Content

CAP 5
1 Thanne iust men schulen stonde in greet stidfastnesse ayens hem that angwischiden `iust men, and whiche token awei her trauelis.
2 Thei schulen se, and schulen be disturblyd with orrible drede, and thei schulen wondre in the sudeynte of heelthe vnhopid; and thei schulen weile for angwisch of spirit,
3 and thei schulen seie, doynge penaunce withynne hem silf, and weilyng for the angwysch of spirit, These men it ben, whiche we hadden sum tyme in to scorn, and in to licnesse of vpbreidyng.
4 We woode men gessiden her lijf woodnesse, and the ende of hem with oute onour;
5 hou therfor ben thei rekened among the sones of God, and her part is among seyntis?
6 Therfor we erriden fro the weie of treuthe, and the liyt of riytfulnesse schynede not to us, and the sunne of vndurstondyng roos not vp to us.
7 We weren maad weri in the weie of wickidnesse and of perdicioun; and we yeden hard weies.
8 But we knewen not the weie of the Lord; what profitide pride to vs, ethir what brouyte the boost of richessis to vs?
9 All tho thingis passiden as schadewe, and as a messanger bifore rennynge.
10 And as a schip, that passith thorou the flowynge watir, of which whanne it hath passid, it is not to fynde a step, nethir the path of the botme therof in wawys.
11 Ethir as a bryd, that flieth ouer in the eir, of which no preef is foundun of the weie therof, but oneli the sown of wengis betynge liyt wynde, and keruynge the eir by the myyt of weie, and with wyngis moued togidere it flei ouer, and aftir this no signe is foundun of the weie therof.
12 Ethir as an arowe shot out in to a place ordeyned, the eir is departid, and is closid ayen anoon, that the passyng therof be not knowun.
13 `So and we borun ceessiden anoon to be, and sotheli we myyten schewe no signe of vertu; but we weren wastid in oure malice.
14 Thei that synneden, seiden siche thingis in helle.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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.
18 And his feruent loue schal take armure, and he schal arme the creature to the venieaunce of enemyes.
19 He schal clothe riytfulnesse for an haburioun, and he schal take certeyn doom for a basynet;
20 he schal take a scheeld that may not be ouercomun, equyte;
21 forsothe he schal whette hard wraththe in to a spere, and the world schal fiyte with him ayens vnwitti men.
22 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.
23 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.
24 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.