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5¶ How is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the faints!

6 Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteoufnefs hath not fhined unto us, and the fun of righteoufnefs rofe not upon us.

7 We wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and deftruction: yea, we have gone through deferts, where there lay no way: but as for the way of the Lord, we have not known it.

through, and therein afterwards no fign where fhe went is to be found;

12 Or like as when an arrow is fhot at a mark, it parteth the air, which immediately cometh together again, fo that a man cannot know where it went through.

13 Even fo we, in like manner, as foon as we were born, began to draw to our end, and had no fign of virtue to fhew; but were confumed in our own wickednefs.

8 What hath pride pro- 14 For the hope of the fited us? or what good hathungodly is like duft that is riches with our vaunting brought us!

All thofe things are paffed away like a fhadow, and as a poft that hafteth by;

10 And as a fhip that paff eth over the waves of the water, which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the path way of the keel in the

waves;

blown away with the wind; like a thin froth that is driven away with the ftorm; like as the fmoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempeft, and paffeth away as the remembrance of a gueft that tarrieth but a day.

15 But the righteous live for evermore; their reward alfo is with the Lord, and the care of them is with the moft High.

II Or as when a bird hath flown through the air, 16 Therefore fhall they there is no token of her way receive a glorious kingdom, to be found, but the light air and a beautiful crown from being beaten with the ftroke the Lord's hand: for with of her wings, and parted his right hand fhall he cover with the violent noife and them, and with his arm fhall motion of them, is paffed the protect them.

I i

17 He

17 He fhall take to him

2 Give ear, ye that rufe

his jealousy for complete ar- the people, and glory in the mour, and make the crea-multitude of nations.

3 For power is given you of the Lord, and fove

ture his weapon for the re-
venge of his enemies.
18 He fall put on righte-reignty from the Highest,
ousness as a breaft-plate, and who fhall try your works,
true judgment instead of an and search out your counfels.

helmet.

19 He fhall take holiness for an invincible fhield.

20 His fevere wrath fhall he fharpen for a fword, and the world fhall fight with him against the unwife.

21 Then fhall the rightaiming thunderbolts go abroad, and from the clouds,. as from a well-drawn bow, fhall they fly to the mark.

22 And hailstones full of wrath fhall be caft as out of a ftone-bow, and the water of the fea fhall rage against them, and the floods fhall cruelly drown them.

4 Because being ministers of his kingdom, ye have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of God.

5¶ Horribly and speedily fhall he come upon you: for a fharp judgment fhall be to them that be in high places.

6 For mercy will foon pardon the meanest but mighty men fhall be mightily tormented.

7 For he which is Lord over all, fhall fear no man's perfon, neither shall he stand in awe of any man's greatnefs: for he hath made the finall and great, and careth for all alike.

23 Yea, a mighty wind fhall ftand up against them, 8 But a fore trial fhall ! and like a ftorm fhall blow them away: thus iniquity come upon the mighty. fhall lay waste the whole 9 Unto you therefore, O earth, and ill dealing fhall o-kings, do I fpeak, that ye may verthrow the thrones of the learn wisdom, and not fall away.

mighty.

CHAP. VI.

10 For they that keep holinefs holily, fhall be judged

EAR therefore, O ye holy: and they that have

ftand; learn, ye that be judg-what to answer. 11 Wherefore fet your affection

es of the ends of the earth.

fection upon my words; defire them, and ye fhall be inftructed.

12 ¶ Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, fhe is eafily feen of them that love her, and found of fuch as feek her.

13 She preventeth them that defire her, in making herself first known unto them. 14 Whofo feeketh her early fhall have no great travel: for he fhall find her fitting at his doors.

15 To think therefore upon her, is perfection of wifdom and whofo watcheth for her, shall quickly be without care.

16 For he goeth about feeking fuch as are worthy of her, fheweth herself favourably unto them in the ways, and meeteth them in every thought.

17 For the very true beginning of her is the defire of difcipline; and the care of difcipline is love;

18 And love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed unto her laws, is the affurance of incorruption;

then in thrones and scepters, O ye kings of the people, honour wifdom, that ye may reign for evermore.

22 As for wifdom, what the is, and how the came up, I will tell you, and will not hide myfteries from you: but will feek her out from the beginning of her nativity, and bring the knowledge of her into light, and will not pass over the truth.

23 Neither will I go with confuming envy, for fuch a man fhall have no fellowship with wisdom.

24 But the multitude of the wife is the welfare of the world; and a wife king is the upholding of the people.

25 Receive therefore inftruction through my words, and it shall do you good.

CHAP. VII.

I Myfelf also am a mortal

man, like to all, and the offspring of him that was first made of the earth.

2 And in my mother's womb was fashioned to be flesh, in the time of ten months, being compacted in

19 And incorruption mak-blood, of the feed of man, eth us near unto God. and the pleasure that came with fleep,

20 Therefore the defire of wisdom bringeth to a kingdom.

21 If your delight be

3 And when I was born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth which Ii 2

is

is of like nature, and the first voice which I uttered, was crying, as all others do.

them.

13 I learned diligently, and do communicate her

4 I was nurfed in fwad-liberally: I do not hide her dling-clothes, and that with riches.

cares.

5 For there is no king that had any other beginning of

birth.

6 For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.

7 Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me : I called upon God, and the fpirit of wisdom came to

me.

8 ¶ I preferred her before fcepters and thrones, and efteemed riches nothing in comparison of her.

9 Neither compared I unto her any precious ftone, because all gold in refpect of her is as a little fand, and filver fhall be counted as clay before her.

10 I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for the light that cometh from her, never goeth out.

14 For fhe is a treasure unto men, that never faileth : which they that ufe, become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts that come from learning.

15 God hath granted me to speak as I would, and to conceive as is meet, for the things that are given me: because it is he that leadeth unto wisdom, and directeth the wise.

16 For in his hand are both we and our words: all wisdom also and knowledge of workmanship.

17 For he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements:

18 The beginning, ending, and midft of the times: the alterations of the turning of the fun, and the change of

II All good things toge-feafons: ther came to me with her, and innumerable riches in her hands.

12 And I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom goeth before them and I knew not that he was the mother of

19 The circuits of years, and the pofitions of stars:

20 The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beafts: the violence of winds, and the reasonings of men: the diverfities of plants,

and

and the virtues of roots;

21 And all fuch things as are either fecret or manifeft, them I know.

22 For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me for in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, fubtil, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not fubject to hurt, loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be letted, ready to do good,

all ages entering into holy fouls, fhe maketh them friends of God, and prophets.

28 For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom.

29 For fhe is more beautiful than the fun, and above all the order of ftars: being compared with the light, the is found before it.

30 For after this cometh night; but vice shall not

CHAP. VIII.

23 Kind to man, fted-prevail against wisdom. faft, fure, free from care, having all power, overfeeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure and moft fubtil fpirits.

24 For wisdom is more moving than any motion: fhe paffeth and goeth through all things by reafon of her purenefs.

25 For fhe is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing fall into her,

26 For fhe is the brightnefs of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness.

27 And being but one, fhe can do all things and remaining in herself, fhe maketh all things new and in

ISDOM

reacheth

from one end to another mightily and fweetly doth fhe order all things.

2¶ I loved her, and fought her out from my youth, I defired to make her my spouse, and I was a lover of her beauty.

3 In that she is converfant with God, the magnifieth her nobility: yea, the Lord of all things himself loved her.

4 For fhe is privy to the myfteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of his works.

5 If riches be a poffeffion to be defired in this life: what is richer than wisdom, that worketh all things?

6 And if prudence work; who of all that are, is a more Ii 3 cunning

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