The. holie. Bible. conteynyng the olde Testament and the newe.

The .xli. Chapter.

1 Of the remembraunce of death. 3 Death is not to be feared, 8 A curse vpon them that forsake the lawe of God. 12 Good name and fame. 14 An exhortation to geue heede vnto wysdome. 17 Of what thinges a man ought to be ashamed.

1 O Death (a) 1.1 how bitter is [unspec A] the remembraunce of thee to a man that se∣keth rest and comfort in his substaunce & riches, vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him, & that hath prosperitie in all thinges, yea vnto him that yet is able to receaue meate?

2 O death, howe acceptable and good is thy iudgement vnto the needefull, and vnto him whose strength fayleth, and that is nowe in his last age, and that in all thinges is full of care and fearful∣nesse, vnto him also that is in dispayre, and hath no hope nor patience?

3 Be not thou afraide of death, remember them that haue ben before thee, and that come after thee: this is the iudgement of the Lord ouer all fleshe.

4 * 1.2And why wouldest thou be against this pleasure of the hyghest? Whether it be ten, an hundreth, or a thousand yeres, * 1.3 death asketh not howe long one hath lyued.

5 The children of the vngodly are abho∣minable children, and so are they that kepe company with the vngodly.

6 * 1.4The inheritaunce of vngodly children shall come to naught, & their posteritie shal haue perpetuall shame & confusion.

7 The children complayne of an vngod∣ly father: and why? for his sake they are [unspec B] rebuked and dispised.

8 Wo be vnto you, O ye vngodly, whiche haue forsaken the lawe of the hyghest God: for though ye do encrease, yet shal you perishe.

9 If ye do liue, ye shalbe accursed: if ye die, the curse shall be your portion.

10 * 1.5All that is of the earth, shall turne to earth againe: so go the vngodly also out of the curse into destruction.

11 Though men mourne for their body: yet the name of the vngodly shall be put out, for it is nothing worth.

12 * 1.6Labour to get thee a good name: for that shall continue surer by thee, then a thousande great treasures of golde.

13 A good life hath a number of dayes: but a good name endureth euer.

14 * 1.7My children, kepe wisdome in peace: for wisdome that is hid and a treasure that is not seene, what profite is in them both?

15 A man that hydeth his foolishenes, is better then a man that hydeth his wys∣dome.

16 Therefore be ye turned at my wordes: for it is not good in all thinges and al∣way to be ashamed: (a) 1.8 True fayth must proue and measure it.

17 Be ashamed of whordome before fa∣ther and mother: be ashamed to leasing before the prince and men of auctoritie:

18 Of sinne, before the iudge and ruler: of offence, before the congregation & peo∣ple: of vnrighteousnes, before a com∣panoin and friende:

19 Of theft, before thy neyghbours: As for the trueth of God and his couenaunt, be not ashamed thereof: (b) 1.9 be ashamed to lye with thyne elbowes vpon the bread, or to be reproued for geuing or taking,

20 And of silence vnto them that salute thee: be ashamed to loke vpon harlottes:

21 Be ashamed to turne away thy face from thy kinsman, be ashamed “ 1.10 to take and not to geue,

22 Be ashamed also to loke vpon an other [unspec D] mans wyfe, and to make many trifling wordes with her mayden, or to stand by her bed side.

23 Be ashamed to vnbrayde thy friende: when thou geuest any thing, cast hym not in the teeth withall,

24 Or to report the matter that thou hast heard, or to disclose the secrete wordes: so shalt thou well be shamefast, and shalt find fauour with all men.

Notes

• (a) 1.1

  Temporal death is bitter to foure sortes of men: one, to infidels that ••••ke for no life ••it••r this: secōd, to them that set their pleasure in their riches from whence the•• n••w must ••eeds depart: 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to them t••••t neuer ••••s••eth o•• the ••••••se•• fourt••, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to them that be strong and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in body, for that they ••••••ngly ••r••ggle with death: but ••••eete vnto the contrarie.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 viii. d.
• * 1.3

  Or ••••ere 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.4

  Eccle. xi. c.
• * 1.5

  Eccle. xi. b.
• * 1.6

  Eccle. xxii. a
• * 1.7

  Eccl. xx. b
• (a) 1.8

  True s••••th d••th all thinges in sea∣•••••• and op••r∣tunitie, when and how eue∣ry one ought to be ordered. For strong meate and hard bread norisheth some & straun∣gleth other: some one hear ••e healeth some mans d••sease, and increaseth some againe.
• (b) 1.9

  Beyng b••dden to an other mans 〈◊〉〈◊〉 presume not to the highest place, be〈…〉〈…〉 so hom∣ly that thou ••e with thine elbowes vpon the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ouer thy bread, for that is vnma∣nerly. Lu. 14.
• “ 1.10

  Or to take away a gift from any man