Wisdom 6

Wycliffe Bible

6 Therefore, ye kings, hear, and understand; and ye judges of the coasts of (the) earth, learn. [Heareth then, ye kings, and understandeth; learneth, ye doomsmen of the coasts of the earth.]

² Ye that hold together multitudes, and please you(rselves) in the companies of nations, give ears; [Giveth ears, ye that hold together multitudes, and please to you(rselves) in (the) companies of nations;]

³ for why power is given of (or from) the Lord to you, and virtue is given of (or from) the Highest, that shall ask (about) your works, and shall search (your) thoughts.

⁴ For when ye were ministers of his realm, ye deemed not rightfully, neither ye kept the law of rightfulness, neither ye went by the will of God. [For when ye were ministers of his realm, not rightly ye deemed, nor kept the law of rightwiseness, nor after the will of God ye went.]

⁵ Hideously and soon he shall appear to you; for why harshest doom shall be made in (or on) them, that be sovereigns. [Horribly and soon he shall appear to you; for most hard doom shall be done in (or to) them, that be before.]

⁶ Forsooth mercy is granted to a little man; but mighty men shall suffer torments mightily. [Forsooth to the little is granted mercy; mighty men forsooth mightily torments shall suffer.]

⁷ For the Lord, which (or who) is lord of all things, shall not withdraw the person of any man, neither he shall dread the greatness of any man; for he made both the little man and the great man, and charge is to him evenly of all men [or for little and great he made, and evenly care is to him of all].

⁸ But stronger torment nigheth (or approacheth) to stronger men.

⁹ Therefore, ye kings, these my words be to you, (so) that ye learn wisdom, and that ye fall not down. [To you then, kings, be these my words, that ye learn wisdom, and that ye fall not.]

¹⁰ For they that keep rightfulness, shall be deemed rightfully; and they, that learn just things, shall find, what they shall answer. [Who forsooth shall keep rightwiseness, rightly shall be deemed; and that shall learn right things, shall find, what they answer.]

¹¹ Therefore covet ye my words, and love ye those; and ye shall have teaching. [Coveteth than my words, and loveth them; and ye shall have discipline.]

¹² Wisdom is clear, and that shall never fade; and it is seen lightly of (or easily by) them that love it, and it is found of (or by) them that seek it.

¹³ It before-occupieth them that covet it, (so) that it show itself the former (or first) to them.

¹⁴ He that waketh by light to it, shall not travail; forsooth he shall find it sitting nigh his gates. [Who from light shall wake to it, shall not travail; forsooth he shall find it sitting in his gates.]

¹⁵ Therefore to think on wisdom is perfect wit, and he that waketh (or watcheth) for it, shall soon be secure.

¹⁶ For why it goeth about, and seeketh men worthy to (or of) it; and in their ways [or and in his ways] it shall show itself gladly to them, and in all purveyance it shall meet them.

¹⁷ For why the beginning of wisdom is the veriest (or the truest) covetousness of learning. Therefore the busyness of learning is love; [The beginning forsooth of it most very coveting of discipline. Then care of discipline is loving;]

¹⁸ and love is the keeping of (the) laws thereof. Soothly the keeping of laws is (the) perfection of uncorruption; [and loving is keeping of his laws. Keeping forsooth of laws is full ending of uncorruption;]

¹⁹ forsooth uncorruption maketh (us) to be next to God.

²⁰ Therefore the covetousness of wisdom shall bring (one) to (an) everlasting realm. [And so coveting of wisdom shall lead forth to the everlasting kingdom.]

²¹ Therefore if ye, kings of the people, delight in seats (or thrones), and in kings’ rods, or regalties, (or sceptres), love ye wisdom, (so) that ye reign without end. All ye, that be sovereigns to peoples, love the light of wisdom. [If then ye delight in seats, and in kings’ dignities, O! ye kings of the people, loveth wisdom, that into without end ye reign.]

²² Soothly what is wisdom, and how it is made, I shall tell (you); and I shall not hide from you the sacraments (or the secrets) of God; but from the beginning of birth I shall seek (for), and I shall set into the light the cunning thereof (or the knowing of it), and I shall not pass (by) (the) truth. [What is forsooth wisdom, and how it be made, I shall tell; and I shall not hide from you the sacraments of God; but from the beginning of birth I shall ensearch, and put into light the cunning of it, and I shall not pass beside the truth.]

²³ And I shall not have (or go) (the) way with envy waxing rotten; for such a man shall not be a partner of (or with) wisdom. [Nor with the quittering (or rotting) envy way I shall have; for such a man shall be partner of wisdom.]

²⁴ Forsooth the multitude of wise men is the health (or the deliverance) of the world; and a wise king is the establishing [or the stability] of the people.

²⁵ Therefore take ye teaching by my words, and it shall profit to you. [Then taketh discipline by my words, and it shall profit to you.]