Apocrypha.

Or, jollity.

* John 7. 7. Ephef. 5.

Ifai. 53. 3. Or, falje coin.

8 Pfal. 22. 8, 9.

9 Let none of us go without his part of our voluptuoufnefs: let us leave tokens of our joyfulness in every place for this is our portion, and our lot is this.

10 Let us oppress the poor righteous man, let us not spare the widow, nor reverence the ancient grey hairs of the aged.

11 Let our ftrength be the law of justice for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.

12 Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings: he upbraideth us with our offending the law, and objecteth to our infamy the tranfgreffings of our education.

13 He profeffeth to have the knowledg of God: and he calleth himself the child of the Lord. 14 He was made to reprove our thoughts. 15 f He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other mens, his ways are of another fashion.

16 We are esteemed of him as || counterfeits : he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed, and maketh his boaft that God is his father.

17 Let us fee if his words be true: and let us prove what fhall happen in the end of him.

18 For if the just man be the & fon of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand Matth. 27. of his enemies. 43. 19 Let us examine him with defpitefulness and torture, that we may know his meeknefs, and prove his patience.

n Jer. 11.

19.

+ Gr. preferred, or, efteemed the eward. Gen. 1. 26,

27. & 5. 1.

Ecclus 17.

Gen. 3.

23.

a Deut. 33.

zo Let us condemn him with a fhameful death for by his own faying, he shall be refpected.

21 Such things they did imagine, and were deceived for their own wickedness hath blinded them.

22 As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteoufnefs: nor + difcerned a reward for blameless fouls.

23 For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity.

k

24 Nevertheless, through envy of the devil came death into the world: and they that do hold of his fide do find it.

Chap. 5. touch them.

2 In the fight of the unwife they seemed to Rom. 8. die: and their departure is taken for mifery, 3 And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.

24.

2 Cor. 5. 1.

1 Pet. 1. 13. || Or, benefited.

d Exod. 16.

4 For though they be punished in the fight of men yet is their hope full of immortality.

5 And having been a little chaftifed, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them I worthy for himself.

Apocrypha.

9 They that put their truft in him fhall understand the truth: || and fuch as be faithful in Or, and love, fhall abide with him: for grace and mercy fuch as be is to his faints, and he hath care for his elect. faithful 10 But the & ungodly fhall be punished according to their own imaginations, which have neglected the righteous, and forfaken the Lord. 11 For whofo defpifeth wifdom and nurture, he is miferable, and their hope is vain, their labours unfruitful, and their works unprofitable. 12 Their wives are foolish, and their children wicked.

14 And bleed is the eunuch, which with his 'Ifai. 56. hands hath wrought no iniquity, nor imagined 4, 5. wicked things against God for unto him thall be given + the special gift of faith, and an inheri- † Gr. the tance in the temple of the Lord more accepta- chofen. || Or, ble to his mind. among the 15 For glorions is the fruit of good labours: people. and the root of wisdom fhall never fall away.

16 As for the children of adulterers, they thall not come to their perfection, and the feed of an unrighteous bed fhall be rooted out.

17 For though they live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded: and their last age fhall be without honour.

18 Or, if they die quickly, they have no hope, neither comfort in the day of || trial.

1 The chafte man fhall be crowned. 3 Baftard flips fhall not thrive. 6 They fhall witness against their parents. 7 The just die young, and are happy. 19 The miferable end of the wicked.

virtue: for the memorial thereof is immortal: because it is known with God, and with men. | Or, ap2 When it is prefent, men take example at it; proved. and when it is gone, they defire it: it weareth a crown and triumpheth for ever, having gotten the victory, ftriving for undefiled rewards.

3 But the multiplying brood of the ungodly. fhall not thrive, nor take deep rooting from baftard flips, nor lay any faft foundation.

4 For though they flourish in branches for a time; a yet standing not faft, they shall be shaken a Matth. 7. with the wind, and through the force of winds 19.

they fhall be rooted out.

5 The imperfect branches fhall be broken off, their fruit unprofitable, not ripe to eat, yea, meet for nothing.

6 For children begotten of unlawful + beds, + Gr. freps.

are

Apocrypha.

Gen. 5.

a a

are witneffes of wickedness against their parents in their trial.

7 But though the righteous be prevented with death; yet fhall he be in reft.

8 For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years.

9 But wifdom is the grey hair unto men, and an unfpotted life is old age.

10 He pleafed God, and was beloved of him: fo that living amongst finners, he was tranfHebr. 11.5. lated.

24.

+ Gr. pervert.

Or, Janetified, or, confummated.

Or, to the

1 Yea, fpeedily was he taken away, left that wickedneis fhould alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his foul.

12 For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obicure things that are honeft: all the wandering of concupifcence duth † undermine the fimple mind.

13 He being made | perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time.

14 For his foul pleafed the Lord therefore hafted he to take him away from among the wicked.

15 This the people faw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his faints, and that he hath respect unto his chofen.

16 Thus the righteous that is dead fhall condemn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is foon perfected, the many years and old age of the unrighteous.

17 For they hall fee the end of the wife, and fhall not understand what God in his counsel hath decreed of him, and to what end the Lord hath fet him in fafety.

18 They fhall fee him, and despise him: but God thall laugh them to fcorn, and they fhall hereafter be a vile carcafe, and a reproach among the dead for evermore.

19 For he fhall rend them, and caft them down headlong, that they thall be speechlefs: and he shall shake them from the foundation: and they shall be utterly laid wafte, and be in forrow: and their memorial fhall perish.

20 And when they caft up the accounts of cafting up of their fins, they fhall come with fear and their own iniquities fhall convince them to their face. CHAP. V.

the account.

a

4 We fools accounted his life madness; and Chap. 3.2. his end to be without honour.

5 How is be 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 righteousness hath not fhined unto us, and the fun of righ.eousness rofe not upon us.

7 We | wearied ourselves in the way of wick- || Or, filled edness and destruction: yea, we have gone through ourselves, deferts, where there lay no way: but as for the or, furfeitway of the Lord, 'we have not known it.

8 What hath pride profited us? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us?

b

9 All those things are paffed away like a fhadow, and as a poft that hafted by ;

ed.

10 And as a fhip that paffeth over the waves Chap 2. 5. of the water, which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the pathway of the keel in the waves;

Prov. 30. Or, flieth.

Or as when a bird | hath flown through the air, there is no token of her way to be found, 19. but the light air being beaten with the ftroke of her wings, and parted with the violent noise and motion of them, is paffed through, and therein afterwards no fign where she went is to be found;

12 Or like as when an arrow is hot at a mark, it parteth the air, which immediately cometh together again, so 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 wickedness.

14 For the hope of the ungodly is like + duft a Job 8. g that is blown away with the wind; like a thin † Gr. thißledown. froth that is driven away with the ftorin; like as the | fioke which is difperfed here and therefor, chaff. with a tempeft, and paffeth away as the remem- & 103. 14. brance of a gueft that tarrieth but a day.

e

Pfal. 1. 4.

Prov. 10.

15 But the righteous live for evermore, their 25. &11.7. reward alfo is with the Lord, and the care of James 1. them is with the most High.

10, II.

16 Therefore shall they receive a glorious | king- || Or, padom, and a beautiful crown from the Lord's hand: lace: unless for with his right hand thall he cover them, and the word with his arm fhall he protect them.

be taken improper

17 He fhall take to him his jealoufy for com- ly, as plete armour, and make the creature his weapon 2 Mac.2.17. for the revenge of his enemies.

18 He fhall put on f righteousness as a breast- f Ifai. 59. plate, and true judgement instead of an helmet. 17.

19 He fhall take holiness for an invincible Or, equity. fhield.

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

21 Then fhall the right-aiming thunderbolts go abroad, and from the clouds, as from a welldrawn bow, fhall they fly to the mark.

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

23 Yea,

Apocrypha.

a Rom. 13. 1, 2,

37.

23 Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a ftorm fhall blow them away: thus iniquity thall lay wafte the whole earth, and ill-dealing thall overthrow the thrones of the mighty. CHAP. VI.

Kings must give ear: 3 They have their power from God, 5 who will not fpare them. 12 Wif dom is foon found. 21 Princes must feek for it: 24 For a wife prince is the flay of his people.

EAR therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.

2 Give ear, you that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.

a

3 For power is given you of the Lord, and fovereignty from the Higheft, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels,

4 Becaufe being minifters of his kingdom, you have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counfel of God,

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

:

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

7 For he which is Lord over all, fhall fear no

b Deut. 10. man's perfon, neither fhall he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he hath made the small and great, and careth for all alike.

2 Chron.

19.7.

Job 34.19. Ecclus 35. 12, 16.

Acts 10. 34.

Rom. 2. 11.

Gal. 2. 6.

Ephef. 6. 9.
Col. 3.25.

8 But a fore trial fhall come upon the mighty. 9 Unto you therefore, O kings, do I speak, that ye may learn wifdom, and not fall away.

10 For they that keep holinefs holily, fhall be judged holy and they that have learned such things, fhall find || what to answer, ။

11 Wherefore "fet your affection upon my 1 Pet. 1. 17. words; defire them, and ye thall be inftruct

Or,

juftified.

Or, a defence.

Or, nurture.

ed.

12 Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, the is easily feen of them that love her, and found of such as seek 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 wisdom and whofo watcheth for her, fhall quickly be without care.

16 For the goeth about seeking fuch as are worthy of her, theweth 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 discipline is love;

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

And incorruption maketh us near unto God:

20 Therefore the defire of wisdom bringeth to a kingdom.

21 If your delight be then in thrones and fceptres, O ye kings of the people, honour wif dom, that ye may reign for evermore,

8

Apocrypha.

22 As for wildom, what he is, and how fh 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 fhall do you good.

2 And in my mother's womb was fashioned to be flesh in the time of ten months, being Job 10. 10. compacted in blood, of the feed of man, and the pleafure that came with fleep.

3 And when I was born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth which is of like nature, and the firft voice which I uttered, was crying, as all others do.

4 I was nurfed in fwaddling-clothes, and that with cares.

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

6b For all men have one entrance into life, Job 1.21. and the like going out.

7 Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and the spirit of wifdom came to me.

8 I preferred her before fceptres 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.

c

1 Tim. 6. 7.

+ Gr. Aone of ineftimable price.

c

11 All good things together came to me with 1 Kings her, and innumerable riches in her hands.

3.13.

12 And I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom Matth. 6. goeth before them: and I knew not that she was 33. the mother of them.

13 I learned + diligently, and do communicate + Gr. withher+ liberally: I do not hide her riches. Qu! guile. + Gr. with

14 For the is a treasure unto men that never out envy. faileth which they that use, || become the friends | Or, enter of God, being commended for the gifts that come friendfbip from learning.

15 God hath granted me to fpeak 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 wife.

16 For

avith God.

Or, God grant. Or, are to be spoken of.

Apocrypha.

Gr. only

begotten.

1 Or, vapour.

Chap.

16 For in his hand are both we and our words: all wisdom alfo 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 ele

ments:

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

19 The circuits of years, and the positions of ftans :

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 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 fpirit, holy, t 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,

23 Kind to man, ftedfaft, fure, free from care, having all power, overfeeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure and most fubtil fpirits.

24 For wildom is more moving than any motion: fhe paffeth and goeth through all things by reason of her purenels.

25 For fhe is the || breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of Or, Aream. the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing

d Hebr. 1.

3.

| Or, createth.

fall into her.

d

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

27 And being but one, the can do all things: and remaning in herself, the maketh all things new and in all ages entering into holy fouls, the maketh them friends of God, and prophets.

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

29 For the 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 fhall not prevail against wisdom.

CHAP. VIII.

2 He is in love with wifdom: 4 for he that hath it, hath every good thing. 26 It cannot be had but from God.

WIldom reacheth from one end to another mightily and fweetly doth fhe order all

| Or, profitably. things.

Or, to marry ber to myself.

| Or,

teacher.

| Or, choofer.

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

4 For fhe is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of his works. 5 If riches be a poffeffion to be defired in this

iii, ix.

life; what is richer than wisdom that worketh all things?

a

Apocrypha.

6 And if prudence work; who of all that a Exod. are, is a more cunning workman than the?

7 And if a man love righteoufnefs, her labours are virtues for the teacheth temperance and prudence, juftice and fortitude; which are fuch things as men can have nothing more profitable in their life.

8 If a man defire much experience, she knoweth things of old, and conjectureth aright what is to come: the knoweth the fubtilties of speeches, and can expound dark fentences: the forefeeth figns and wonders, and the events of feafons and times.

16 | After I am come into mine houfe, I will || Or, Being repofe myself with her for her converfation entered into hath no bitterness, and to live with her, hath no mine house. forrow, but mirth and joy.

17 Now, when I confidered these things in myfelf, and pondered them in my heart, how Prov. 7. 3. that to be allied unto wifdom, is immortality,

18 And great pleasure it is to have her friendfhip, and in the works of her hands are infinite riches, and in the exercife of conference with her, prudence; and in talking with her, a good | Or, fame. report: I went about seeking how to take her Or, marry her.

Apocrypha.

God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who haft made all things with thy word, 2 And ordained man through thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which thou hast made,

3 And order the world according to equity and righteoufnefs, and execute judgement with an upright heart: 4 Give b me wisdom that fitteth by thy throne, and reject me not from among thy children :

5 For I thy fervant and fon of thine handmaid, am a feeble perfon, and of a thort time, and too young for the understanding of judge. ment and laws.

6 For though a man be never fo perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wifdom be not with him he fhall be nothing regarded. 7 Thou haft chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a judge of thy fons and daugh

2 Chron. 1. ters.

10 O fend her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory, that being prefent fhe may labour with me, that I may know what is pleafing unto thee.

1 For the knoweth and understandeth all things, and the fhall lead me foberly in my doOr, by her ings, and preferve me || in her power.

power, or,

glory.

12 So fhall my works be acceptable, and then fhall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to fit in my father's feat.

13 Forf what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is?

14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miferable, and our devices are but uncertain.

15 For the corruptible body preffeth down the foul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that mufeth upon many things.

16 And hardly do we guefs aright at things that are upon earth, and with labour do we find the things that are + before us: but the things that are in heaven, who hath fearched out?

17 And thy counfel who hath known, except thou give wildom, and fend thy holy Spirit from above?

18 For fo the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleafing unto thee, and were faved through wisdom.

СНАР. Х. What wisdom did for Adam, 4 Noe, 5 Abraham, 6 Lot, and against the five cities, so for Jacob, 13 Jofeph, 16 Mofes, 27 and the Ifraelites.

Apocrypha.

2 And gave him power to rule all things.

b

▲ Gen. 1.

b

3 But when the unrighteous went away from 28. her in his anger, he perished alfo in the fury ↳ Gen. 4. 8. wherewith he murdered his brother.

4 For whole caufe the earth being drowned Gen. 7. with the flood, wifdom again preferved it, and 21. directed the courfe of the righteous in a piece of wood of fmall value.

5 Moreover, the nations in their wicked con- & Gen. 11. fpiracy being confounded, the found out the righ- 9. tecus, and preferved him blamele's unto God, and kept him strong against his tender compaffion toward his fon.

6 f When the ungodly perifhed, the delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon † the five cities.

Gen. 22.

10.

Or, in.

Gen. 19.

16.

† Gr. Pen

7 Of whole wickednefs even to this day, the tapol.s. waite land that fimoketh is a teftimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come to ripenefs: and a ftanding pillar of falt is a monument of an unbelieving foul.

8 For regarding not wisdom, they gat not only this hurt, that they knew not the things which were good; but also left behind them to the world a memorial of their foolishness: fo that in the things wherein they offended, they could not so much as be hid.

9 But wifdom delivered from pain those that, attended upon her.

10 When the righteous fled from his brother's wrath, the guided him in right paths, fhewed him the kingdom of God, and gave him knowledge of holy things, made him rich in his travels, and multiplied the fruit of his labours.

11 In the covetoufnefs of fuch as oppressed him, the ftood by him, and made him rich.

12 She defended him from his enemies, and kept him fafe from thofe that lay in wait, and in a fore conflict he gave him the victory; that he might know that godliness is ftronger than all.

13 When the righteous was fold, the forfook & Gen. 37. him not, but delivered him from fin; fhe went 28. & 39.7. down with him into the pit, Acts 7. 10.

14 And left him not in bonds, till fhe brought him the fceptre of the kingdom, and power | Or, the against thofe that oppreffed him as for them power of that had accufed him, fhe fhewed them to be them that liars, and gave him perpetual glory.

15h She delivered the righteous people, and blameleis feed from the nation that oppreffed them.