Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe.

The XVIII. Chapter.

HE that lyueth for euermore, made all [ A] thinges together.* 1.1 God onely is righ∣teous, & remayneth a victorious kyn∣ge for euer.* 1.2 Who shalbe able to expresse the workes of him? Who hath sought out the grounde of his noble actes? Who shal decla¦re the power of his greatnesse? Or, who will take vpon him to tell out his mercy? As for the wonderous workes of y^e LORDE, there maye nothinge be taken from them, nothin∣ge maye be put vnto them, nether maye the grounde of them be founde out. But whan a man hath done his best, he must begynne agayne: and whan he thinketh to be come to an ende, he must go agayne to his laboure. What is man? Wherto is he worth? What good or euell can he do?* 1.3 Yf the nombre of a mans dayes be allmost an hundreth yeare, it is moch.

Like as the droppes of rayne are vnto y^e [ B] see, and as a grauell stone is in comparison of the sonde:* 1.4 so are these few yeares to the dayes euerlastinge. Therfore is y^e LORDE pacient with them, and poureth out his mer¦cy vpon them. He sawe and perceaued the thoughtes and ymaginacions of their har¦te, that they were euell: therfore heaped he vp his mercifull goodnes vpon them, and shewed them the waie of righteousnes. The mercy that a mā hath, reacheth to his negh¦boure: but y^e mercy of God is vpon all flesh. He chasteneth, he teacheth and nourtureth: yee euen as a shepherde turneth agayne his flock, so doth he all them that receaue chas∣tenynge, nurtoure and doctryne. Mercifull is he vnto them,* 1.5 that stonde in awe of his iudgmentes.

My sonne, whan thou doest good, make [ C] no grudginge at it: and what so euer thou geuest, speake no discomfortable wordes. Shal not the dew coole the heate? Euen so is a worde better then a gift. Is not a frend¦ly worde a good honest gift?* 1.6 but a gracious man geueth them both. A foole shal cast a man in the tethe, and that roughly,* 1.7 & a gift of the nygarde putteth out y^e eyes. Get the

righteousnes before thou come to iudgmēt: Lerne before thou speake, and go to phisick or euer thou be sick:* 1.8 examen and iudge thy self, before the iudgment come, and so shalt thou fynde grace in the sight of God. Hum¦ble thy self afore thou be sick, and in tyme of thy disease shewe thy conuersacion. Let not to praye allwaye, and stonde not in feare to be refourmed vnto death, for the rewarde of God endureth for euer. Before thou prayest, prepare thy soule, and be not as one y^t temp¦teth God. Thynke vpon the wrathfull indig¦nacion that shalbe at the ende, and the hou¦re of vēgeaunce, whā HE shal turne awaie his face.* 1.9 Whan thou hast ynough, remem∣bre the tyme of honger: and whan thou art rych, thynke vpon the tyme of pouerte and scarcenesse.

[ D] From the mornynge vntyll the euenyn∣ge the tyme is chaunged, and all soch thyn∣ges are soone done in y^e sight of God. A wy¦se man feareth God in all thinges, and in the dayes of transgression he kepeth him self from synne. A discrete man hath pleasure in wyszdome, and he that fyndeth her, maketh moch of her. They that haue had vnderstan¦dinge, haue dealt wysely in wordes, haue vn¦derstonde the trueth and righteousnes, and haue sought out wyse sentēces and iudgmen¦tes.* 1.10 Folowe not thy lustes, but turne y^e from thine owne will. For yf thou geuest thy sou¦le hir desyres, it shal make thine enemies to laugh the to scorne. Take not thy pleasure in greate volupteousnes, & medle not to moch withall. Make not to greate cheare of the thinge that thou hast wonne by avaunta∣ge: lest thou fall in to pouerte, and haue no∣thinge in thy purse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.2

  Psal 〈…〉〈…〉 Ecc•• 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.3

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.4

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.5

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.6

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.7

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.8

  •• Cor. 11. d
• * 1.9

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.10

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉 13. b