THE BOOK OF WISDOM
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
4:12. For the bewitching of vanity obscureth good things, and the wandering of concupiscence overturneth the innocent mind.
4:13. Being made perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time.
4:14. For his soul pleased God: therefore he hastened to bring him out of the midst of iniquities: but the people see this, and understand not, nor lay up such things in their hearts:
4:15. That the grace of God, and his mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect to his chosen.
4:16. But the just that is dead, condemneth the wicked that are living, and youth soon ended, the long life of the unjust.
4:17. For they shall see the end of the wise man, and shall not understand what God hath designed for him, and why the Lord hath set him in safety.
4:18. They shall see him, and shall despise him: but the Lord shall laugh them to scorn.
4:19. And they shall fall after this without honour, and be a reproach among the dead for ever: for he shall burst them puffed up and speechless, and shall shake them from the foundations, and they shall be utterly laid waste: they shall be in sorrow, and their memory shall perish.
4:20. They shall come with fear at the thought of their sins, and their iniquities shall stand against them to convict them.
Wisdom Chapter 5
The fruitless repentance of the wicked in another world: the reward of the just.
5:1. Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours.
5:2. These seeing it, shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation,
5:3. Saying within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit: These are they, whom we had sometime in derision, and for a parable of reproach.
5:4. We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour.
5:5. Behold, how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.
5:6. Therefore we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us.
5:7. We wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction, and have walked through hard ways, but the way of the Lord we have not known.
5:8. What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us?
5:9. All those things are passed away like a shadow, and like a post that runneth on,
5:10. And as a ship, that passeth through the waves: whereof when it is gone by, the trace cannot be found nor the path of its keel in the waters:
5:11. Or as when a bird flieth through the air, of the passage of which no mark can be found, but only the sound of the wings beating the light air, and parting it by the force of her flight: she moved her wings, and hath flown through, and there is no mark found afterwards of her way:
5:12. Or as when an arrow is shot at a mark, the divided air quickly cometh together again, so that the passage thereof is not known:
5:13. So we also being born, forthwith ceased to be: and have been able to shew no mark of virtue: but are consumed in our wickedness.
5:14. Such things as these the sinners said in hell:
5:15. For the hope of the wicked is as dust, which is blown away with the wind, and as a thin froth which is dispersed by the storm: and a smoke that is scattered abroad by the wind: and as the remembrance of a guest of one day that passeth by.
5:16. But the just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord, and the care of them with the most High.
5:17. Therefore shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord: for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.
5:18. And his zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies.
5:19. He will put on justice as a breastplate, and will take true judgment instead of a helmet:
5:20. He will take equity for an invincible shield:
5:21. And he will sharpen his severe wrath for a spear, and the whole world shall fight with him against the unwise.
5:22. Then shafts of lightning shall go directly from the clouds, as from a bow well bent, they shall be shot out, and shall fly to the mark.
5:23. And thick hail shall be cast upon them from the stone casting wrath: the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the rivers shall run together in a terrible manner.
5:24. A mighty wind shall stand up against them, and as a whirlwind shall divide them: and their iniquity shall bring all the earth to a desert, and wickedness shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.
Wisdom Chapter 6
An address to princes to seek after wisdom: she is easily found by those that seek her.
6:1. Wisdom is better than strength: and a wise man is better than a strong man.
6:2. Hear, therefore, ye kings, and understand, learn ye that are judges of the ends of the earth.
6:3. Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations: