¶ Sophar sayth that the vnfaythfull, the couptou••, and the wycked shall haue a shorte ende.
CAPI. XX.
THen answered Sophar the Naama∣thite, [unspec A] and sayde. For the same cause do my thoughtes compell me to answere. And why? my mynde is redye within me. I haue sufficyently herde thy checkynge and reprofe, therfore am I purposed to make an∣swere after myne vnderstandynge. Knowest thou not this / namely: that from the begyn∣nynge (euer synce the creacyon of man vpon earth) the gladnesse of the vngodly hath ben short, and that the ioye of ypocrites cōtynued but the twynclynge of an eye? Though he be magnifyed vp to the heuen, so that his heade teacheth vnto the cloudes: yet at a turne he peryssheth foreuer.
In so moche that they whiche haue sene [unspec B] hym, shall saye: Where is he? He shall va∣nysshe as a dreame, so that he can no more be founde, and shall passe awaye as a visyon in the nyght. So that the eye whiche sawe hym before, shall haue no more syght of hym, and his place shall knowe hym no more. ☞ His chyldren shal be fayne to agre with the pore, & his handes shal restore them theyr goodes. From his youth his bones are full of plea∣sures, but nowe shall it lye downe with hym in the earth. When wyckednesse was swete in his mouth, he hyd it vnder his tongue. That he fauoured, that wold he not forsake / but kepte it close in his throte.
The breade that he dyd eate, is turned to [unspec C] the poyson of serpentes, within his body. The ryches that he deuoured, shall he per∣brake agayne, for God shall drawe them out of his bely, he shall sucke the gall of serpen∣tes, and the adders tongue shall sley hym: so that he shall no more se the ryuers and bro∣kes of hony & butter. The thynge that other men haue laboured for, shal he restore agayn and shall not eate it vp. Great trauayle shal he make for ryches, but he shall not enioye them. And why? he hath oppressed the poore / & not helped them: houses hath he spoyled / and not buylded them. His bely coulde neuer be fylled, therfore shall he perysshe in his co∣uytousnes. Therfore shall none of his meate be lefte behynde, therfore shall no man loke for his prosperyte. When he had plenteous∣nesse of euery thyng, yet was he pore, though he was helped on euery syde.
For though the wycked haue neuer so moch [unspec D] to fyll his bely, yet god shall sende his wrath vpon hym, & cause his indignacyō to reygne ouer him: so that yf he fle the yron weapons, he shall be shot wt the stele bowe. The arowe is taken forth, & gone out of the quyuer, & a glysterynge swerde thorow the gall of hym / feare shal come vpō him. There shal no dark¦nesse be able to hyde hym, An vnkyndled fyre shall cōsume hym, & loke what remayneth in his house, it shall be destroyed. The heuen shall declare his wyckednesse, and the earth shall take parte agaynst hym. The substaūce that he hath in his house, shalbe taken away and perysshe in the day of the lordes wrath. * 1.1 This is the porcyon that the wycked man shall haue of god, & the heretage that he may loke for of god, ☞ bycause of his wordes.