ In me is all hope of life and vertue. O come vnto me, all ye that be desyrous of me, and fyll youre selues with my frutes: for my sprete is sweter then hony, & so is my inheritaunce more then the hony combe: the remembraunce of me endureth for euermore. They that eate me, shal haue the more honger: and they that drynke me, shal thyrste the more. Who so herkeneth vnto me, shall not come to confucion: and they that worke in me, shal not offende. They that make me to be knowne, shal haue euerlastinge life.

All these thinges are the boke of life, the couenaunt of the Hyest, and the knowlege of the trueth.⁽⁶⁾ Moses commaunded the lawe in the preceptes of righteousnes for an heretage vnto the house of Iacob, and cōmitted yᵉ promyses vnto Israel (Out of Dauid his seruaūt HE ordened to raise vp a most mightie kinge,⁽⁷⁾ syttinge in the seate of honoure for euermore.⁽⁸⁾) This fylleth with wyszdome like as the floude of Phison, & as yᵉ floude of Tigris, whan the new frutes are a growinge.

This bringeth a plenteous vnderstandinge,[D] like Euprates: & fylleth it vp,⁽⁹⁾ as Iordane in the time of haruest. This maketh nurtoʳ to breake forth as the light, & as the water Gihon in yᵉ haruest. The first hath not knowne her perfectly, nomore shal the last seke out yᵉ grounde of her. For hir thought is fuller thē the see, and hir councell is profounder then the greate depe.

I wyszdome haue cast out floudes. I am as a greate waterbroke out of yᵉ riuer. I am as the ryuer Dorix, and as a water condyte am I come out of the garden of pleasure. I sayde: I wyl water the garden of my yonge plantes, and fyll the frute of my byrth. So my waterbroke became exceadinge greate, and my ryuer approched vnto the see. For I make doctryne to be vnto all mē as light as the fayre mornynge, and I shall make it to be euer the clearer. (I will pearse thorow all the lower partes of the earth, I wyll loke vpon all soch as be a slepe, and lighten all thē that put their trust in the LORDE.) I shal yet poure out doctrine, like as prophecy, and leaue it vnto soch as seke after wyszdome, and their generacions shal I neuer fayle, vnto the holy euerlastinge worlde. Beholde, how that I haue not laboured for my self onely, but for all them yᵗ seke after yᵉ trueth.⁽¹⁰⁾

Notes to Chapter 24

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 13⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ Ioh. 14. a

⁽⁶⁾ Exo. 20. ⟨illegible⟩ and 24. a

⁽⁷⁾ Psal. 131. ⟨illegible⟩ Act. 2. d

⁽⁸⁾ Deut. 4. ⟨illegible⟩ and 29. b

⁽⁹⁾ Iosu. 3. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹⁰⁾ Eccli. ⟨illegible⟩3. b

Chapter 25

[A] THre thinges there are, yᵗ my sprete fauoureth,⁽¹⁾ which be also alowed before God and men: The vnyts of brethren, the loue of neghbours, and man & wyfe that agree well together.⁽²⁾

Thre thinges there be which my soule hateth, and I vtterly abhorre the life of them: A poore man that is proude. A rich mā that is a lyar,⁽³⁾ and an olde body that doteth and is vnchaste.

Yf thou hast gathered nothinge in thy youth, what wylt thou fynde thē in thine age? O how pleasaūt a thinge is it, whā gray headed men are discrete, & whan the elders can geue good councell? O how cōly a thinge is wyszdome vnto aged men? yee vnderstondinge and councell is a glorious thinge. The crowne of olde men is to haue moch experience, & yᵉ feare of God is their worshipe.

[B] There be ix. thinges, which I haue iudged in my hert to be happie, and the tenth wil I tell forth vnto men with my tonge. A man yᵗ whyle he lyueth, hath ioye of his children, and seith yᵉ fall of his enemies. Well is him, that dwelleth with an houswife of vnderstōdinge,⁽⁴⁾ and that hath not fallen with his tonge, and yᵗ hath not bene faine to serue soch as are vnmete for him. Wel is him, yᵗ fyndeth a faithfull frende: & wel is him, which talketh of wiszdome to an eare yᵗ heareth him. O how greate is he, yᵗ fyndeth wyszdome & knowlege? Yet is he not aboue him, that feareth the LORDE. The feare of God hath sett itself aboue all thinges. Blessed is yᵉ man, vnto whō it is graunted to haue the feare of God. Vnto whō shal he be lickened, yᵗ kepeth it fast? The feare of God is the begynnynge of his loue, and the begynnynge of faith is to cleue fast vnto it. The heuynes of the hert is all the punyshment, and the wickednes of a woman goeth aboue all. All punyshment & plage is nothinge in comparison of the plage of the hert, euē so all wickednes is nothinge to the wickednes of a woman.

[C] What so euer happeneth vnto a man, is nothinge in comparison of it, yᵗ his euell willers do vnto him: and all vengeaunce is nothinge to the vengeaūce of the enemye. There is not a more wicked heade then the heade of the serpēt, and there is no wrath aboue yᵉ wrath of a woman.⁽⁵⁾ I wyl rather dwell with a lyon and dragon, then to kepe house with a wicked wyfe. The wickednesse of a woman chaungeth hir face, she shal moffell hir coūtenaunce as it were a Beer, & as a sack shall she shewe it amonge the neghbours. Hir husbande is brought to shame amōge his neghbours, & whā he heareth it, it maketh him to sighe. All wickednes is but litle to the wickkednes of a woman, yᵉ porcion of the vngodly shal fall vpon her.

Like as to clymme vp a sondy waye is to [A] yᵉ fete of the aged, euē so is a wife full of wordes to a still quyete man.⁽⁶⁾ Loke not to narowly vpon the bewtye of a woman, lest thou be prouoked in desyre towarde her. The wrath of a woman is dishonoure and greate confuciō. Yf a woman gett the mastrie, then is she contrary to hir huszbande. A wicked wife maketh a sory hert, an heuy countenaunce and a deed wounde.⁽⁷⁾ Of the woman came yᵉ begynnynge of synne, and thorow her we all are deed. Geue thy water no passage, no not a litle, nether geue a wicked woman hir will. Yf she walke not after thy hande, she shall confounde the in the sight of thy enemies. Cut her of then from thy flesh, that she do not allwaye abuse the.

Notes to Chapter 25

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩en. 13. b ⟨illegible⟩om. 12. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccl. 40. d

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩en. 18. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 14. a ⟨illegible⟩nd 19. c ⟨illegible⟩aco. 3. a

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 21. c

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 26

HAppie is the man that hath a vertuous [A] wyfe, for the nōbre of his yeares shalbe dubble. An honest woman maketh hir huszbande a ioyfull man, & she shall fyll yᵉ yeares of his life in peace. A vertuous woman is a noble gift, which shalbe geuen for a good porcion vnto soch as feare God. Whether a man be rich or poore, he maye haue euer a mery hert, & a chearful countenaūce. There be thre thinges yᵗ my hert feareth, and my face is afrayed of the fourth. Treason in a cite, a sedicious people, and noysome tonges, all these are heuyer then the death. But whan one is gelous ouer his wife, it bryngeth payne and sorowe vnto the hert: and a woman that telleth out all thinges, is a scourge of the tonge. Whan one hath an euell wife, it is euen as whan an vnlike pare of oxen must drawe together: he that getteth her, getteth a scorpion.⁽¹⁾ A dronken woman is a greate plage, for she can not couer hir owne shame.

The whordome of a woman maye be [B] knowne in the pryde of hir eyes and eyelydlyddes. Yf thy daughter be not shamefast,⁽²⁾ holde her straitly, lest she abuse hirself thorow ouermoch liberte. Bewarre of all the dishonesty of hir eyes, and maruell not yf she do agaynst the. Lik as one that goeth by the waye and is thyrstie, so shall she open hir mouth, and drynke of euery nexte water that she maye gett.

By euery hedge shal she syt her downe, & opē hir quyuer against euery arowe. A louynge wyfe reioyseth hir huszbande, and fedeth his bones with hir wyszdome. A woman of few wordes is a gift of God, and to a well nurtured mynde maye nothinge be compared.

[C] An honest and manerly woman is a gyft aboue other giftes, and there is no waight to be compared, vnto a mynde that can rule it self. Like as the Sonne whan it aryseth, is an ornament in the hye heauen of yᵉ LORDE, so is a vertuous wife yᵉ bewtye of all hir house. Like as the cleare light is vpon yᵉ holy cādelstick, so is the bewtye of the face vpō an honest body.⁽³⁾ Like as the goldē pilers are vpon the sockettes of syluer, so are the fayre legges vpon a woman that hath a cōstant mynde. (Perpetuall are the foūdacions that be laied vpon a whole stonye rocke, so are yᵉ commaundementes of God vpon an holy woman.)

[D] There be two thinges yᵗ greue my hert, and in the thirde is a displeasure come vpon me. When an experte man of warre suffreth scarsenes and pouerte, Whan men of vnderstondinge and wyszdome are not set by: And whan one departeth from righteousnes vnto synne. Who so doth soch, the LORDE hath prepared him vnto the swerde. There be two maner of thinges, which me thyncke to be herde and perylous. A marchaunt can not lightly kepe him from wronge, nether a tauerner himself from synne.

Notes to Chapter 26

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 5. d

Chapter 27

[A] BEcause of pouerte haue many one offended: and he that seketh to be riche, turneth his eyes asyde. Like as a nale in the wall sticketh fast betwixte two stones, euen so doth synne sticke betwixte yᵉ byer and the seller. Yf he holde him not diligently in yᵉ feare of the LORDE, his house shall soone be ouerthrowne. Like as whan one sifteth, the fylthynes remayneth in the syue: So, remayneth there some vncleane thinge [B] in the thought of man. The ouen proueth the potters vessell,⁽¹⁾ so doth tentacion of trouble trye righteous men. The tre of the felde is knowne by his frute, so is the thought of mās hert knowne by his wordes. Prayse no mā excepte thou haue harde him, for a man is knowne by his wordes. Yf thou folowest righteousnes, thou shalt get her, and put her vpon yᵗ as a fayre garment. (And thou shalt dwell with her, and she shal defende the for euer, and in yᵉ daye of knowlege thou shalt fynde stedfastnesse.) The byrdes resorte vnto their like, so doth the trueth turne vnto them that be occupied withall. The lyon wayteth for yᵉ praye: so do the synnes lurke vpon the workes of wickednes. The talkinge of him that feareth God, is nothinge but wyszdome: as for a foole, he chaungeth as yᵉ Moone. Yf thou be amonge the vndiscrete, kepe thy worde to a conuenient tyme, but amonge soch as be wyse, speake on hardely.⁽²⁾ The talkinge of fooles is abhominaciō, and their [C] sporte is volupteousnesse and mysnurtoure. Moch swearynge maketh the hayre to stonde vp, and to stryue with soch,⁽³⁾ stoppeth the eares.

The stryfe of the proude is bloudsheddynge, & their blasphemynge is heuy to heare. Who so discouereth secretes,⁽⁴⁾ leseth his credence, and fyndeth no frende after his will. Loue thy frende, and bynde thyself in faithfulnes with him: but yf thou bewrayest his secretes, thou shalt not get him agayne: For like as the mā is that destroyeth his enemye so is he also that dealeth falsly in the frendshipe of his neghboure.

Like as one that letteth a byrde go out [D] of his honde, can not take her agayne: Euen so thou, yf thou geue ouer thy frende, thou canst not get him agayne: Yee thou cāst not come by him, for he is to farre of. He is vnto the as a Roo escaped out of the snare, for his soule is wounded. As for woundes, they maye be bounde vp agayne, and an euell worde maye be reconcyled: but who so bewrayeth the secretes of a frende, there is no more hope to be had vnto him.

He that wyncketh with the eyes,⁽⁵⁾ ymagineth some euell, and no man shal take him from it. Whan thou art present, he shal hylie commende and prayse thy wordes: but at the last he shall turne his tayle, and slaūder thy sayenge. Many thinges haue I hated, but nothinge so euell, for the LORDE himself also abhorreth soch one.

Who so casteth a stone an hye, it shal fall [E] vpon his owne heade:⁽⁶⁾ and he that smyteth with gyle, woundeth himself. Who so diggeth a pytt, shal fall therin:⁽⁷⁾ and he that layeth a snare, shal be taken in it himself. Who so geueth a wicked noysome councell, it shall come vpon himself, and he shall not knowe from whēce. The proude blaspheme and are scornefull, but vengeaunce lurketh for them as a lyon. They that reioyse at the fall of yᵉ righteous, shal be taken in yᵉ snare, anguysh of hert shall consume them before they dye Anger and rigorousnes are two abhominable thinges, and yᵉ vngodly hath them both vpon him.

Notes to Chapter 27

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ Ro. 12. b Col. 4. a

⁽³⁾ Eccli. 23. b

⁽⁴⁾ Eccli. 19. b and 22. d

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 10. b

⁽⁶⁾ Exo. 21. b

⁽⁷⁾ Hest. 7. b Psal. 7. b Pro. 26. c Eccle. 10. a

Chapter 28

[A] HE that seketh vengeaunce, shal fynde vengeaunce of the LORDE, ⁽¹⁾ which shal surely kepe him his synnes. Forgeue thy neghboure the hurte that he hath done the, and so shal thy synnes be forgeuen the also, whan thou prayest. A man that beareth hatred agaynst another, how darre he desyre forgeuenesse of God? He that sheweth no mercy to a mā which is like himself, how darre he axe forgeuenesse of his synnes? Yf he that is but flesh, beareth hatred and kepeth it, who wyl intreate for his synnes? Remembre the ende, & let enmyte passe, which seketh death and destruccion, and abyde thou in yᵉ commaundementes. Remembre yᵉ commaundement, so shalt thou not be rigorous ouer yᵉ [B] neghboure. Thynke vpō the couenaunt of yᵉ Hyest, and forgeue thy neghbours ignoraūce.⁽²⁾ Bewarre of strife, and thou shalt make yᵉ synnes fewer. For an angrie man kyndleth variaunce, and the vngodly disquyeteth frēdes, and putteth discorde amonge them that be at peace. The more wodd there is, the more vehement is the fyre:⁽³⁾ and the mightier yᵗ men be, the greater is the wrath: and the longer the strife endureth, the more it burneth.

[C] An haistie brawlinge kyndleth a fyre, and an haistie strife sheddeth bloude. Yf thou blowe the sparke: it shal burne: Yf thou spytt vpō it, it shal go forth, and both these go out of thy mouth.⁽⁴⁾ The slaunderer and dubble tōgued is cursed, for many one that be frendes setteth he at variaunce. The thirde tonge hath disquieted many one, and dryuen them from one londe to another. Stronge cities hath it broken downe, and ouerthrowne the houses of greate men. The thirde tōge hath cast out many an honest woman, and robbed them of their labours. Who so harkeneth vnto soch, shal neuer fynde rest, and neuer dwell safely. The stroke of yᵉ rod maketh yedders, but the stroke of the tonge smyteth the bones in sunder. There be many that haue perished with the swerde, but many mo thorow the tonge.

[D] Wel is him that is kepte frō an euell tonge, & commeth not in yᵉ anger therof: which draweth not the yock of soch, and is not boūde in the bondes of it. For the yock therof is of yron, and yᵉ bonde of it of stele. The death therof is a very euell death: hell were better for one, then soch a tonge. But the fyre of it maye not oppresse them that feare God, and yᵉ flamme therof maye not burne thē. Soch as forsake the LORDE, shal fall therin: and it shal burne them, and no man shal be able to quench it. It shal fall vpon thē as a Lyō, and deuoure them as a leparde. Thou he⟨illegible⟩gest yᵉ goodes wᵗ thornes: why doest thou not rather make dores and barres for yᵉ mouth? Thou weiest thy golde and syluer: why doest thou not weye thy wordes also vpon the balaunce? Bewarre, that thou slyde not in thy tonge, and so fall before thine enemies, that laye wayte for the.

Notes to Chapter 28

⁽¹⁾ Deut. 32. c Rom. 12. c Mat. 5. b ⟨illegible⟩. b. 1⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽²⁾ Eccli. 8. a

⁽³⁾ Pro. 26. c

⁽⁴⁾ Eccli. 21. d

Chapter 29

WHo so wil shewe mercy, let him lende vnto his neghboure:⁽¹⁾ and he that is able, let him kepe the commaundement. Lende vnto thy neghboure in tyme of his nede, and paye thou thy neghboure agayne in due season. Kepe thy worde, & deale faithfully with him, & thou shalt allwaye fynde the thinge yᵗ is necessary for the. There haue bene many, that whan a thinge was lent them, rekened it to be founde: and made them trauayle and laboure, that had helped them. Whyle they receaue eny thinge, they kysse the handes of soch as geue them, and for their neghbours good they hūble their voyce. But whan they shulde paye agayne they kepe it back, and geue euell wordes, and make many excuses by reason of the tyme: & though he be able, yet geueth he scarse the half agayne, and rekeneth yᵉ other to be founde. And yf he with olde not his moneye, yet hath he an enemye of him, and that vndeserued.

He payeth him with cursinge and rebuke [B] and geueth him euel wordes for his good dede. There be many one which are not glad for to lende, not because of euell, but they feare to lese the thinge that they lende. Yet haue thou pacience with the symple, and wᵗ holde not mercy from him. Helpe the poore for the commaundementes sake, and let him not go emptye from the because of his necessite. Lese thy money for yⁱ brother and neghbours sake, and burye it not vnder a stone, wher it rusteth and corruppeth.⁽²⁾ Gather thy treasure after the commaundement of yᵉ Hyest, and so shal it bringe the more profit thē golde. Laye vp the allmes in the hand of the poore, and it shal kepe the from all ⟨illegible⟩. (A mans allmes is as a purse with him, and shall kepe a mans fauoure as the apple of an eye: and afterwarde shall it aryse, & paye euery man his rewarde vpon his heade.) It shal fight for the agaynst thine enemies, better then the shylde of a giaunte, or speare of the mightie.

A good honest mā is suertye for his neghboure, but a wicked personne letteth him come to shame. Forget not the frendshipe of thy suertye, for he hath geuē his soule for yᵉ. The vngodly despyseth yᵉ good dede of his suertye, & the vnthankfull and ignoraunt leaueth his suertie in daunger. (Some man promyseth for his neghboure: & whan he hath lost his honesty, he shal forsake him.) Suertishipe hath destroyed many a ryche man, & remoued them as the wawes in yᵉ see. Mightie people hath it dryuen awaye, and caused thē to wandre in straunge countrees. An vngodly man transgressynge the commaundement of the LORDE, shal fall in to an euell suertishipe: and though he force himself to get out, yet shal he fall in to iudgment. Helpe thy neghboure out after thy power, and bewarre, yᵗ thou thy self fall not in soch dett. The chefe thinge that kepeth in the life,⁽³⁾ is water and bred, clothinge and lodginge, to couer the shame.

[D] Better is it to haue a poore lyuynge in a mans owne house,⁽⁴⁾ thē delicate fayre amōge the straunge. Be it litle or moch yᵗ thou hast, holde the contēt withall (& thou shalt not be blamed as a vagabounde:) for a myserable life is it, to go from house to house: and where a mā is fremde, he darre not opē his mouth. Though one be lodged, and haue meate and drynke, yet shall he be taken as vnworthy, & heare many bytter rough wordes, namely thus: Go thy waye thou straunger, and prepare a table (for thy self) and fede me also of that thou hast. Awaye thou straunger (so, that he regardeth his honoure nomore) my brother commeth in to my house, & so he telleth him the necessite of his house. These thinges are heuy to a man that hath vnderstandinge: namely, the forbyddinge of yᵉ house, & that the lēder casteth him in the teth.

Notes to Chapter 29

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 36. b ⟨illegible⟩. 6. b ⟨illegible⟩. 13. a

Chapter 30

[A] WHo so loueth his childe, holdeth him still vnder correccion,⁽¹⁾ that he maye haue ioye of him afterwarde (and that he grope not after his neghbours dores.⁽²⁾) He yᵗ teacheth his sonne, shall haue ioye in him, & nede not be ashamed of him amōge his aquantaūce. Who so enfourmed & teacheth his sonne, greueth yᵉ enemie, and before his frendes he maye haue ioye of him. Though the father dye, yet is he as though he were not deed: for he hath left one behynde him that is like him. In his life he sawe him, & had ioye in him, & was not sory in his death, (nether was he ashamed before yᵉ enemies.) For he left behinde him an auenger agaynst his enemies, and a good doer vnto the frendes. For the life of childrē he shal binde the woundes together, and his hert is greued at euery crye. An vntamed horse wylbe harde, and a wanton childe wyl be wylfull. Yf thou brynge vp thy sonne delicatly, he shal make yᵉ afrayed: and yf thou playe with him, he shal brynge the to heuynes. Laugh not with him, lest thou wepe wᵗ him also, and lest thy teth be sett on edge at the last.

Geue him not liberte in his youth, & excuse [B] not his foly.⁽³⁾ Bow downe his neck whyle he is yonge, hytt him vpon the sydes whyle he is yet but a childe, lest he waxe stubburne, & geue no more force of yᵉ (and so shalt thou haue heuynes of soule.) Teach thy childe, & be diligēt therin, lest it be to thy shame. Better is the poore beynge whole & stronge, thē a man to be riche, & not to haue his health. Health and welfare is aboue all golde, and an whole body aboue all treasure. There is no riches aboue a sounde body, & no ioye aboue the ioye of the hert. Death is better then a wretched life, or contynuall sicknes. The good thinges yᵗ are put in a close mouth, are like as whan meate is layed vpon yᵉ graue.

What good doth the offeringe vnto an [C] Idoll? For he can nether eate, taist ner smell.⁽⁴⁾ Euē so is it also with the riche, whom God maketh seke: he seith it with his eyes, & groneth therafter, and is euen as a gelded man, that lyeth with a vyrgin and sygheth.⁽⁵⁾ Geue not ouer thy mynde in to heuynes, & vexe not thy self in thine owne councell. The ioye & chearfulnes of the hert is the life of man, and a mans gladnes is the prolonginge of his dayes. Loue thine owne soule, and comforte thine hert: as for sorow and heuynes, dryue it farre from yᵉ,⁽⁶⁾ for heuynes hath slayne many a man, and bryngeth no profit. Zele and anger shorten the dayes of the life: carefulnes and sorow brynge age before the tyme. Vnto a mery hert euery thinge hath a good taist, that he eateth.

Notes to Chapter 30

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩3. c ⟨illegible⟩ 2⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 6. a

⁽³⁾ Eccli. 7. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Bel. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ Pro. 12. d 15. b. 17. d Eccli 38. Pro. 14.

⁽⁶⁾ 2. Cor. 7.

Chapter 31

TRauayle and carefulnes for riches [A] taketh awaye the slepe,⁽¹⁾ and maketh the flesh to cōsume. Whan one lyeth and taketh care, he waketh euer vp, like as greate sicknes breaketh the slepe. The rich hath greate laboʳ in gatheringe his riches together, and then with the pleasure of his riches he taketh his rest & is refreshed. But who so laboureth and prospereth not, he is poore: and though he leaue of, yet is he a begger. He that loueth riches, shall not be iustified: and who so foloweth corrupciō, shal haue ynough therof.⁽²⁾ Many one are come in greate mysfortune by the reason of golde, & haue founde their destruccion before them. It is a tre of fallynge vnto them that offre it vp, and all soch as be foolish fall therin. Blessed is the rich, which is founde without blemysh, and hath not gone after golde, ner hoped in money and treasures. Where is there soch one? and we shal commende him, and call him blessed, for greate thinges doth he amonge his people. Who so is tryed, & founde perfecte in soch thinges, shalbe commended and praised. Who might offende, & hath not offended? Who coude do euell, and hath not done it? Therfore shal his good be stablished, and the whole congregacion shal declare his allmesses. Yf thou sytt at a greate mans table, open not thy mouth wyde vpon it, and make not many wordes. Remembre, that an euell eye is a shrew.

[B] What thinge created is worse then a wicked eye? therfore wepeth it before euery mās face? Laye not thine hand vpon euery thinge that thine eye seyth, and stryue not with him in the dyshe.⁽³⁾ Ponder by thy self what thy neghboure wolde fayne haue, & be descrete in euery poynte. Eate the thinge that is set before the, manerly, as it becommeth a man:⁽⁴⁾ and eate not to moch, lest thou be abhorred. Leaue thou of first of all because of nurtoure, lest thou be he whom no man maye satisfie, which maye turne to thy decaye. Whā thou syttest amonge many men, reach not thine hāde out first of all. O how well contēt is a wyse man wᵗ a litle wyne? so yᵗ in slepe thou shalt not be seke therof, ner fele eny payne. A swete wholsome slepe shal soch one haue, and fele no inwarde grefe. He ryseth vp by tymes in yᵉ mornynge, and is well at ease in him self. But an vnsaciable eater slepeth vnquyetly, and hath ache and payne of the body. Yf thou felest that thou hast eaten to moch, aryse, go thy waye, cast it of thy stomack, and take thy rest.

[C] My sonne, heare me, and despyse me not: and at the last thou shalt fynde as I haue tolde the.⁽⁵⁾ In all thy workes be diligent and quycke, so shal there no sicknes happen vnto the.⁽⁶⁾ Who so is liberall in dealynge out his meate, many men shall blesse him and prayse him with their lippes: and the same is a sure token of his loue and faithfulnes. But he yᵗ is vnfaithfull in meate, the whole cite shall complayne of him: and that is a sure experiēce of his infidelite and wickednes.⁽⁷⁾ Be not thou a wine bebber, for wyne hath destroyed many a man. The fyre proueth yᵉ hard yron, euen so doth wyne proue the hertes of the proude, whan they be droncken.

Wyne sorbely droncken, quyckeneth the [D] life of mā. Yf thou drynckest it measurably,⁽⁸⁾ thou shalt be temperate. What life is it, yᵗ maye contynue without wyne? Wyne was made from the begynnynge to make men glad (and not for dronkennes) Wyne measurably dronkē is a reioysinge of the soule and body. But yf it be dronken with excesse, it maketh bytternes and sorowe vnto the mynde. Dronkēnes fylleth the mynde of the foolish with shame and ruyne, mynisheth the strēgth, and maketh woundes.⁽⁹⁾ Rebuke not thy neghboure at yᵉ wyne, and despyse him not in his myrth. Geue him no despytefull wordes, and preasse not vpon him with contrary sayenges.

Notes to Chapter 31

⁽¹⁾ 1. Tim. 6. b

⁽²⁾ Eccli. 8. a

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩att. 7. a

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli 37. d

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩om. 12. b

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ro. 22. a

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩phe. 5. b ⟨illegible⟩udit. 13. a

⁽⁸⁾ Psal. ⟨illegible⟩ Pro. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 32

YF thou be made a ruler, pride not thy [A] self therin,⁽¹⁾ but be thou as one of the people. Take diligent care for them,⁽²⁾ and loke well therto: and whan thou hast done all thy dewtye, syt the downe, that thou mayest be mery with them, and receaue a crowne of honoure. Talke wysely & honestly, for wyszdome becommeth the right well. Hynder not musyck. Speake not, where there is no audyence:⁽³⁾ and poure not forth wyszdome out of tyme, at an importunyte. Like as the Carbuncle stone shyneth, that is set in golde, so doth a songe garnysh the wyne feast: and as yᵉ Smaragde that is set in golde, so is the swetnes of Musyck by yᵉ myrth of wyne.

Thou yonge mā, speake that becommeth [B] the, & that is profitable, and yet scarse whan thou art twyce axed. Comprehende moch with few wordes. In many thinges be as one that is ignoraunt, geue eare, and holde thy tonge withall. Yf thou be amonge men of hyer auctorite, desyre not to compare thy self vnto them: and whā an elder speaketh, make not thou many wordes therin. Before the thonder goeth lightenynge, and before nurtoure and shamefastnesse goeth loue and fauoure. Stōde vp by tymes, and be not the last: but get the home soone, & there take thy pastyme, & do what thou wilt: so yᵗ thou do no euell, and defye no mā. But for all thinges geue thankes, vnto him that hath made the, and replenished the with his goodes.

Who so feareth the LORDE, wyl receaue [C] his doctryne: and they that get them to him by tymes, shall fynde grace. He that seketh the lawe, shall be fylled withall: As for him yᵗ is but fayned, he wyll be offended therat. They that feare the LORDE, shal fynde the iudgment, & their righteousnes shalbe kyndled as a light. An vngodly man will not be refourmed, but can helpe him self with the example of other in his purpose. A man of vnderstondinge despyseth no good councell: but a wylde and proude body hath no feare. My sonne, do nothinge without advisement, so shal it not repēt the after yᵉ dede. Go not in the waye where thou mayest fall, ner where thou mayest stomble against the stone. Geue not yⁱ self in to a laborious slypery waye, and bewarre of thine owne children. In all thy workes put thy trust in God from thy whole hert, for that is the kepinge of the cōmaundementes. Who so beleueth Gods worde, taketh hede to the commaundementes: & he that putteth his trust in yᵉ LORDE, shal wante nothinge.

Notes to Chapter 32

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 33

[A] THere shall no euell happen vnto him that feareth God: but whan he is in tentacion, the LORDE shall delyuer him. A wyse man hateth not yᵉ lawe, but an ypocryte is as a shyp in a raginge water. A man of vnderstondinge geueth credence vnto the lawe of God, and yᵉ lawe is faithfull vnto him. Be sure of the matter, then talke therof: Be first wel instructe, thē maiest thou geue answere. The hert of yᵉ foolish is like a cartwhele, and his thoughtes renne aboute like the axell tre. Like as a wylde horse that neyeth vnder euery one yᵗ sytteth vpon him, so is it with a scornefull frende. Why doth one daie excell another, seynge all the dayes of the yeare come of the Sonne? The wyszdome of the LORDE hath so parted them a sunder, and so hath he ordened the tymes and solempne feastes. Some of them hath he chosen and halowed before other dayes. And all men are made of the grounde, & out of the earth of Adam.

[B] In the multitude of scyence hath yᵉ LORDE sundered them, and made their wayes of dyuerse fashions. Some of them hath he blessed, made moch of them, halowed them, & claymed them to himself. But some of thē hath he cursed, brought thē lowe, & put thē out of their estate.⁽¹⁾ Like as yᵉ claye is in the potters hande, & all the ordrynge therof at his pleasure: so are men also in the hande of him yᵗ made thē, so that he maye geue them as it liketh him best. Agaynst euell is good, and agaynst death is life: so is the vngodly agaynst soch as feare God. Beholde thus all the workes of the Hyest, & there are euer ⁽²⁾ two agaynst two, and one set agaynst another. I am awaked vp last of all, as one that gathereth after in haruest. In the giftes of God and in his blessynge I am increased, & haue fylled my wyne presse, like a grape gatherer. Beholde,⁽³⁾ how I haue not laboured onely for my self, but for all soch as loue nurtoure and wyszdome.

Heare me O ye greate men of the people,[C] & harken wᵗ yo eares ye rulers of yᵉ congregacion. Geue not yᵉ sonne & wyfe, yᵉ brother & frende power ouer the, whyle thou lyuest: & geue not awaye thy substaunce and good to another, lest it repent the, & thou be fayne to begg therfore thy self. As longe as thou lyuest & hast breth, let no man chaunge the: For better it is thy children to praye the, then yᵗ thou shuldest be fayne to loke in their handes. In all thy workes be excellent, that thy honoure be neuer stained. At the tyme whan thou shalt ende thy dayes, and fynish thy life, distribute thine inheretaūce. The fodder, the whyppe, and the burden belongeth vnto the Asse: Meate, correccion, and worke vnto the seruaunt.

Yf thou set thy seruaunt to laboure, thou [D] shalt fynde rest. But yf thou let him go ydel, he shal seke libertye. The yock & yᵉ whyppe bowe downe the neck, but tame thou thy euell seruaunt with bōdes & correccion. Sende him to laboure, that he go not ydle: For Idylnesse bryngeth moch euell. Sett him to worke, for that belongeth vnto him and becōmeth him well. Yf he be not obedient, bynde his fete: but do not to moch vnto him in anye wyse, & without discrecion do nothinge. Yf thou haue a (faithfull) seruaūt,⁽⁴⁾ let him be vnto the as thine owne soule, for in bloude hast thou gotten him. Yf thou haue a seruaunt, holde him as thy self, for thou hast nede of him as of thy self. Yf thou intreatest him euell, and kepest him harde, and makest him to be proude, and to renne awaye from yᵉ, thou canst not tell, what waye thou shalt seke him.

Notes to Chapter 33

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 9. c

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ Ecclesia⟨illegible⟩tici. 24. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Eccli. 7. c

Chapter 34

VNwyse people begyle them selues wᵗ [A] vayne and disceatfull hope, and fooles trust in dreames. Who so regardeth dreames, is like him that wil take holde of a shadowe, and folowe after the wynde: Euen so is it with the appearinges of dreames. Before the face is the licknes of a face. Who can be clensed of yᵉ vncleane? Or what treuth can be spoken of a lyar? Soythsayenge, witchcraft, sorcery and dreaminge is but vanyte: like as whan a womā trauayleth wᵗ chylde, and hath many fantasyes in hir herte. Where as soch visions come not of God, set not thine herte vpon them: For dreames haue disceaued many a mā, and they fayled, that put their truste therin.

[B] The lawe shalbe fulfilled without lyes, & wyszdome is sufficient to a faithfull mouth. A wyse man yᵗ is well instructe, vnderstonstondeth moch: & he yᵗ hath good experiēce, can talke of wyszdome. He yᵗ hath no experiēce, knoweth litle: & he yᵗ erreth, causeth moch wickednes. Whan I was yet in erroure, I lerned moch also: yee I was so lerned, that I coude not expresse it all, and came oft in parell of death therouer, tyll I was delyuered from it. Now I se, that they which feare God, haue the right sprete: for their hope stōdeth in him, that can helpe thē. Who so feareth the LORDE, stōdeth in awe of no man, and is not afrayed, for the LORDE is his hope and comforte.

[C] Blessed is the soule of him yᵗ feareth the LORDE: In whō putteth he his trust? who is his strēgth? For the eyes of the LORDE haue respecte vnto them, that loue him. He is their mightie proteccion, & strōge grounde: A defence for the heate, a refuge for the hote noone daye, a sucore for stomblynge, & an helpe for fallynge. He setteth vp the soule, and lighteneth yᵉ eyes: He geueth health life, and blessynge. He that geueth an offeringe of vnrighteous good, his offerynge is refused: and the scornefull dealinges of the vnrighteous please not God. God hath no delyte in the offerynges of yᵉ vngodly,⁽¹⁾ nether maye synne be reconcyled in the multitude of oblacions. Who so bryngeth an offerynge out of yᵉ goodes of yᵉ poore, doth euē as one yᵗ kylleth yᵉ sonne before yᵉ fathers eyes.

[D] The bred of the nedefull is the life of the poore: he yᵗ defraudeth him therof, is a man, of bloude. Who so robbeth his neghboʳ of his lyuinge, doth as greate synne as though he slew him to death.⁽²⁾ He that defraudeth yᵉ laborer of his hyre, is a bloude shedder. Whā one buyldeth, and another breaketh downe, what profit haue they then but laboure? Whan one prayeth, & another curseth, whose voyce wyl the LORDE heare?⁽³⁾ He that washeth himself because of a deed body, & then toucheth the deed agayne, what doth his waszshinge?⁽⁴⁾ So is it with a man that fasteth for his synnes, and doth them agayne: who wil heare his prayer? Or what doth his fastynge helpe him?

Notes to Chapter 34

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ro. 15. a

⁽²⁾ Deu. 24. c ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 7. c

⁽³⁾ Nu. 1⟨illegible⟩. b

⁽⁴⁾ Pro. 26. b ⟨illegible⟩. Pet. 2. b

Chapter 35

[A] WHo so kepeth the lawe, bryngeth offerynges ynough.⁽¹⁾ He that holdeth fast the commaundement, offreth the right health offrynge. He yᵗ is thankfull & recompenseth, offreth fyne floure.⁽²⁾ Who so is mercifull & geueth allmes, yᵗ is the right thank offrynge. God hath pleasure, whā one departeth frō synne: & to forsake vnrighteousnes recōcileth vs wᵗ him. Thou shalt not appeare emptye before yᵉ LORDE, ⁽³⁾ for all soch is done because of yᵉ cōmaundemēt. The offeringe of yᵉ righteous maketh yᵉ aulter fatt, & a swete smell is it before yᵉ Hyest. The offerynge of the righteous is acceptable vnto God, & shal neuer be forgottē.⁽⁴⁾ Geue God his hono with a chearfull eye, & kepe not backe the firstlinges of yᵉ handes. In all thy giftes shew a mery countenaunce,⁽⁵⁾ & halowe thy tithes vnto God wᵗ gladnes. Geue vnto God,⁽⁶⁾ acordinge as he hath enriched & prospered their loke what thine hande is able, yᵗ geue wᵗ a chearfull eye: for the LORDE recompenseth, & geueth yᵉ seuē tymes as moch againe.

Geue no vnrighteous giftes, for soch wil [B] not he receaue. Bewarre of wrongeous offeringes, for yᵉ LORDE is a righteous iudge,⁽⁷⁾ & regardeth no mans personne: He accepteth not the personne of the poore, but he heareth yᵉ prayer of yᵉ oppressed.⁽⁸⁾ He despyseth not yᵉ desyre of yᵉ fatherles, ner yᵉ wyddow, whan she poureth out hir prayer before him. Doth not God se yᵉ teares, yᵗ renne downe yᵉ chekes of the wyddow? Or heareth he not the complaynte, ouer soch as make her to wep⟨illegible⟩ ▪ Who so serueth God after his pleasure, shalbe accepted, & his prayer reacheth vnto the cloudes. The prayer of him yᵗ humbleth himself,⁽⁹⁾ goeth thorow yᵉ cloudes, tyll she come nye. She wyl not be comforted, ner go hir waye,[C] tyll yᵉ hyest God haue respecte vnto her, geue true sentēce, & perfourme yᵉ iudgmēt. And yᵉ LORDE wil not be slack in cōmynge, ner tary longe: tyll he haue smyttē in sonder yᵉ backes of yᵉ vnmercyfull, & auenged himself of yᵉ Heithen: tyll he haue takē awaye yᵉ multitude of yᵉ cruell, & brokē the cepter of the vnrighteous: tyll he geue euery man after his workes, & rewarde them as they haue deserued: tyll he haue delyuered his people, mayntened their cause, & reioysed them in his mercy. O how fayre a thinge is mercy, in the tyme of anguysh & trouble? It is like a cloude of rayne, yᵗ cōmeth in yᵉ tyme of a drouth.

Notes to Chapter 35

⁽¹⁾ Iere. 7. c

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 36

HAue mercy vpon vs O LORDE, thou [A] God of all thinges. Haue respecte vnto vs (shew vs the light of thy mercies, & sende yᵉ feare amōge yᵉ Heithē & straūgers, which seke not after the: yᵗ they maye knowe, how yᵗ there is no God but thou, and yᵗ they maye shew thy wonderous workes.) Lift vp thine hande ouer the outlādish Heithen, yᵗ they maye lerne to knowe thy might & power. Like as thou art halowed in vs before them, so brynge to passe, yᵗ thou mayest be magnified also in them before vs: yᵗ they maye knowe the, like as we knowe the. For there is none other God, but onely thou O LORDE. Renue the tokens, & chaunge the wonderous workes. Shewe thine hāde and thy right arme gloriously. Rayse thy indignacion, & poure out thy wrath. Take awaye the aduersary, & smyte the enemye. Make yᵉ tyme shorte, remembre thy couenaunt, that yᵉ wonderous workes maye be praysed. Let the wrath of the fyre consume them, that lyue so careles: and let them perish, that do yᵉ people hurte. Smyte in sonder the heade of the prynces, that be oure enemies, and saye: there is none other but we.

[B] Gather all yᵉ trybes of Iacob together againe, yᵗ they maie knowe, how yᵗ there is none other God but onely thou, yᵗ they maie shew thy wonderous workes, and be thy people & heretage, like as from the begynninge. O LORDE haue mercy vpon the people yᵗ hath yᵉ name,⁽¹⁾ & vpō Israel, whom thou hast lickened to a first borne sonne. O be merciful vnto Ierusalē the cite of thy Sanctuary, yᵉ cite of thy rest.⁽²⁾ Fyll Sion with thy vnspeakeable vertues, & yⁱ people wᵗ thy glory. Geue wytnes vnto yᵉ creature, whom thou maydest from the begynnynge, and rayse vp the prophecies yᵗ haue bene shewed in thy name. Rewarde them yᵗ wayte for the, yᵗ thy prophetes maye be founde faithfull. O LORDE heare the prayer of thy seruauntes, acordinge to yᵉ blessinge of Aaron ouer thy people: that all they which dwell vpon earth,⁽³⁾ maye knowe, that thou art the LORDE the eternall God, which is from euerlastinge.

[C] The bely deuoureth all meates, yet is one meate better then another. Like as the tonge taisteth venyson,⁽⁴⁾ so doth an hert of vnderstondinge marck false wordes. A frowarde hert geueth heuynes, but a man of experience lifteth him vp agayne. The woman receaueth euery man, yet is one daughter better then another. A fayre wife reioyseth hir huszbande, and a man loueth nothinge better. Yf she be louynge & vertuous withall, then is not hir huszbande like other men. He that hath gotten a vertuous woman, hath a goodly possession: she is vnto him an helpe and piler wher vpon he resteth. Where no hedge is, there the goodes are spoyled: and where no houszwife is, there yᵉ frēdles mourneth. Like as there is no credence geuen to a robber, yᵗ goeth from one cite to another: So is not yᵉ man beleued, that hath no nest, and must turne in, where he maye abyde in the night.

Notes to Chapter 36

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 4. f

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 6. g

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 6. d

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 2. b

Chapter 37

EVery frende sayeth: I wil be frendly [A] vnto him also. But there is some frende, which is onely a frende in name. Remayneth there not heuynes vnto death, whan a companyon and frende is turned to an enemye? O most wicked presumpcion: Frō whence art thou spronge vp, to couer the earth with falsede & disceate?⁽¹⁾ There is some companyon, which in prosperite reioyseth with his frēde: but in the tyme of trouble, he taketh parte agaynst him. There is some cōpanyon, that mourneth with his frende for the bely sake: but whan trouble commeth, he taketh holde of the shylde. Forget not thy frende in thy mynde, & thynke vpon him in yⁱ riches. Euery counceler bryngeth forth his councell: Neuertheles there is some, yᵗ counceleth but for his owne profit.⁽²⁾ Bewarre of yᵉ counceler, & be aduysed afore wherto thou wilt vse him, for he wil geue coūcell for him self. Lest he cast the lott vpon the, & saye vnto the: Thy waye and purpose is good, and afterwarde he stande agaynst the, and loke what shal become of the.

Axe no coūcell at him, yᵗ suspecketh yᵉ for [B] an enemie, & hyde yᵉ councell from soch as hate yᵉ. Axe no councell at a woman, cōcernynge yᵉ thinges yᵗ she lōgeth for: ner at a fearful & fayntharted body, in matters of warre: or at a marchaunt, how deare he wil cheape thy wares towarde his: or at a byer, of sellynge: Or at an envyous man, of thankesgeuynge: Or at the vnmercifull, of louynge kindnes: Or at yᵉ slouthfull, of workinge: Or at an hyrelynge which hath no house, of profit or wealth. (An ydle body wolde not gladly heare speake of moch labo.) Take no soch folkes to coūcell, but be diligēt to seke coūcel at a vertuous man, yᵗ feareth God, soch one as thou knowest to be a keper of yᵉ cōmaundemētes, which hath a minde after thine owne minde, & is sory for yᵉ whā thou stōblest.

And holde thy councell fast in thine hert:[C] for there is no man more faithful to kepe it, then thou thy self. For a mās mynde is somtyme more disposed to tell out, then seuen watchmen that sytt aboue in an hye place lokynge aboute them. And aboue all this praye the Hyest, that he wil lede thy waye in faithfulnes & trueth. Before all thy workes axe councell first: and or euer thou doest eny thinge, be well aduysed. There be foure thinges that declare a chaunged hert, wherout there springeth euell & good, death & life, & a masterfull tonge that bableth moch. Some man is apte and well instructe in many thinges, and yet very vnprofitable vnto himself. Some man there is, that can geue wyse and prudent councell, and yet is he hated, & contynueth a begger: for that grace is not geuē him of God, to be accepted. Another is robbed of all wiszdome, yet is he wise vnto him self, and the frute of vnderstōdinge is faithfull in his mouth.

[D] A wyse man maketh his people wyse, & yᵉ frutes of his wiszdome fayle not. A wyse mā shal be plēteously blessed of God: & all they that se him, shal speake good of him. The life of man stondeth in yᵉ nōbre of the dayes, but the dayes of Israel are innumerable. A wyse man shal opteyne faithfulnes & credence amonge his people, & his name shalbe perpetuall. My sonne, proue thy soule in thy life: & yf thou se eny euell thinge, geue it not vnto her.⁽³⁾ For all thinges are not profitable for all men, nether hath euery soule pleasure in euery thinge. Be not gredy in euery eatynge,⁽⁴⁾ and be not to haistye vpō all meates. For excesse of meates bryngeth siknes, and glotony commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate. Thorow glotony haue many one perished: but he that dyeteth him self temperatly, prolongeth his life.

Notes to Chapter 37

⁽¹⁾ Eccli. 6. b

⁽²⁾ Eccli. 8. ⟨illegible⟩ and 9. c

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ Cor. 6. c ⟨illegible⟩nd 10. c

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 31. b

Chapter 38

[A] HOnoure the Phisician: honoure him because of necessite. God hath created him (for of the Hyest commeth medecyne) and he shal receaue giftes of the kynge. The wiszdome of the phisician bryngeth him to greate worshipe, & in the sight of the greate men of this worlde, he shalbe honorably taken. The LORDE hath created medecyne of the earth, and he that is wyse, wyl not abhorre it.⁽¹⁾ Was not yᵉ bytter water made swete with a tre? that men might lerne to knowe the vertue therof. The LORDE hath geuen men wyszdome & vnderstondinge, yᵗ he might be honoured in his wōderous workes. With soch doth he heale men, & taketh awaye their paynes: Of soch doth the Apotecary make a confeccion, yet can no man perfourme all his workes. For of yᵉ LORDE commeth prosperous wealth ouer all yᵉ earth.

[B] My sonne, despyse not this in thy sicknes: but praye vnto the LORDE, ⁽²⁾ & he shal make the whole. Leaue of from synne, & ordre thy handes a right: clēse thine hert from all wickednes. Geue a swete sauoured offrynge, & yᵉ fyne floure for a token of remembraunce: make the offrynge fatt, as one that geueth the first frutes, & geue rowme to the Phisician▪ For yᵉ LORDE hath created him: let him not go from the, for thou hast nede of him. The houre maye come, yᵗ the seke maye be helped thorow them, whan they praye vnto yᵉ LORDE, yᵗ he maie recouer, & get health to lyue lōger. He that synneth before his maker, shall fall in to the handes of the Phisician.

My sonne, brynge forth thy teares ouer [B] the deed: and begynne to mourne,⁽³⁾ as yf thou haddest suffred greate harme thy self: & thē couer his body after a conuenyent maner, & despyse not his buryall. Enforce thy self to wepe, & prouoke thy self to mourne, & make lamentacion expediently,⁽⁴⁾ and yᵗ a daye or two, lest thou be euell spoken of: & then cōforte thy self because of the heuynes.⁽⁵⁾ For of heuynes cōmeth death, the heuynes of yᵉ hert breaketh strength. Heuynes and pouerte greueth the hert in tentacion & offence. Take no heuynes to hert, dryue it awaye, and remembre the last thinges. Forget it not, for there is no turnynge agayne. Thou shalt do him no good, but hurte thy self. Remembre his iudgmēt, thine also shalbe likewyse: vnto me yesterdaye, vnto the to daye. Let the remembraunce of the deed ceasse in his rest,⁽⁶⁾ and cōforte thy self agayne ouer him, seynge his sprete is departed from him.

The wyszdome of the scrybe is at cōuenyent [D] tyme of rest: & he yᵗ ceasseth from exercyse & labo, shalbe wyse. He that holdeth yᵉ plough, & hath pleasure in proddynge & dryuynge yᵉ oxen, & goeth aboute wᵗ soch workes, he can speake of oxen. He setteth his hert to make forowes, & is diligent to geue yᵉ kyne fodder. So is euery carpenter also & work master, that laboureth still night & daye: he carueth, graueth & cutteth out, & his desyre is in sondrye connynge thinges, and his hert ymagineth, how he maye conyngly cast an ymage, his diligence also & watchinge perfourmeth the worke. The yronsmyth in like maner bydeth by his stythie, & doth his diligence to laboure the yron. The vapoure of the fyre brenneth his flesh, and he must fight with the heate of the fornace. The noyse of the Hammer soundeth euer in his eares, and his eyes loke still vpon the thinge yᵗ he maketh. He hath set his minde there vpon, that he wyll make out his worke, and therfore he watcheth, how he maie set it out, and brynge it to an ende.

So doth the potter syt by his worke, he [E] turneth yᵉ whele aboute with his fete, he is diligent & carefull in all his doynges, & his laboure and worke is without nombre. He fashioneth the claye with his arme, and wᵗ his fete he tēpereth it. His hert ymagineth how he maye make it pleasaunt, & his diligence is to clense the ouen. All these hope in their hādes, & euery one thinketh to be connynge in his worke. Without these maye not the cities be manteyned, inhabited ner occupied: yet come they not hye in the congregacion: they vnderstande not the couenaunt of yᵉ lawe: they can not declare equyte & iudgment: they can not fynde out the darck sentēces: but thorow them shal the creature of yᵉ worlde be manteyned: their prayer concerneth onely the worke & laboʳ of cōninge.

Notes to Chapter 38

⁽¹⁾ Exo. 15. d 4. Re. 4. c

⁽²⁾ Esa. 38 a ⟨illegible⟩. Pa⟨illegible⟩. 16. c

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 39

[A] BVt he yᵗ applyeth his mynde to vnderstande the lawe of God, doth diligently seke out yᵉ wyszdome of them of the olde tyme, & exercyseth him self in the prophetes. He kepeth yᵉ sayenges of famous men, and preasseth to the vnderstandinge of darck sentēces of wyszdome. He seketh out yᵉ mysterye of secrete sayēges, and exercyseth him self therin cōtynually. He doth seruyce amonge greate men, & appeareth before the prynce. He goeth in to a straunge countre, & trauaileth thorow it: loke what good or euell is amōge men, he proueth it & seketh it out. He purposeth in his hert, to resorte early vnto the LORDE yᵗ made him, & to praye before the hyest God. He openeth his mouth in prayer, & prayeth for his synnes.

[B] When the greate LORDE wil, he shalbe filled wᵗ the sprete of vnderstādinge, yᵗ he maie then poure out wyse sentences, & geue thankes vnto the LORDE in his prayer. He shal ordre his deuyce, and lede his knowlege aright, & geue him vnderstandinge of secrete thinges. He shal shew forth the sciēce of his lerninge, & reioyce in the couenaunt of the lawe of the LORDE. The whole congregacion shal cōmende his wyszdome, & it shal neuer be put out. The remembraunce of him shal neuer be forgotten, & his name shal contynue from one generacion to another.⁽¹⁾ His wyszdome shalbe spoken of, & the whole congregacion shall openly declare his prayse. Whyle he liueth, he hath a greater name thē a thousande besyde: & after his death, the same name remayneth vnto him. Yet wyll I speake of mo men of vnderstandinge, for I am full as the Moone.

[C] Herkē vnto me (ye holy vertuous childrē) brynge forth frute, as the rose that is planted by the brokes of the felde, and geue ye a swete smell as Libanus. Florish as the rose garden, synge a songe of prayse. O geue thākes vnto God ouer all his workes. Geue glory and honoure vnto the LORDE, shew his prayse with youre lippes. Yee euen with the songe of youre lippes, with harpes & playenge, and in geuinge thankes vnto him, saye after this maner:⁽²⁾ All yᵉ workes of the LORDE are exceadinge good, and all his commaundementes are mete and conuenient in due season.[D]

A mā nede not to saie: what is yᵗ? what is that?⁽³⁾ for at time conuenient they shal all be sought. At his cōmaundement yᵉ water was as a wall, & at the worde of his mouth yᵉ waters stode still. In his commaundement is euery thinge acceptable and reconcyled, and his health can not be minished. The workes of all flesh are before him, & there is nothinge hydd from his eyes. He seith from euerlastinge to euerlastinge, and there is nothinge to wonderfull or hye vnto him. A man nede not to saye then, what is this, or that? For he hath made all thinges to do good vnto man. His blessynge shall renne ouer as the streame, and moysture the earth like a floude of water. Like as he maketh the water for drouth, so shall his wrath fall vpon the Heithen.[E]

His wayes are playne and right vnto yᵉ iust, but the vngodly stomble at them.⁽⁴⁾ For the good are good thinges created from the begynnynge, and euell thinges for the vngodly. All thinges necessary for the life of man are created from the begynnynge: water, fyre, yron and salt, meel,⁽⁵⁾ wheate and hony mylke and wyne, oyle and clothinge. All these thinges are created for the best to the faithfull: But to the vngodly shal all these thinges be turned to hurte and harme. There be spretes that are created for vengeaūce, and in their rigorousnes haue they fastened their tormentes.⁽⁶⁾ In the tyme of the ende they shal poure out their strēgth, and pacifie yᵉ wrath of him that made them. Fyre, hayle,⁽⁷⁾ honger and death: all these thinges are created for vengeaunce.[F]

The teth of wylde noysome beestes, the scorpions, serpentes, and the swerde are created also for vengeaunce, to the destruccion of the vngodly. They shall be glad to do his commaundementes: and whan nede is, they shalbe ready vpon earth: and whan their houre is come, they shal not ouerpasse the commaundement of the LORDE.

Therfore haue I taken a good corage vnto me from the begynnynge, and thought to put these thinges in wrytinge, and to leaue thē behynde me.⁽⁸⁾ All yᵉ workes of the LORDE are good, and he geueth euery one in due season, and whan nede is, So that a man nede not to saye: this is worse then that. For in due season they are all pleasaunt and good: And therfore prayse the LORDE with whole hert and mouth, & geue thankes vnto his name.

Notes to Chapter 39

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 44. b

⁽²⁾ Gen. 1. d

⁽³⁾ Gen. 7. d

⁽⁴⁾ Ose. 14. ⟨illegible⟩ Rom. 8. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ Eccli. 29. ⟨illegible⟩ 1. Ti. 4. a

⁽⁶⁾ Matt. 2⟨illegible⟩.

⁽⁷⁾ Eccli 40.

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1. d

Chapter 40

[A] A Greate trauayle is created for all mē, and an heuy yock vpon all mens children, from the daye that they go out of their mothers wombe, tyll they be buried in (the earth) the mother of all thinges: namely, their thoughtes and ymaginacions, feare of the hert, councell, meditacions, longinge and desyre, the daye of death: from the hyest that sytteth vpon the glorious seate, vnto the lowest and most symple vpon the earth: from him that is gorgiously arayed, and weereth a crowne, vntyll him that is but homely and symple clothed. There is nothinge but wrath, zele, fearfulnes, vnquietnes, and feare of death, rigorous anger and stryfe. And in the night whan one shulde rest and slepe vpon his bedd, the slepe chaungeth his vnderstandinge and knowlege. A litle as nothinge is his rest, in yᵉ slepe as well as in the daye of laboure.

[B] He feareth and is disquyted in the vision of his hert, as one that renneth out of a battayll: and in the tyme of health he awaketh, and marueleth that the feare was nothinge. Soch thinges happen vnto all flesh, both man and best: but seuenfolde to the vngodly. Morouer death, bloudsheddinge, strife & swerde, oppression, honger, destruccion and punyshment:⁽¹⁾ these thinges are all created agaynst the vngodly, and for their sakes came the floude also. All that is of the earth, shal turne to earth agayne: and all waters ebb agayne in to the see. All brybes and vnrighteousnes shalbe put awaye, but faithfulnes and trueth shal endure for euer. The substaūunce and goodes of yᵉ vngodly shalbe dried vp and syncke awaye as a water floude, and they shall make a sounde like a greate thonder in the rayne.

[C] Like as the righteous reioyseth whan he openeth his hande, so shall the trāsgessours be faynte, whan their goodes vanysh and consume awaye. The children of the vngodly shal not optayne many braunches:⁽²⁾ and yᵉ vncleane rotes vpō the hye rockes shalbe roted out before the gras by the water syde & vpon the ryuer bankes.

Frendlynes and liberalite in the increase and blessynge of God, is like a paradise & garden of pleasure: soch mercy also & kindnes endureth for euer.⁽³⁾ To labo & to be content with that a man hath, is a swete pleasaunt life: & that is to fynde a treasure aboue all treasures. To beget children and to repayre the cite, maketh a perpetuall name: but an honest woman is more worth thē they both. Wyne and mynstrals ye reioyse the hert, but the loue of wyszdome is aboue them both.

Pypinge and harpinge make a swete noyse,[D] but a frendly tonge goeth beyonde them both. Thine eye desyreth fauoure and bewtie but a grene sede tyme rather thē they both. A frende and companyon come together at oportunyte,⁽⁴⁾ but aboue them both is a wife that agreeth with hir huszbande. One brother helpeth another in the tyme of trouble, but allmes shal deliuer more then they both. Golde and syluer fasten the fete, but a good councell is more pleasaunt then they both. Temporall substaunce and strength lift vp the mynde: but the feare of the LORDE more then they both. The feare of the LORDE wanteth nothinge, and nedeth no helpe. The feare of yᵉ LORDE is as a pleasaunt gardē of blessynge, and nothinge so bewtyfull as it is. My sonne, lede not a beggers life, for better it were to dye thē to begg. Who so loketh to another mans table, taketh no thought for his owne lyuynge how to vpholde his life, for he fedeth himself with other mens meate. But a wyse and well nurtoured man wyll bewarre therof. Beggynge is swete in the mouth of the vnshamefast, but in his bely there burneth a fyre.

Notes to Chapter 40

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 39. c ⟨illegible⟩en. 7. d ⟨illegible⟩en. 3. d ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 41 b

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli. 41 b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Tim. ⟨illegible⟩ Ph⟨illegible⟩. 4 ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ Eccl. ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 41

O Death, how bytter is the remembraunce [A] of the, to a man that seketh rest and comforte in his substaunce and riches, vnto the man that hath nothinge to vexe him, and that hath prosperite in all thinges, yee vnto him that yet is able to receaue meate? O death, how acceptable and good is thy iudgment vnto the nedefull, and vnto him whose strength fayleth, & that is now in his last age, and that in all thinges is full of care and fearfulnes: vnto him also that is in dispayre, and hath no hope ner pacience? Be not thou afrayed of death: remembre them yᵗ haue bene before the: and yᵗ come after yᵉ: this is the iudgmēt of yᵉ LORDE ouer all flesh.⁽¹⁾ And why woldest hou be agaīst this pleasure of yᵉ Hiest▪ Whether it be ten, an hundreth, or a thousande yeares: death axeth not how longe one haue lyued.

[B] The children of the vngodly are abhominable children, and so are they that kepe company with the vngodly. The inheretaunce of vngodly children shall come to naught,⁽²⁾ and their posterite shal haue perpetuall shame and confucion. The children complayne of an vngodly father: and why? for his sake they are rebuked and despysed. Wo be vnto you (O ye vngodly) which haue forsakē the lawe of yᵉ hyest God: Yf ye be borne, ye shal be borne to cursynge: yf ye dye, yᵉ curse shal be youre porcion.

⁽³⁾All that is of yᵉ earth, shal turne to earth agayne: so go the vngodly also out of yᵉ curse in to destruccion. The sorow of men is in their body: but yᵉ name of the vngodly shal be put out, for it is nothinge worth. Laboure to get the a good name,⁽⁴⁾ for that shall contynue su⟨illegible⟩er by the, then a thousande greate treasures of golde. A good life hath a nōbre of dayes, but a good name endureth euer.

My children, kepe wyszdome in peace: for [C] wiszdome that is hyd and a treasure that is not sene,⁽⁵⁾ what profit is in thē both? A man that hydeth his foolishnes, is better then a man that hydeth his wyszdome. Therfore be ye turned at my wordes: for it is not good, in all thinges and allwaie to be ashamed. True faith must proue and measure it.

Be ashamed of whordome before father and mother: Be ashamed of lesynge before the prynce and men of auctorite: Of synne, before the iudge and ruler: Of offence, before the congregacion and people: Of vnrighteousnes, before a companyon and frēde: Of theft, before yᵉ neghbours. As for the trueth of God and his couenaunt, be not ashamed therof.⁽⁶⁾

Be ashamed to lye with thyne elbowes vpon the bred: Be ashamed to loke vpō harlottes: Be ashamed to turne awaye thy face from thy frende: Be ashamed to take & not to geue: Be ashamed also to loke vpon anothers mans wyfe, and to make many tryflinge wordes with hir mayden, or to stonde by hir bedsyde. Be ashamed to vpbrade thy frēde: and whan thou geuest eny thinge, cast him not in the teth withall.

Notes to Chapter 41

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ccli 40. c

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 40. b

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 22. a

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩0. d

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. 1. b

Chapter 42

[A] EEhearse not a thinge twyse, and disclose not the wordes, that thou hast herde in secrete. Be shamefast & well manered in dede, so shall euery man fauoure the. Of these thinges be not thou ashamed, and accepte no personne to offende. Namely, of these thinges be not ashamed: Of the lawe of God, of the couenaunt, of iudgmēt: to brynge the vngodly from his vngodlines vnto righteousnes, and to make him a good man: to deale faithfully wᵗ neghbo & companyon: to distribute the heretage vnto yᵉ frendes: to be diligent to kepe true measure and weight: to be content, whether thou gettest moch or litle: to deale truly wᵗ temporall goodes in byenge and sellynge: to brynge vp children with diligence: to correcke an euell seruaunt: to kepe that thine is frō an euell wife: to set a lock where many handes are: what thou delyuerest and geuest out to be kepte, to tell it, and to weye it: to wryte vp all the out geuynge and receauynge: to enfourme yᵉ vnlerned and vnwyse: Of the aged, that are iudged of the yonge. Yf thou be diligēt in these thinges, truly thou shalt be lerned and wyse and accepted of all men.

The daughter maketh yᵉ father to watch [B] secretly: and the carefulnes that he hath for her, taketh awaye his slepe: yee in the youth, lest she shulde ouergrowe him: And whan she hath an huszbande, lest she shulde be hated: lest she shulde be defyled or rauyshed in hir virginyte, or gotten with childe in hir fathers house: Or (whan she commeth to the man) lest she behaue herself not right, or cōcontynue vnfrutefull. Yf thy daughter be wanton, kepe her strately,⁽¹⁾ lest she cause thine enemies laugh the to scorne, & the whole cite to geue yᵗ an euell reporte, and so thou be fayne to heare thy shame of euery man, and be confounded before all yᵉ people.⁽²⁾ Beholde not euery bodies bewtye, & haue not moch dwellynge amonge wemen. For like as the worme and moth commeth out of clothinge,⁽³⁾ so doth wickednes come of wemen.

It is better to be with an euell man, then [C] wᵗ a frendly wife yᵗ putteth one to shame and rebuke. I wyl remembre the workes of the LORDE, and declare the thinge yᵗ I haue sene. In yᵉ wordes of yᵉ LORDE are his workes. The Sōne ouerloketh all thīges wᵗ his shine, & all his workes are full of yᵉ clearnes therof. Hath not the LORDE brought to passe, that his sayntes shulde tell out all his wōderous workes, which the allmightie LORDE hath stablyshed? All thinges endure in his glory. He seketh out the grounde of the depe and the hert, and he knoweth all their ymaginacion & wyszdome. For yᵉ LORDE knoweth all scyence, and he loketh in to yᵉ token of the time.[D] He declareth the thinges yᵗ are past and for to come,⁽⁴⁾ & discloseth thinges that are secrete. No thought maye escape him, nether maye eny worde be hyd from him. He hath garnyshed the hye excellent workes of his wyszdome, and he is frō euerlastinge to euerlastinge. Vnto him maye nothinge be added nether can he be mynished, he hath no nede also of eny councell. O how amiable are all his workes, & as a sparke to loke vpon? They lyue all, and endure for euer: and whan so euer nede is, they are all obedient vnto him. They are all dubble, one agaynst another: he hath made nothinge that hath faute or blemysh.⁽⁵⁾ He hath stablyshed the goodes of euerychone: and who maye be satisfied with his glory, whan he seith it?

Notes to Chapter 42

⁽¹⁾ Eccli. 26 b

⁽²⁾ Eccli. 25. d

⁽³⁾ Gen. 3. b

⁽⁴⁾ Iob. 24. a Esa. 29. c

⁽⁵⁾ Deut. 3⟨illegible⟩. a

Chapter 43

[A] THe glory of the heyth, is the fayre and cleare firmament,⁽¹⁾ the bewtye of the heauen in his glorious clearnes. The sonne whan it appeareth, declareth the daye in yᵉ goinge out of it, a maruelous worke of the Hyest. At noone it burneth yᵉ earth, and who maye abyde for the heate therof? Who so kepeth an ouen whan it is hote, thre tymes more doth the Sonne burne vpon yᵉ mountaynes, whan it bretheth out the fyrie beames and shyneth: with the brightnes of it, it blyndeth the eyes. Greate is the LORDE that made it, and in his commaundement he causeth it to renne haistely.

⁽²⁾The Moone also is in all, and at conuenient season it sheweth the tymes, and is a token of the tyme. The token of the solempne feast is taken of the Moone,⁽³⁾ a light that mynisheth and increaseth againe. The Moneth is called after the Moone, it groweth wonderously in hir chaunginge.

[B] The armye of heauen also is in the Heith, in the firmament of heauen it geueth a cleare and glorious shyne. This is the clearnes of the starres, the bewtifull apparell of heauen, the apparell that the LORDE lighteneth in the heyth. In his holy worke they continue in their ordre, and not one of them fayleth in his watch.⁽⁴⁾ Loke vpon yᵉ rayne bowe, and prayse him that made it: very bewtifull is it in his shyne. He compaseth the heauen aboute with his clearnes & glory, the handes of the Hyest haue bēded it. Thorow his commaundement he maketh the snowe to fall, & the thonder of his iudgment to smyte hastely. Thorow his commaundement the treasures are opened, and the cloudes fle as the foules. In his power hath he strengthened the cloudes, and brokē the hayle stones.

The mountaynes melt at yᵉ sight of him, the wynde bloweth accordinge to his wyll. The sounde of his thonder beateth yᵉ earth, and so doth the storme of the north: the whirle wynde also lighteth downe as a fethered foule, casteth out and spredeth the snow abrode: and as the greshoppers that destroye all, so falleth it downe. The eie marueleth at yᵉ bewtye of the whytenesse therof, and the hert is afraied at the raine of it. He poureth out the frost vpon earth, like salt, and whan it is frosen, it is as sharpe as the prycke of a thistle.

Whan the colde northwynde bloweth,[C] harde Christall commeth of the water. He lighteth downe vpon all the gatheringes together of water, and putteth on yᵉ waters as a brest plate. He deuoureth the mountaynes, and burneth the wyldernesses: and loke what is grene, he putteth it out like fyre. The medycine of all these is, whan a cloude commeth hastely: and whan a dew commeth vpon the heate, it shalbe refreszshed agayne.

(In his worde he stylleth the wynde,) In his councell he setteth the depe, and (the LORDE) Iesus planted it. They that sayle ouer the see, tell of his parels and harmes: and whan we heare it with oure eares, we maruell therat. For there be straūge wonderous workes, dyuerse maner of nyce beestes and whall fishes. Thorow him are all thinges set in good ordre and perfourmed, & in his worde all thinges endure.

I speake moch, but I can not sufficiently [D] attayne vnto it, for he himself onely is the perfeccion of all wordes. We shulde prayse the LORDE after all o power, for he is greate in all his workes.⁽⁵⁾ The LORDE is to be feared yee very greate is he, and maruelous is his power. Prayse the LORDE, and magnifie him as moch as ye maye, yet doth he farre farre exceade all prayse.⁽⁶⁾ O magnifie him wᵗ all youre power, and laboure earnestly, yet are ye in no wyse able sufficiently to prayse him. Who hath sene him,⁽⁷⁾ that he might tell vs? Who can magnifie him so greatly as he is? For there are hyd yet greater thinges thē these be: as for vs, we haue sene but few of his workes. For the LORDE hath made all thinges, and geuen wyszdome to soch as feare God.

Notes to Chapter 43

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩sal. 8. a

⁽²⁾ Gen. 1. b

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩xo. 12. a

⁽⁴⁾ Gen. 9. b

⁽⁵⁾ Psa⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 44

The XLIIII. Chapter. A commendacion of the olde vertuous fathers.

LEt vs commende the noble famous [A] men, and the generacion of oure foreelders and fathers. Many more glorious actes hath the LORDE done, and shewed his greate power euer sens yᵉ begynnynge. The noble famous men raigned in their kyngdomes, and bare excellent rule. In their wyszdome and vnderstondinge, they folowed the councell shewed in the prophecies.⁽¹⁾ They led the folke thorow the councell and wyszdome of the scrybes of the people. Wyse sentences are founde in their instruccion. They sought the swetenes and melody of Musick, and brought forth the pleasaunt songes in scripture. They were riche also, & coude comforte and pacifie those that dwelt with them. All these were very noble and honorable men in their generacions, and were well reported of in their tymes. These haue left a name behynde them, so that their prayse shal allwaye be spokē of. Afterwarde there were some, whose remembraunce is gone.⁽²⁾ They came to naught and perished, as though they had neuer bene: and became as though they had neuer bene borne, yee & their children also with them.

[B] Neuertheles these are louynge men, whose righteousnes shal neuer be forgotten, but contynue by their posterite. Their children are an holy good heretage: Their sede endured fast in yᵉ couenaunt. For their sakes shal their childrē & sede contynue for euer, & their prayse shal neuer be put downe. Their bodies are buried in peace, but their name lyueth for euermore. The people can speake of their wyszdome, & the congregacion can talke of their prayse.⁽³⁾ Enoch walked right & acceptably before the LORDE: therfore was he trāslated for an example of amendemēt to yᵉ generacions.⁽⁴⁾ Noe was a stedfast & righteous man: & in the tyme of wrath he became a recōcylinge. Therfore was he left a remnaunt vnto the earth, whan the floude came. An euerlastinge couenaunt was made wᵗ him,⁽⁵⁾ that all flesh shulde perishe nomore with yᵉ water.

[C] Abraham was a greate father of many people,⁽⁶⁾ in glory was there none like vnto him. He kepte the lawe of the Hyest, & came in to a couenaunt with him. He set the couenaunt in his flesh,⁽⁷⁾ and whan he was tempted, he was founde faithfull. Therfore swore God vnto him with an ooth, that he wolde blesse all people in his sede, that he wolde multiplie and increase him as the dust of the earth, and to exalte his sede as the starres: yee and that his sede shulde haue yᵉ possession and inheretaunce of the londe from see to see, and from the ryuer vnto yᵉ borders of the londe.

With Isaac dyd he stablish yᵉ same couenaūt, for Abrahā his fathers sake.⁽⁸⁾ Yee yᵗ gracious blessynge and health of all men, and couenaunt dyd he stablysh with Isaac, and made it to rest vpon the heade of Iacob. He knew him,⁽⁹⁾ in that he prospered him so well and richely, and gaue him an heretage, and sundered his porcion by it self,⁽¹⁰⁾ and parted it amonge the twolue trybes. Mercifull men brought he out of him, which founde fauoʳ before all flesh.

Notes to Chapter 44

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 49. c ⟨illegible⟩ c

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 6. b ⟨illegible⟩.

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ a ⟨illegible⟩ a

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 22. a

⁽⁸⁾ Gen. 26· a

⁽⁹⁾ Gen. 28. c 29.30.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Iosu. 18.19

Chapter 45

MOses beloued of God and mē, whose [A] remembraunce is in hye prayse:⁽¹⁾ him hath the LORDE made like in the glory of the sayntes, and magnified him so that the enemies stode in awe of him, thorow his wordes he dyd greate wonders. He made him greate in the sight of kynges, gaue him commaundement before his people, and shewed him his glorious power. He stablyshed him with faithfulnes and mekenes,⁽²⁾ and chose him out of all men. For he herde his voyce, and led him in the darcke cloude, and there he gaue him the commaundementes, yee the lawe of life and wyszdome,⁽³⁾ that he might teach Iacob the couenaunt, and Israel his lawes.

He chose Aaron his brother also out of yᵉ [B] trybe of Leui, exalted him,⁽⁴⁾ & made him soch like. An euerlastinge couenaunt made he wᵗ him,⁽⁵⁾ and gaue him the presthode in the people. He made him glorious in bewtifull araye, and clothed him with the garment of honoure. He put perfecte ioye vpō him, and gyrded him with strength. He deckte him with syde clothes and a tunycle, with an ouerbody cote also and gyrdle. Rounde aboute made he him belles of golde, and that many: that whan he wente in,⁽⁶⁾ the sounde might be herde, that they might make a noyse in the Sanctuary, and geue the people warnynge. The holy garment was wrought & broderd with golde, yalow sylke and purple. And in the brestlappe there was a goodly worke,⁽⁷⁾ wherin was fastened light and perfectnesse.[C]

Vpon yᵉ same also there was a worke fastened and set with costly precious stones, all bounde with golde: and this he brought in his mynistracion. The stones also were fastened for a remembraunce, after the twolue trybes of Israel. Vpon his mytre there was a plate of pure golde, a grauen ymage of holynes, a famous and noble worke, garnished, and pleasaunt to loke vpon. Before him were there sene no soch fayre ornamētes, and these it behoued hī allwaye to vse: There might none other put them on, but onely his children and his childers children perpetually. Daylie perfourmed he his burnt offeringes two tymes.⁽⁸⁾ Moses fylled his handes, and anoynted him wᵗ holy oyle.

[D] This was now confirmed him with an euerlastinge couenaunt, and to his sede, as yᵉ dayes of heauē: namely, that his childrē shulde allwaye mynistre before him, and perfourme the office of the presthode, and wysh the people good in his name. Before all men lyuynge chose he him, that he shulde offre before the LORDE, and make odours for a swete sauoure and remembraūce, that he shulde reconcyle the people of the LORDE with him agayne.⁽⁹⁾ He gaue him auctorite also in his commaundementes and in yᵉ couenaūt, that he shulde teach Iacob the statutes and testimonies, and to enfourme Israel in his lawe.

[E] Therfore there stode vp certayne agaynst him,⁽¹⁰⁾ and had envye at him in the wyldernes: namely, they that were of Dathan & Abirams syde, and the furious congregaciō of Chore. This the LORDE sawe, and it displeased him, and in his wrothfull indignacion were they consumed. A greate wonder did he vpon them, and consumed them with the fyre.⁽¹¹⁾ Besydes this, he made Aaron yet more honorable and glorious. He gaue him an heretage, and parted the first frutes vnto him.⁽¹²⁾ Vnto him specially he appoynted the bred for sustenaunce (for the prestes ate of yᵉ offerynges of the LORDE) this gaue he vnto him & his sede.⁽¹³⁾ Els had he no heretage ner porcion in yᵉ londe and with the people. For the LORDE himself is his porcion and enheritaunce.

[F] The thirde noble and excellent mā is Phineas the sonne of Eleazer, which pleased the God of Israel,⁽¹⁴⁾ because he had yᵉ zele & feare of the LORDE. For whan the people were turned back, he put him self forth right soone, & that with a good wyll, to pacifie the wrath of the LORDE towarde Israel. Therfore was there a couenaūt of peace made with him, yᵗ he shulde be the principall amonge the righteous and the people, that he and his posterite shulde haue the office of the presthode for euer (Like as there was made a couenaūt with Dauid of the trybe of Iuda, that frō amonge his sonnes onely there shulde be a kynge: And that Aaron also & his sede shulde be the heretage, to geue vs wyszdome in o hert, to iudge his people in righteousnes: that his goodes shulde not come in to forgetfulnes, and that their honoure might endure for euer.

Notes to Chapter 45

⁽¹⁾ Exo. 11. a Act. 7. c

⁽²⁾ Num. 12. a

⁽³⁾ Exo. 19.20

⁽⁴⁾ Exo. 4. c

⁽⁵⁾ Exo. 28. a

⁽⁶⁾ Exo. 28. f

⁽⁷⁾ Exo. 28. c

⁽⁸⁾ Leui. 8. a

⁽⁹⁾ Deu. 17. c and 21. a Mal. 2. a

⁽¹⁰⁾ Num. 16. a

⁽¹¹⁾ Num. 17. b

⁽¹²⁾ Exo. 25. f Leui. 24. b

⁽¹³⁾ Deut. 12. b and 18. a Eze. 44. d

⁽¹⁴⁾ Num. 25. c

Chapter 46

MAnly & stronge in battaill was Iesus [A] yᵉ sonne of Naue,⁽¹⁾ which in steade of Moses yᵉ prophet was geuen to be captayne of the people (which acordinge vnto his name was a greate sauioure vnto the electe of God) to punysh the enemies, that rose vp agaynst Israel, yᵗ Israel might optayne their inheritaunce. O how greate, noble and excellent was he,⁽²⁾ whan he lift vp his hande, and drew out his swerde agaynst the cities? Who stode so manly before him? For the LORDE himself brought in the enemies.⁽³⁾ Stode not the Sonne styll at his commaundemēt, and one daye was as longe as two? He called vpon the Hyest & most mightie, whā yᵉ enemies preassed vpon him on euery syde: and the LORDE herde him with the hayle stones. They smote yᵉ Heithenish people mightely, & in fallinge downe they slew all yᵉ aduersaries, so that the Heithē knewe his hoost, and all his defence, that the LOR- himself fought against them, for he folowed vpon the mightie men of them.

In the tyme of Moses also he and Caleb [B] the sonne of Iephune, dyd a good worke,⁽⁴⁾ which stode agaynst the enemies, withelde the people from synne, and stylled yᵉ wicked murmurynge. And of sixe hundreth thousande people of fote, they two were preserued,⁽⁵⁾ whan they were brought in to the heretage, namely, a londe that floweth with mylke & hony. The LORDE gaue strength also vnto Caleb,⁽⁶⁾ which remayned with him vnto his age: so that he wente vp in to the hye places of the londe, and his sede conquered the same for an heretage: that all the childrē of Israel might se, how good a thinge it is, to be obedient vnto the LORDE. And the iudges or rulers (euery one after his name) whose hert wente not a whoringe, ner departed from yᵉ LORDE, and that forsake not the LORDE vnfaithfully, whose remembraūce hath a good reporte: Yee their bones florish out of their place, and their name shal neuer be chaūged.

Samuel the prophet beloued of the LORDE, [C] ordeyned a kinge,⁽⁷⁾ and anoynted the prynces ouer the people. In the lawe of the LORDE ruled he, and iudged the congregacion, & the LORDE had respecte vnto Iacob. The prophet was founde diligent in his faithfulnes: yee in his faithfulnes was the faithfulnes of the vision knowne. He called vpon yᵉ LORDE the mightie,⁽⁸⁾ whā the enemies preassed vpon him on euery syde, what tyme as he offred the suckynge lambes. And the LORDE thondred from heauen, and mayde his voyce to be herde wᵗ a greate noyse. He discomfited the prynces of Tyre, & all the rulers of the Philistynes.⁽⁹⁾ Before his last ende he made protestacion in the sight of the LORDE & his anoynted, that he toke nether substaunce ner good of eny man, no not so moch as a shue: & no man might accuse him. After this he tolde, that his ende was at honde, and shewed the kynge also his ende and death: & from yᵉ earth lift he vp his voyce in the prophecie, yᵗ the vngodly people shulde perishe.

Notes to Chapter 46

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁹⁾ Re. 12. a

Chapter 47

[A] AFterwarde in the tyme of kynge Dauid,⁽¹⁾ there rose vp a prophet called Nathan: For like as the fat is taken awaye from the offrynge, so was Dauid chosen out of the childrē of Israel. He toke his pastyme wᵗ the lyons as wᵗ kyddes, and with beares like as with lambes. Slew he not a giaunte whan he was yet but yonge,⁽²⁾ & toke awaye the rebuke from his people? what tyme as he toke the stone in his hande, & smote downe proude Goliath wᵗ the slynge? For he called vpon the hyest LORDE, which gaue him strength in his right hande, so that he ouerthrew the mightie giaunte in the battayll, that he might set vp the horne of his people agayne.

[B] Thus brought he him to worshipe aboue all prynces,⁽³⁾ and made him to haue a good reporte in the prayse of the LORDE, yᵗ he shulde weere a crowne of glory. For he destroied the enemies on euery syde,⁽⁴⁾ roted out the Philistynes his aduersaries, & brake their horne in sunder, like as it is brokē yet this daye. In all his workes he praysed yᵉ Hyest & Holiest, & ascrybed the honoure vnto him. With his whole hert dyd he prayse and loue him that made him.⁽⁵⁾ He set syngers also before the aulter, and in their tune he made swete songes. He ordeyned to kepe the holy daies worship fully, and that the solempne feastes thorow the whole yeare shulde be honorably holdē, with praysinge the name of the LORDE, & with synginge by tymes in the mornynge in the Sanctuary.

[C] The LORDE toke awaye his synnes, and exalted his horne for euer.⁽⁶⁾ He gaue him yᵉ couenaunt of the kyngdome, and the trone of worshipe in Israel. After him there rose vp the wyse sonne called Salomon,⁽⁷⁾ and for his sake he droue yᵉ enemies awaie farre of. This Salomon reigned with peace in his tyme (for God gaue him rest from his enemies on euery syde, that he might buylde him an house in his name, & prepare the Sanctuary for euer) like as he was well īstructe in his youth & fylled with wyszdome and vnderstōdinge, as it were with a water floude. He couered and fylled the whole londe with similitudes and wyse prudent sentences.

His name wente abrode in the Iles, because [D] of his peace he was beloued. All londes marueled at his songes, prouerbes, symilitudes, and at his peace, and at the name of yᵉ LORDE God, which is called the God of Israel. He gathered golde as tynne,⁽⁸⁾ & he had as moch syluer as leade. He was moued in vnordinate loue towarde wemen,⁽⁹⁾ and was ouercome in affeccion. He stayned his hono and worshipe, yee his posterite defyled he also, in bringinge the wrath of the LORDE vpon his children, and sorowe after his ioye: so yᵗ his kyngdome was deuyded,⁽¹⁰⁾ & Ephraim became an vnfaithfull & an vnconstant kingdome.⁽¹¹⁾ Neuertheles God forsoke not his mercy, nether was he vtterly destroyed because of his workes, yᵗ he shulde leaue him no posterite.

As for yᵉ sede yᵗ came vpon him (which he [E] loued) he brought it not vtterly to naught, but gaue yet a remnaunt vnto Iacob, and a rote vnto Dauid out of him. Thus rested Salomon with his fathers, and out of his sede he left behynde him a very foolishnes of the people, and soch one as had no vnderstōdinge: namely,⁽¹²⁾ Roboā which turned awaye the people thorow his councell, and Ieroboam yᵉ sonne of Nabat, which caused Israel to synne, and shewed Ephraim the waye of vngodlynes: In so moch that their synnes & myszdedes had the vpper hande so sore, that at the last they were dryuen out of the londe for the same: Yee he sought out & brought vp all wickednes, tyll the vengeaunce came vpon them.

Notes to Chapter 47

⁽¹⁾ Re. 12 a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 17. f

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ 25. a

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩2. c

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁸⁾ 3. Re. 10.

⁽⁹⁾ 3. Re. 11. a

⁽¹⁰⁾ 3. Re. 12.

⁽¹¹⁾ 2. Re. 7. ⟨illegible⟩

⁽¹²⁾ 3. Re. 12. 3. Re. 12.

Chapter 48

THen stode vp Elias the prophet as [A] a fyre,⁽¹⁾ and his worde br⟨illegible⟩t like a creshett. He brought an hōger vpon thē and in his zele he made them few in nombre. (For they might not awaye wᵗ the commaūdementes of the LORDE.) Thorow the worde of the LORDE he shut the heauen, and thre tymes brought he the fyre downe.⁽²⁾ Thus became Elias honorable in his wonderous dedes. Who maye make his boost to be like him?⁽³⁾ One that was deed raysed he vp from death, & in the worde of yᵉ Hyest he brought him out of the graue agayne. He cast downe kynges and destroyed them, and the honorable from their seate. Vpon the mount Syna he herde the punyshment, & vpon Horeb the iudgmēt of the vengeaunce. He prophecied recompensynge vnto kynges, and ordeyned prophetes after him.⁽⁴⁾ He was taken vp in the storme of fyre, in a charett of horses of the LORDE. He was ordeyned in the reprouynges in tyme, to pacifie the wrath, to turne yᵉ hertes of the fathers vnto the children,⁽⁵⁾ & to set vp the trybes of Iacob agayne. Blessed were they that saw the, and were garnished in loue: for we lyue in life.

[B] Elias was couered in the storme, but Heliseus was fylled with his mouth.⁽⁶⁾ Whyle he lyued he was afrayed of no prynce, and no man might ouercome him. There coude no worde disceaue him,⁽⁷⁾ & after his death his body prophecied. He dyd wonders in his life, & in death were his workes maruelous. For all this, the people amended not, nether departed they from their synnes: tyll they were caried awaye presoners out of the londe, and were scatred abrode in all countrees, so that of them there remayned but a very litle people, and a prynce vnto yᵉ house of Dauid. Howbeit some of them dyd right, & some heaped vp vngodlynes.

[C] Ezechias made his cite stronge, conveyed water in to it,⁽⁸⁾ dygged thorow the stony rock with yron, & made vp a well by the water syde.⁽⁹⁾ In his tyme came Sennacherib vp, and sent Rabsaches, lift vp his hande agaynst Sion, & defyed them with greate pryde. Thē trymbled their hertes and handes, so yᵗ they sorowed like a woman trauaylinge with childe. So they called vpō the LORDE, which is mercyfull, & lift vp their hādes before him. Immediatly the LORDE herde thē out of heauen, and delyuered them by the hande of Esay.⁽¹⁰⁾ He smote the hoost of the Assirians, & his angell destroyed thē. For Ezechias had done the thinge that pleased the LORDE, & remayned stedfastly in the waye of Dauid his father. Which Esay was greate & faithfull in his visions.⁽¹¹⁾ In his tyme yᵉ Sonne wēte backwarde, & he lengthened the kynges life. With a right sprete prophecied he, what shulde come to passe at the last: & to soch as were soroufull in Sion he gaue consolacion, wherwhith they might cōforte them selues for euermore. He shewed thinges yᵗ were for to come & secrete, or euer they came to passe.

Notes to Chapter 48

⁽¹⁾ 3. Re. 17. a

⁽²⁾ 3. Re. 18. ⟨illegible⟩ 4. Re. 1. c

⁽³⁾ 3. Re. 17. c

⁽⁴⁾ Re. 19. c ⟨illegible⟩ Re. 2. c

⁽⁵⁾ Luc. ⟨illegible⟩. a

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 2. c ⟨illegible⟩. 4.

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 13. a ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 56. ⟨illegible⟩. 13. ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 18. b

⁽⁸⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Par. 32. a

⁽⁹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 18. c ⟨illegible⟩sa. ⟨illegible⟩6. a

⁽¹⁰⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 19. g

⁽¹¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 20 b ⟨illegible⟩sa. 38. b

Chapter 49

[A] THe remembraūce of Iosias is like as whan the Apotecary maketh many precious swete smellynge thinges together.⁽¹⁾ His remembraunce shalbe swete as hony in all mouthes, and as the playenge of Musick by the wyne. He was appoynted to turne the people agayne, & to take awaye all abhominacions of yᵉ vngodly. He directed his hert vnto the LORDE, & in the tyme of the vngodly he set vp the worshipe of God agayne. All kynges (excepte Dauid, Ezechias & Iosias) cōmitted wickednes: for euen yᵉ kynges of Iuda also forsoke yᵉ lawe of God. For they gaue their horne vnto other, their hono & worshipe also to a straunge people.

Therfore was the electe cite of the Sāctuary [B] brent with fyre,⁽²⁾ and the stretes therof laye desolate & waist: for they intreated Ieremy euell, which neuertheles was a prophet ordeyned from his mothers wombe, that he might rote out, breake of, & destroye:⁽³⁾ & that he might buylde vp, & plante agayne. Ezechiel sawe the glory of the LORDE in a vision, which was shewed him vpon the charet of the Cherubins. For he thought vpon the enemies in yᵉ rayne, to do good vnto soch as had ordred their wayes a right. And the bones of the twolue prophetes florish from out of their place: for they gaue comforte & consolacion vnto Iacob, and delyuered thē faithfully. How shall we prayse Zorobabel,⁽⁴⁾ which was as a ringe in the right hande?

So was Iesus also the sonne of Iosedec:[C] these men in their tymes buylded the house,⁽⁵⁾ & set vp the Sanctuary of yᵉ LORDE agayne, which was prepared for an euerlastinge worshipe.⁽⁶⁾ And Nehemias is allwaye to be cōmended, which set vp for vs the walles yᵗ were broken downe, made the portes & barres agayne, and buylded oure houses of the new.⁽⁷⁾ But vpon earth is there no man created like Enoch, for he was taken vp from yᵉ earth. And Ioseph, which was lorde of his brethren, & the vpholder of his people: His bones were couered & kepte. Seth & Sem were in greate honoure amonge yᵉ people: and so was Adam aboue all the beastes, whā he was created.

Notes to Chapter 49

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩. Re. 22. a ⟨illegible⟩nd 23. ⟨illegible⟩. Pa. 34. a

⁽²⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽³⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁴⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁵⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁶⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

⁽⁷⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 50

SYmon the sonne of Onias the hye [A] prest,⁽¹⁾ which in his life set vp the house agayne, & in his dayes made fast the tēple. The heyth of yᵉ temple also was founded of him, the dubble buyldinge, & the hye walles of the temple. In his dayes the welles of water flowed out, and were exceadinge full as the see. He toke care for his people, & delyuered them from destruccion. He kepte his cite & made it stronge, that it shulde not be beseged. He dwelt in honoure and worshipe amonge his people, and enlarged the intraunce of the house and the courte. He geueth light as the mornynge starre in the myddest of the cloudes, and as yᵉ Moone whan it is full. He shyneth as the Sonne in the temple of God. He is as bright as yᵉ rayne bowe in yᵉ fayre cloudes, & florisheth as the floures and roses in the sprynge of yᵉ yeare, & as the lilies by the ryuers of water: Like as the braunches vpon the mount Libanus in tyme of Sommer: as a fyre & incēse that is kyndled: Like as an whole ornament of pure golde, set with all maner of precious stones: and as an olyue tre that is frutefull: & as a Cypres tre which groweth vp an hye.

[B] Whan he put on the garment of honoure, & was clothed withall bewtye: whan he wente to the holy altare, to garnysh the couerynge of the Sanctuary: whan he toke yᵉ porcions out of the prestes hande, he himself stode by the herth of the altare, and his brethren rounde aboute in ordre. As the braunches of Cedre tre vpon the mount Libanus, so stode they rounde aboute him. And as the braunches of the olyue tre, so stode all yᵉ sonnes of Aaron in their glory. And yᵗ he might sufficiently perfourme his seruyce vpon the altare, & garnysh the offrynge of the hyest God, he stretched out his hande and toke of the drynk offerynge, & poured in of the wyne: so he poured vpon the botome of the aulter a good smell vnto the hyest prynce.

Then beganne yᵉ sonnes of Aaron to synge, and to blowe with trompettes, & to make a greate noyse, for a remembraūce & prayse vnto the LORDE. Then were the people afrayed, & fell downe to the earth vpō their faces, to worshipe the LORDE their God, & to geue thankes to Allmightie God. They sunge goodly also with their voyces, so that there was a pleasaunt noyse in yᵉ greate house of the LORDE. And the people in their prayer besought the LORDE the Hyest, that he wolde be mercyfull, tyll the honoure of yᵉ LORDE were perfourmed. Thus ended they their mynistracion and seruyce.

[C] Then wente he downe, and stretched out his handes ouer the whole multitude of the people of Israel, that they shulde geue praise & thankes out of their lippes vnto yᵉ LORDE, and to reioyse in his name. He beganne yet once also to praye, that he might openly shew the thankesgeuynge before the Hyest, namely thus: O geue prayse & thankes (ye all) vnto the LORDE oure God, which hath euer done noble and greate thinges: which hath increased oure dayes from oʳ mothers wombe, and dealt with vs acordinge to his mercy: that he wyl geue vs the ioyfulnes of hert, & peace for oure tymes in Israel. Which faithfully kepeth his mercy for vs euermore, & allwaye delyuereth vs in due season.

There be two maner of people, that I abhorre [D] fro my hert: as for the thirde, whom I hate, it is no people: They that syt vpon the mountayne of Samaria, the Philistynes, & the foolish people that dwell in Sichimis.

I Iesus the sonne of Sirac Eleazarus of Ierusalem, haue tokened vp these informacions and documētes of wyszdome and vnderstādinge in this boke, and poured out the wyszdome out of my hert. Blessed is he that exerciseth him self therin: and who so taketh soch to hert, shal be wyse. Yf he do these thinges, he shal be stronge in all. For the light of the LORDE ledeth him.

Notes to Chapter 50

⁽¹⁾ ⟨illegible⟩

Chapter 51

The LI. Chapter. A prayer of Iesus the sonne of Sirac.

I Thanke the O LORDE and kynge,[A] and praise the O God my Sauioure, I wil yelde prayse vnto yᵉ name: for thou art my defender and helper, & hast preserued my body from destruccion, from yᵉ snare of traytorous tōges, and from the lippes that are occupied with leyes. Thou hast bene my helper, from soch as stode vp agaynst me, and hast delyuered me after the multitude of thy mercy, and for thy holy names sake. Thou hast delyuered me from the roaringe of them, that prepared them selues to deuoure me, out of yᵉ handes of soch as sought after my life: from the multitude of them yᵗ troubled me, & wente aboute to set fyre vpon me on euery syde, so yᵗ I am not brent in the myddest of the fyre: From the depe of hell, from an vncleane tōge, from lyenge wordes, from the wicked kynge, and from an vnrighteous tonge. My soule shal prayse yᵉ LORDE vnto death, for my life drew nye vnto hell.

They cōpased me rounde aboute on euery [B] syde, & there was no mā to helpe me. I loked aboute me, yf there were eny man that wolde socoure me: but there was none. Then thought I vpon thy mercy O LORDE, and vpon thy actes that thou hast done euer of olde: namely, yᵗ thou delyuerest soch as putt their trust in the, and ryddest them out of yᵉ handes of the Heithen. Thus lift I vp my prayer from the earth, and prayed for delyueraunce from death. I called vpon the LORDE my father, that he wolde not leaue me wᵗ out helpe, in the daye of my trouble & in the tyme of the proude. I praysed thy name contynually, yeldinge honoure and thākes vnto it: and so my prayer was herde. Thou sauedest me from destruccion, and delyueredest me frō yᵉ vnrighteous tyme. Therfore wil I aknowlege and praise the, and magnifie yᵉ name of the LORDE.

[C] Whā I was yet but yonge, or euer I wēte astraye, I desyred wyszdome openly in my prayer. I came therfore before the temple, & sought her vnto the last. Then florished she vnto me, as a grape that is soone rype. My hert reioysed in her, then wente my fote the right waye, yee from youth vp sought I after her: I bowed downe myne eare and receaued her. I founde me moch wyszdome, and prospered greatly in her. Therfore wyll Iascrybe the glory vnto him, that geueth me wyszdome: for I am aduysed to do therafter. I will be gelous to cleue vnto the thinge yᵗ is good, so shal I not be cōfounded. My soule hath wrestled with her, and I haue bene diligent to be occupied in her. I lift vp myne handes an hye, then was my soule lightened thorow wiszdome, that I knowleged my foolishnes. I ordred my soule after her, she & I were one hert from the begynninge, and I founde her in clennesse. And therfore shal I not be forsaken.

[D] My hert longed after her, and I gat a good treasure. Thorow her yᵉ LORDE hath geuen me a new tonge, wherwith I wil praise him. O come vnto me ye vnlerned, & dwell in yᵉ house of wyszdome: withdrawe not youre selues from her, but talke & comon of these thinges, for youre soules are very thirstie. I opened my mouth,⁽¹⁾ and spake: O come & bye wyszdome without money, bowe downe youre neck vnder hir yock, and youre soule shall receaue wyszdome. She is harde at hande, & is content to be founde. Beholde with youre eyes,⁽²⁾ how that I haue had but litle laboure, and yet haue founde moch rest. O receaue wyszdome, and ye shall haue plenteousnes of syluer and golde in possession. Let youre mynde reioyse in his mercy, & be not ashamed of his prayse. Wyrke his worke by tymes, & he shal geue you youre rewarde in due tyme.

Notes to Chapter 51

⁽¹⁾ Esa. 35. a

⁽²⁾ Eccli. 6. c

The ende of Ecclesiasticus, other wyse called Iesus the sonne of Syrac.

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.

12 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; 340 places are still marked ⟨illegible⟩ (9 in the text, 331 in the marginal notes).

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