Wisdom 4

Wycliffe Bible

4 How fair is a chaste generation with clearness [or clarity]; for the mind thereof is undeadly, for it is known, both with God, and with men.

² When it is present, they (pur)sue it; and they desire it, when it hath led out itself, and it over-coming getteth by victory the meed of battles undefouled, and is crowned without end. [When present it is, they follow; and desire it, when they have led out themselves, and it crowned into without end beareth the victory, taking by victory the meed of the undefouled strives.]

³ But the many-fold (en)gendered multitude of wicked men shall not be profitable; and (as) plantings of adultery they shall not give deep roots, neither shall set stable steadfastness. [Forsooth the many-fold (be)gotten multitude of unpious men shall not be profitable; and adulterous plantings shall not give high roots, nor stable steadfastness set.]

⁴ Though they burgeon in boughs for a time, they set unsteadfastly shall be moved of (or by) the wind, and they shall be drawn out by the root of the greatness of winds. [And if in the branches in the time burgeon, unstably set of the wind they shall be all-stirred, and of the muchliness of winds pulled up by the roots.]

⁵ For why boughs unperfect shall be broken (al)together; and the fruits of them be unprofitable, and sour to eat, and covenable to (or suitable for) nothing. [Forsooth branches unended shall be broken; and the fruits of them unprofitable, and sour to eat, and to nothing able.]

⁶ For why all (the) sons, that be born of wicked men, be witnesses of wickedness against fathers and mothers, in their asking.

⁷ But a just man, though he be before-occupied by death, shall be in refreshing. [The rightwise forsooth, if he were before-occupied by death, in refreshing shall be.]

⁸ For why worshipful eld (age) is not of long time [or (of) long (en)during], neither it is reckoned by the number of years;

⁹ the wits of a man be hoary, and the age of eld (or old age) is life without wem, (or spot). [hoary be the wits of man, and the age of eld life undefouled.]

¹⁰ He pleased God, and was made dearworth(y), [or loved], and he living among sinners was translated, or borne over;

¹¹ he was ravished, lest malice should change his understanding, either lest feigning should deceive [or beguile] his soul.

¹² For why deceiving of trifling maketh dark good things, and the unstableness of covetousness turneth over [or overturneth] the wit without malice.

¹³ He was ended in short time, and [ful]filled many times;

¹⁴ for why his soul was pleasant to God; for this thing God hast(en)ed to lead him out from the midst of wickednesses; [pleased forsooth to God was the soul of him; for that he went to bring him out from the middle of shrewdness (or depravity);]

¹⁵ but peoples saw and understood not, neither setted [or putted] such things in their hearts or entrails. For the grace and mercy of God is on (or with) his saints, and (the) beholding [or (the) respect] of God is on (or for) his chosen men.

¹⁶ Forsooth a just man dead condemneth quick wicked men; and youth ended swiftlier condemneth the long life of an unjust man. [Forsooth the rightwise dead condemneth the unpious men alive; and youth swiftlier ended, the long life of the unrightwise.]

¹⁷ For they shall see the end of a wise man, and they shall not understand, what thing God thought of him, and why the Lord made him less. [Forsooth they shall see the end of the wise man, and they shall not understand, what God hath thought of him, and why the Lord diminished him.]

¹⁸ For they shall see, and shall despise him; but the Lord shall scorn them. And after these things they shall be falling down without honour, and in despising among dead men without end. [They shall see, and despise him; them forsooth the Lord shall scorn. And they shall be after these things falling down without worship, and in wrong blaming among the dead into without end.]

¹⁹ For he shall all-break them swollen without voice, and he shall move them from the foundaments (or the foundations); and they shall be desolate till to the last thing. And they shall be wailing, and the mind (or the memory) of them shall perish. [For them inwardly blown he shall all-break without voice, and stir them from the foundaments; and unto the highest they shall be desolate. And they shall be wailing, and the mind (or the memory) of them shall perish.]

²⁰ They shall come fearedful in the thought of their sins; and their wickednesses on the contrary side shall lead them over.