Wisdom 11

Wycliffe Bible

11 He (ad)dressed (or directed) the works of them, in the hands of an holy prophet. [It right-ruled the works of them, in the hands of the holy prophet.]

² They made journey by deserts, that were not inhabited; and they made little houses, or cottages, in desert places.

³ They stood against kings, and (a)venged them(selves) of (their) enemies. [They stood against enemies, and of the enemies they venged themselves.]

⁴ They thirsted, and they inwardly called thee; and water (out) of (or from) a full high stone was given to them, and (the) rest of thirst was given to them (out) of (or from) an hard stone. [They thirsted, and inwardly called thee; and there is given to them water of the highest stone, and rest of thirst of the hard stone.]

⁵ For by which things the enemies of them suffered pains, for (the) default(ing) of their drink, and the sons of Israel were glad, when they had plenty; by these things, when these failed to those enemies, it was done well with them. [By those things forsooth that the enemies of them suffered pains, from the defaulting of their drink, and when the sons of Israel had plenty, gladded; by these things, when to them had failed, well with them is done.]

⁶ For soothly for the well of everlasting flood, thou gavest man’s blood to unjust men. [For why forsooth for the well of the everlasting flood, man’s blood thou gave to unrightwise men.]

⁷ And when they were made less, in the leading away of young children slain, thou gavest suddenly plenteous water to them; [The which when they were diminished, in the over-leading of the slain little children, thou gave to them abounding water in manner not hoped (for);]

⁸ and showedest by the thirst, that was then, how thou wouldest enhance thy servants, and wouldest slay the adversaries of them.

⁹ For when they were assayed, soothly they took chastising with mercy; they knew, how wicked men deemed with ire, should suffer torments. [When forsooth they were tempted, forsooth and with mercy discipline they took; they knew, how with wrath the unpious men deemed, torments should suffer.]

¹⁰ Soothly thou admonishing as a father, provedest these men; but thou as an hard king asking condemnedest them (or the others). [These forsooth as a father warned, thou provedest; them forsooth as an hard king asking, thou condemnedest.]

¹¹ For why men absent and men present were tormented in like manner. [Forsooth the absent men and the present (in) like manner were tormented.]

¹² For why double annoyance (or troubles) had taken them, and wailing with the mind (or the remembrance) of things passed.

¹³ Soothly when they heard, that it was done well with themselves by their torments, they bethought on the Lord, and wondered on the end of the out-going. [When forsooth they heard, by their torments well with them to be done, they remembered the Lord, marveling into the end of the going out.]

¹⁴ For at the end of the befalling, they worshipped (or honoured) him, whom they scorned (had) cast out in shrewd (or depraved) putting forth; and thou didest not in like manner to just men. [Whom forsooth in a shrewd (or depraved) putting out they scorned cast afar, and into the end of that that fell, they marvelled; not (in) like manner to rightwise men doing.]

¹⁵ Forsooth for unwise thoughts the wickednesses of them were punished; for some men erring worshipped dumb serpents [or adders], and superfluous beasts, thou sentest into them a multitude of dumb beasts, into vengeance;

¹⁶ (so) that they should know, that by what things a man sinneth, he is tormented also by these things. [that they should know, for by those things that a man sinneth, by those things also he shall be tormented.]

¹⁷ For why thine hand almighty [or thine almighty hand], that made the world of matter unseen, was not unmighty to send into them a multitude of bears, either [or] hardy lions,

¹⁸ either beasts of new kind full of ire, and unknown beasts, either beasts frothing heat of fires, either bringing forth the odour of smoke, either sending out from the eyes hideous sparkles (or sparks); [or of new kind of unknown beasts, and full of wrath, or spitting breathing(s) of fires, or bringing forth smell of smoke, or putting out grizzly (or dreadful) sparks from (the) eyes;]

¹⁹ of which beasts not only the hurting might destroy them, but also the sight might slay by dread [or but and the looking by dread slay].

²⁰ For why and without these beasts they might be slain by one spirit, and suffer persecution of those (or by them) (for) their own deeds, and be scattered by the spirit of thy virtue (or by the breath of thy power). But also thou hast disposed all things in measure, and in number, and in weight; [But and without these with one spirit they might be slain, suffered persecution of their deeds self, and scattered by the spirit of his virtue. But and all things in measure, and number, weight thou disposedest;]

²¹ for it was left ever to thee alone to be able to do much; and who shall against-stand the virtue (or the power) of thine arm?

²² For as the tongue (or a pointer) of a balance, so is the world before thee; and as a drop of dew rising before the light, that cometh down into (or onto) (the) earth. [For as a point(er) of a balance, so is before thee the roundness of earths; and as a drop of morrowtide dew, that goeth down into the earth.]

²³ And thou hast mercy of (or for) all things [or for all], for thou mayest (or thou be able to) (do) all things; and thou dissemblest, either forbearest, the sins of men, for penance. [And thou hast mercy of all, for all things thou mayest (or thou can do); and thou forbearest the sins of men, for penance.]

²⁴ For thou lovest all things that be, and thou hatest nothing of those, that thou madest; for thou not hating anything ordainedest, either madest. [Forsooth thou lovest all things that be, and nothing thou hatedest of them, that thou madest; not forsooth hating anything thou ordainedest, or madest.]

²⁵ But how might anything dwell, no but thou wouldest?/but if thou wouldest? (or if thou haddest not willed it?) either how should a thing be kept, that were not called of (or by) thee? [How forsooth might anything abide still, but thou haddest would? or that of thee were not called, should be kept?]

²⁶ But, Lord, thou lovest souls, thou sparest all things; for those things be thine. [Thou sparest forsooth to all; for thine they be, Lord, that lovest souls.]