Wycliffe - Wisdom - 18

18:1  But ful greet liyt was to thin hooli seruauntis, and sotheli enemyes herden the vois of hem, but thei sien not the figure, ethir schap; and for also thei suffriden not bi the same thingis, thei magnefieden thee.

18:2  And for thei weren hirt bifore, thei diden thankyngis to thee, for thei weren not hirt; and that difference schulde be bitwixe hem and Egipcians, thei axiden thee, God.

18:3  For which thing thei hadden a brennynge piler of fier, the ledere of vnknowun weie; and thou yauest the sunne, with out hirtyng of good herbore.

18:4  Forsothe thei weren worthi to wante liyt, and to suffre the prisoun of derknessis, whiche helden thi sones enclosid; bi whiche sones the vncorrupt lijt of lawe bigan to be youun to the world.

18:5  Whanne thei thouyten to sle the yonge children of iust men; and whanne o sone was put forth, and delyuered, thou tokist awei the multitude of sones, for the ledyng ouer of hem, and thou lostist hem togidere in strong watir.

18:6  Forsothe thilke nyyt was knowun bifore of oure fadris, that thei witynge verili to whiche othis thei bileuyden, schulden be more paciente.

18:7  Forsothe helthe of iust men was resseyued verili of thi puple, `and also distriyng of vniust men.

18:8  For as thou hirtidist oure aduersaries, so thou excitidist also vs, and magnefiedist vs.

18:9  For whi iust children of goode men maden sacrifice priueli, and disposiden the lawe of riytfulnesse in to acordyng; thei disposiden iust men to resseyue goodis and yuels in lijk maner, and sungen heriyngis to the fadir of alle men.

18:10  But vnsemeli vois of enemyes sownede, and wepeful weilyng of biweperis of yonge children was herd.

18:11  Forsothe the seruaunt was turmentid bi lijk peyne with the lord; and a man of the puple suffride thingis lijk the kyng.

18:12  Therfor in lijk maner alle men bi o name of deth hadden deed men vnnoumbrable, for nether quyke men suffiseden to birie; for whi the nacioun of hem, that was clerere than othere, was destried in o moment.

18:13  Forsothe of alle Egipcians men not bileuynge for benefices, bihiyten hem thanne to be Goddis puple, whanne the distriyng of the firste gendryd thingis was first.

18:14  Forsothe whanne alle thingis helden restful silence, and the nyyt hadde the myddil weie in his cours,

18:15  Lord, thi word almyyti comynge swiftli fro heuene, cam fro the kyngis seetis;

18:16  a scharp swerd berynge thi comaundement not feyned, cam forth, ouercomere in to the myddil of the lond of destriyng; and it stood, and fillide alle thingis with deeth, and it stood in erthe, and stretchide forth til to heuene.

18:17  Thanne anoon the siytis of yuel dremes disturbliden hem, and dredis not hopid camen aboue.

18:18  And another man cast forth half quyk in an other place, schewide for what cause of deth he diede.

18:19  For whi siytis that disturbliden hem, bifore warneden these thingis, that thei schulden perische not vnwityngli, why thei suffriden yuels.

18:20  Forsothe temptacioun of deth touchide thanne also iust men, and mouyng togidere of multitude was maad in desert; but thin ire dwellide not longe.

18:21  For a man without pleynt hastide to biseche for puplis, and he brouyte forth preier the scheld of his seruyce, and he aleggide preier bi encence, and ayen stood ire; and he settide an ende to the nede, and schewide that he was thi seruaunt.

18:22  Forsothe he ouercam cumpenyes, not bi vertu of bodi, nether bi armure of power; but he remembride the othis, and the testament of fadris, and bi word he made hym suget, that trauelide hym silf.

18:23  For whanne deed men fellen doun bi heepis, ech on other, he stood bitwixe `deed men and lyuynge, and kittide awei the feersnesse of brennyng, and departide that weie, that ledde to quyke men.

18:24  For whi al the world was in the cloth lastynge to the heelis, which he hadde; and the grete thingis of fadris weren grauun in foure ordris of stoonys; and, Lord, thi magnyficence was writun in the diademe of his heed.

18:25  Forsothe he that distriede, yaf stide to these thingis, and dredde these thingis; for whi the temptacioun aloone was sufficient to ire.