Wycliffe - Wisdom - 2

2:1  Forsothe wickid men seiden, thenkynge anentis hem silf not riytfuli, The tyme of oure lijf is litil, and with anoye; no refreisching is in the ende of a man, and noon is, that is knowun, that turnede ayen fro hellis.

2:2  For we weren borun of nouyt, and aftir this tyme we schulen be, as if we hadden not be; forwhi smoke is blowun out in oure nose thirlis, and a word of sparcle to stire oure herte.

2:3  For oure bodi schal be quenchid aische, and the spirit schal be scaterid abrood as soft eir; and oure lijf schal passe as the step of a cloude, and it schal be departid as a myst, which is dryuun awey of the beemys of the sunne, and is greued of the heete therof.

2:4  And oure name schal take foryeting bi tyme; and no man schal haue mynde of oure werkis.

2:5  Forwhi oure tyme is the passyng of a schadewe, and no turnyng ayen of oure ende is; for it is aseelid, and no man turneth ayen.

2:6  Therfor come ye, and vse we the goodis that ben, and vse we a creature, as in yongthe, swiftli.

2:7  Fille we vs with preciouse wyn and oynementis; and the flour of tyme passe not vs.

2:8  Corowne we vs with roosis, bifor that tho welewen; no medewe be, `bi which oure letcherie passe not.

2:9  No man of vs be with out part of oure letcherie; euery where leeue we the signes of gladnesse; for this is oure part, and this is oure eritage.

2:10  Oppresse we a pore iust man, and spare we not a widewe, nether reuerence we hoor heeris of an old man of myche tyme.

2:11  But oure strengthe be the lawe of riytfulnesse; forwhi that that is feble, is foundun vnprofitable.

2:12  Therfor disseyue we a iust man, for he is vnprofitable to vs, and he is contrarie to oure werkis; and he vpbreidith to vs the synnes of lawe, and he defameth on vs the synnes of oure techyng.

2:13  He biheetith that he hath the kunnyng of God, and he nemeth hym silf the sone of God.

2:14  He is maad to us in to schewyng of oure thouytis.

2:15  He is greuouse to vs, yhe, to se; forwhi his lyf is vnlijk to other men, and hise weies ben chaungid.

2:16  We ben gessid of hym to be triffleris, and he absteyneth hym silf fro oure weies, as fro vnclenessis; and he bifore settith the laste thingis of iust men, and he hath glorie, that he hath God a fadir.

2:17  Therfor se we, if hise wordis ben trewe; and asaie we, what thingis schulen come to hym; and we schulen wite, what schulen be the laste thingis of hym.

2:18  For if he is the very sone of God, he schal vp take hym, and schal delyuere hym fro the hondis of hem that ben contrarie.

2:19  Axe we hym bi dispisyng and turment, that we knowe his reuerence, and that we preue his pacience.

2:20  Bi fouleste deth condempne we hym; for whi biholdyng schal be of hise wordis.

2:21  Thei thouyten these thingis, and thei erriden; for whi her malice blyndide hem.

2:22  And thei knewen not the sacramentis of God, nethir thei hopiden the meede of riytfulnesse, nether thei demyden the onour of hooli soulis.

2:23  For whi God made man vnable to be distried, and God made man to the ymage of his licnesse.

2:24  But bi enuye of the deuel deth entride in to the world;

2:25  for sothe thei suen hym, that ben of his part.