Wisdom 3

¹Forsothe the soulis of iust men ben in the hond of God; and the turment of deth schal not touche hem.

²Thei semyden to the iyen of vnwise men to die; and turment was demed the outgoyng of hem.

³And fro iust weie thei yeden in to distriyng, and that that is of vs the weie of distriyng; but thei ben in pees.

⁴Thouy thei sufriden turmentis bifore men, the hope of hem is ful of vndeedlynesse.

⁵Thei weren trauelid in a fewe thingis, and thei schulen be disposid wel in many thingis; for whi God asaiede hem, and foond hem worthi to hym silf.

⁶He preuede hem as gold in a furneis, and he took hem as the offryng of brent sacrifice; and the biholdyng of hem schal be in tyme of yelding.

⁷Iust men schulen schyne, and schulen renne aboute as sparclis in a place of rehed.

⁸Thei schulen deme naciouns, and schulen be lordis of puplis; and the Lord of hem schal regne with outen ende.

⁹Thei that trusten on hym, schulen vnderstonde treuthe; and feithful men in loue schulen assente to hym; for whi yifte and pees is to hise chosun men.

¹⁰But wickid men, bi tho thingis that thei thouyten, schulen haue punyschyng; whiche dispisiden iust thing, and yeden awei fro the Lord.

¹¹For he that castith awei wisdom and lore, is cursid; and the hope of wickid men is voide, and her trauels ben without fruyt, and her werkis ben vnhabitable, and vnprofitable.

¹²The wymmen of hem ben vnwitti, and the sones of hem ben ful weiward.

¹³The creature of hem is cursid; for whi a womman bareyn and vndefoulid is blessid, that `knew not bed in trespas; sche schal haue fruyt in the biholdyng of holy soulis.

¹⁴And a man vnmyyti to gendre is blessid, that `wrouyte not wickidnesse bi hise hondis, nether thouyte moost weiward thingis ayens the Lord; for whi a chosun yifte of feith schal be youun to hym, and a most acceptable eritage in the temple of God.

¹⁵For whi the fruyt of good trauels is gloriouse, and the roote of wisdom that fallith not doun.

¹⁶But the sones of avowtreris schulen be in distriyng, and the seed of a wickid bed schal be destried.

¹⁷And sotheli thouy thei schulen be of long lijf, thei schulen be arettid in to nouyt; and the laste eelde of hem schal be withouten onour.

¹⁸And if thei ben deed swiftliere, thei schulen not haue hope, nether alowyng in the dai of knowyng.

¹⁹Forsothe wickide naciouns ben of hard ending.

Wisdom 3

¹But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.

²In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery,

³And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.

⁴For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.

⁵And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.

⁶As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.

⁷And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.

⁸They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.

⁹They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he hath care for his elect.

¹⁰But the ungodly shall be punished according to their own imaginations, which have neglected the righteous, and forsaken the Lord.

¹¹For whoso despiseth wisdom and nurture, he is miserable, and their hope is vain, their labours unfruitful, and their works unprofitable:

¹²Their wives are foolish, and their children wicked:

¹³Their offspring is cursed. Wherefore blessed is the barren that is undefiled, which hath not known the sinful bed: she shall have fruit in the visitation of souls.

¹⁴And blessed is the eunuch, which with his hands hath wrought no iniquity, nor imagined wicked things against God: for unto him shall be given the special gift of faith, and an inheritance in the temple of the Lord more acceptable to his mind.

¹⁵For glorious is the fruit of good labours: and the root of wisdom shall never fall away.

¹⁶As for the children of adulterers, they shall not come to their perfection, and the seed of an unrighteous bed shall be rooted out.

¹⁷For though they live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded: and their last age shall be without honour.

¹⁸Or, if they die quickly, they have no hope, neither comfort in the day of trial.

¹⁹For horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation.