Глава 2

  • 1. For the vngodly said, reasoning with themselues, but not aright: Our life is short and tedious, and in the death of a man there is no remedie: neither was there any man knowen to haue returned from the graue.
  • 2. For wee are borne at all aduenture: & we shalbe heereafter as though we had neuer bene: for the breath in our nostrils is as smoke, and a litle sparke in the mouing of our heart.
  • 3. Which being extinguished, our body shall be turned into ashes, and our spirit shall vanish as the soft aire:
  • 4. And our name shalbe forgotten in time, and no man shall haue our works in remembrance, and our life shall passe away as the trace of a cloud: and shall be dispersed as a mist that is driuen away with the beames of the Sunne, and ouercome with the heat thereof.
  • 5. For our time is a very shadow that passeth away: and after our end there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man commeth againe.
  • 6. Come on therefore, let vs enioy the good things that are present: and let vs speedily vse the creatures like as in youth.
  • 7. Let vs fill our selues with costly wine, and ointments: and let no flower of the Spring passe by vs.
  • 8. Let vs crowne our selues with Rose buds, before they be withered.
  • 9. Let none of vs goe without his part of our voluptuousnesse: let vs leaue tokens of our ioyfulnesse in euery place: for this is our portion, and our lot is this.
  • 10. Let vs oppresse the poore righteous man, let vs not spare the widow, nor reuerence the ancient gray haires of the aged.
  • 11. Let our strength bee the Lawe of iustice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.
  • 12. Therefore let vs lye in wait for the righteous: because he is not for our turne, and he is cleane contrary to our doings: he vpbraideth vs with our offending the Law, and obiecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education.
  • 13. Hee professeth to haue the knowledge of God: and hee calleth himselfe the childe of the Lord.
  • 14. Hee was made to reprooue our thoughts.
  • 15. Hee is grieuous vnto vs euen to beholde: for his life is not like other mens, his waies are of another fashion.
  • 16. We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse: he pronounceth the end of the iust to be blessed, and maketh his boast that God is his father.
  • 17. Let vs see if his wordes be true: and let vs proue what shall happen in the end of him.
  • 18. For if the iust man be the sonne of God, he will helpe him, and deliuer him from the hand of his enemies.
  • 19. Let vs examine him with despitefulnesse and torrture, that we may know his meekenesse, and prooue his patience.
  • 20. Let vs condemne him with a shamefull death: for by his owne saying, he shall be respected.
  • 21. Such things they did imagine, and were deceiued: for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them.
  • 22. As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousnesse: nor discerned a reward for blamelesse soules.
  • 23. For God created man to bee immortall, and made him to be an image of his owne eternitie.
  • 24. Neuerthelesse through enuie of the deuill came death into the world: and they that doe holde of his side doe finde it.