Wisdom 15
Wisdom chapter 15 from the John Wycliffe Bible (c.1395)
1 For the hope of a wickid man is as the flour of a brere which is takun awei of the wynd, and as smal froth which is scaterid of a tempest, and as smoke which is spred abrood of wynd, and as the mynde of `an herborid man of o dai, that passith forth. 2 But iust men schulen lyue withouten ende, and the meede of hem is anentis the Lord; and the thouyt of hem is anentis the hiyeste. 3 Therfor thei schulen take of the hond of the Lord the rewme of fairnesse, and the diademe of comelynesse; for he schal gouerne hem with his riythond, and he schal defende hem with his hooli arm. 4 And his feruent loue schal take armure, and he schal arme the creature to the venieaunce of enemyes. 5 He schal clothe riytfulnesse for an haburioun, and he schal take certeyn doom for a basynet; 6 he schal take a scheeld that may not be ouercomun, equyte; 7 forsothe he schal whette hard wraththe in to a spere, and the world schal fiyte with him ayens vnwitti men. 8 Streiyte sendyngis out of leytis schulen go, and as the sidis of a reynbouwe, whanne the bouwe of cloudis is crokid, thei schulen be destried; and thei schulen skippe in to a certeyn place. 9 And fulle hailstones schulen be sent fro a stony wreththe, and the watir of the see schal wexe whijt ayens hem, and floodis schulen renne togider harde. 10 The spirit of vertu schal stonde ayens hem, and as the whirlyng of wind it schal departe hem; and the wickidnesse of hem schal brynge al the lond to desert, and malice schal distrye the seetis of myyti men. 12 Wisdom is beter than strengthis, and a prudent man doith more than a strong man. 13 Therfor, ye kyngis, here, and vndurstonde; and ye iugis of the coostis of erthe, lerne. 14 Ye that holden togidere multitudis, and plesen you in the cumpenyes of naciouns, yyue eeris; 15 forwhi power is youun of the Lord to you, and vertu is youun of the hiyeste, that schal axe youre werkis, and schal serche thouytis. 16 For whanne ye weren mynystris of his rewme, ye demeden not riytfuli, nether ye kepten the lawe of riytfulnesse, nether ye yeden bi the wille of God. 17 Hidousli and soone he schal appere to you; forwhi hardeste doom schal be maad in hem, that ben souereyns. 18 Forsothe merci is grauntid to a litil man; but miyti men schulen suffre turmentis miytili. 19 For the Lord, which is lord of alle thingis, schal not withdrawe the persoone of ony man, nether he schal drede the greetnesse of ony man; for he made the litil man and the greet man, and charge is to hym euenli of alle men.
