Wisdom of Solomon 17
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1FOr thy iudgements are great, and can not be expressed : therefore men do erre, that wil not be reformed. 2For when the vnrighteous thoght to haue thine holie people in subiection, thei were bounde with the bands of darkenes, and long night, and being shut vp vnder the rofe, did lie there to escape the euerlasting prouidence. 3And while they thoght to be hid in their darke sinnes, thei were scattered abroad in the darke couering of forgetfulnes, fearing horribly and troubled with visions. 5No power of the fyre might giue light, nether might the clere flames of the starres lighten the horrible night. 6For there appeared vnto them onely a sudden fyre, verie dredful: so that being afraied of this vision, which they colde not se, they thoght the things, which they sawe, to be worse. 7And the illusions of the magical artes were broght downe, and it was a moste shameful reproche for the boasting of their knowledge. 8For they that promised to driue away feare and trouble from the sicke persone, were sicke for feare, & worthie to be laughed at. 9And thogh no feareful thing did feare them, yet were they afraied at the beastes which passed by them, and at the hyssing of the serpents: so that thei dyed for feare, and said they sawe not the ayre, which by no meanes can be auoided. 10For it is a feareful thing, when malice is condemned by her owne testimonie: and a conscience that is touched, doeth euer forecast cruel things. 11For feare is nothing els, but a betraying of the succours, which reason offreth. 12And the lesse that the hope is within, the more doeth he esteme the ignorance of the thing, that tormenteth him, great. 13But they that did endure the night that was intollerable, and that came out of the dungeon of hell, which is insupportable, slept the same slepe, 14And sometimes were troubled with monstruous visions, and sometime they sowned, as thogh their owne soule shulde betray them: for a sudden feare not loked for, came vpon them. 15And thus, whosoeuer fel downe, he was kept and shut in prison, but without chaines. 16For whether he was an housband man, or a shepherd, or one that was set to worke alone, if he were taken, he must suffer this necessitie, that he colde not auoide: 17(For with one chaine of darkenes were they all bounde) whether it were an hyssing winde, or a swete song of the birds among the thicke branches of the trees, or the vehemencie of hastie running water, 18Or a great noyce of the falling downe of stones, or the running of skipping beastes, that colde not be sene, or the noyce of cruel beastes that roared, or the sounde that answereth againe in the holow mountaines: these feareful things made them to swone. 19For all the worlde shined with clere light, and no man was hindred in his labour. 20Onely vpon them there fel an heauie night, an image of that darkenes that was to come vpon them: yea, they were vnto them selues more grieuous then darkenes.