Wycliffe - Wisdom - 4

4:1  A! hou fair is chast generacioun with clerenesse; for the mynde therof is vndeedli, for it is knowun, both anentis God, and anentis men.

4:2  Whanne it is present, thei suen it; and thei desiren it, whanne it hath led out it silf, and it ouercomyng getith bi victorie the mede of batels vndefoulid, and is corouned with outen ende.

4:3  But the many fold gendrid multitude of wickid men schal not be profitable; and plauntyngis of auoutrie schulen not yyue deepe rootis, nether schulen sette stable stidfastnesse.

4:4  Thouy thei buriounen in bowis in time, thei set vnstidfastli schulen be moued of the wynd, and schulen be drawun out bi the roote of the greetnesse of wyndys.

4:5  For whi bowis vnperfit schulen be brokun togidere; and the fruytis of hem ben vnprofitable, and soure to ete, and couenable to no thing.

4:6  For whi alle sones, that ben borun of wickid men, ben witnessis of wickidnesse ayens fadirs and modris, in her axyng.

4:7  But a iust man, thouy he be bifore ocupied bi deth, schal be in refreischyng.

4:8  For whi worschipful eelde is not of long tyme, nether is rikened bi the noumbre of yeeris; the wittis of a man ben hoore,

4:9  and the age of eelde is lijf withouten wem.

4:10  He pleside God, and was maad dereworth, and he lyuynge among synneris was `borun ouer; he was rauyschid,

4:11  lest malice schulde chaunge his vnderstondyng, ethir lest feynyng schulde disseyue his soule.

4:12  For whi disseyuyng of trifelyng makith derk goode thingis, and the vnstablenesse of coueitise turneth ouer the wit without malice.

4:13  He was endid in schort tyme, and fillide many tymes;

4:14  for whi his soule was plesant to God; for this thing God hastide to lede hym out fro the myddis of wickidnesses; but puplis sien and vndurstoden not, nether settiden siche thingis in `the inwardnesses.

4:15  For whi the grace and merci of God is on hise seyntis, and biholdyng of `Goddis coumfort is on hise chosun men.

4:16  Forsothe a iust man deed condempneth quyke wickid men; and yongthe endid swiftliere condempneth long lijf of an vniust man.

4:17  For thei schulen se the ende of a wise man, and thei schulen not vndurstonde, what thing God thouyte of hym, and whi the Lord made hym lesse.

4:18  For thei schulen se, and schulen dispise hym; but the Lord schal scorne hem.

4:19  And aftir these thingis thei schulen be fallynge doun withouten onour, and in dispisyng among deed men with outen ende. For he schal al to-breke hem bolnyd with out vois, and he schal moue hem fro the foundementis; and thei schulen be desolat til to the laste thing. And thei schulen be weilynge, and the mynde of hem schal perische.

4:20  Thei schulen come ferdful in the thouyt of her synnes; and her wickidnessis on the contrarie side schulen lede hem ouer.