Wisdom of Solomon 2
GNV1560Tap a verse number to view it individually, or to play chapter audio from that verse when it’s loaded. Tap any word for its 1828 dictionary definition.
1FOr the vngodlie say, as they falsely imagine with them selues, Our life is shorte and tedious: and in the death of a man there is no recouerie, nether was any knowen that hathe returned from the graue. 2For we are borne at all aduenture, and we shalbe hereafter as thogh we had neuer bene: for the breth is a smoke in our nostrels, and the wordes as a sparke raised out of our heart. 3Which being extinguished, the body is turned into ashes, and the spirit vanisheth as the soft aire. 4Our life shal passe away as the trace of a cloude, & come to naught as the mist that is driuen away with the beaumes of the sunne, and cast downe with the heat thereof. Our name also shalbe forgotten in time, and no man shal haue our workes in remembrance. 5For our time is as a shadowe that passeth away, and after our end there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man cometh againe. 6Come therefore, and let vs enioye the pleasures, that are present, & let vs cherefully vse the creatures as in youth. 7Let vs fill our selues with costlie wine and ointements, and let not the floure of life passe by vs. 8Let vs crowne our selues with rose buddes afore they be withered. 9Let vs all be partakers of our wantonnes: let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euerie place: for that is our porcion, and this is our lotte. 10Let vs oppresse the poore, that is righteous: let vs not spare the widdowe, nor reuerence the white heeres of the aged, that haue liued many yeres. 11Let our strength be the lawe of vnrighteousnes: for the thing that is feble, is reproued as vnprofitable. 12Therefore let vs defraude the righteous: for he is not for our profite, & he is contrarie to our doings: he checketh vs for offending against the Lawe, and blameth vs as transgressours of discipline. 13He maketh his boaste to haue the knowledge of God: and he calleth him self the sonne of the Lord. 14He is made to reproue our thoghts. 15It grieueth vs also to loke vpon him: for his life is not like other mens: his waies are of another facion. 16He counteth vs as bastardes, and he withdraweth him self from our waies as from filthines: he commendeth greatly the latter end of the iust, and boasteth that God is his father. 17Let vs se then if his wordes be true: let vs proue what end he shal haue. 18For if the righteous man be the sonne of God, he wil helpe him, & deliuer him from the hands of his enemies. 19Let vs examine him with rebukes and torments, that we may knowe his mekenes, and proue his pacience. 20Let vs condemne him vnto a shameful death: for he shal be preserued as he him self saith. 21Suche things do they imagine, and go astraye: for their owne wickednes hathe blinded them. 22And they do not vnderstand the mysteries of God, nether hope for the rewa de of righteousnes, nor can discerne the honour of the soules that are fauteles. 23For God created man without corruption, and made him after the image of his owne likenes. 24Neuertheles, thorow enuy of the deuil came death into the worlde: and they that holde of his side, proue it.