Глава 4

  • 1. Better it is to haue no children, and to haue vertue: for the memoriall thereof is immortal: because it is knowen with God and with men.
  • 2. When it is present, men take example at it, and when it is gone they desire it: it weareth a crown, and triumpheth for euer, hauing gotten the victorie, striuing for vndefiled rewards.
  • 3. But the multiplying brood of the vngodly shall not thriue, nor take deepe rooting from bastard slips, nor lay any fast foundation.
  • 4. For though they flourish in branches for a time: yet standing not fast, they shall be shaken with the winde: and through the force of windes they shall be rooted out.
  • 5. The vnperfect branches shall bee broken off, their fruit vnprofitable, not ripe to eate: yea meet for nothing.
  • 6. For children begotten of vnlawfull beds, are witnesses of wickednes against their parents in their triall.
  • 7. But though the righteous be preuented with death: yet shal he be in rest.
  • 8. For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of yeeres.
  • 9. But wisedome is the gray haire vnto men, & an vnspotted life is old age.
  • 10. He pleased God, and was beloued of him: so that liuing amongst sinners, he was translated.
  • 11. Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickednes should alter his vnderstanding, or deceit beguile his soule.
  • 12. For the bewitching of naughtines doth obscure things that are honest: and the wandring of concupiscence, doth vndermine the simple mind.
  • 13. He being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time.
  • 14. For his soule pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away, from among the wicked.
  • 15. This the people saw, and vnderstood it not: neither laid they vp this in their mindes, That his grace and mercie is with his Saints, and that he hath respect vnto his chosen.
  • 16. Thus the righteous that is dead, shall condemne the vngodly, which are liuing, and youth that is soone perfected, the many yeeres and old age of the vnrighteous.
  • 17. For they shall see the end of the wise, & shall not vnderstand what God in his counsell hath decreed of him, and to what end the Lord hath set him in safetie.
  • 18. They shal see him and despise him, but God shall laugh them to scorne, and they shal hereafter be a vile carkeis, and a reproch among the dead for euermore.
  • 19. For he shall rend them, and cast them downe headlong, that they shalbe speechles: and he shal shake them from the foundation: and they shall bee vtterly laid waste, and be in sorow: and their memoriall shall perish.
  • 20. And when they cast vp the accounts of their sinnes, they shall come with feare: and their owne iniquities shall conuince them to their face.