The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased Written by Thomas Middleton |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
Chapter VII.
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| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
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Chapter VII.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased |  |
Chapter VII.
Uerse 1
What am I? man, oh what is man? oh nought,
What am I? nought, yes, what? sin & debate,
Three vices all in one, of one life bought,
Man am I not, what then? I am mans hate:
Yes man I am, man, because mortall, dead,
Mortalitie my guide, by mischiefe led.
What am I? nought, yes, what? sin & debate,
Three vices all in one, of one life bought,
Man am I not, what then? I am mans hate:
Yes man I am, man, because mortall, dead,
Mortalitie my guide, by mischiefe led.
Man, because like to man, man, because borne,
In birth no man, a child, child, because weake,
Weake, because weakned by ill fortunes scorne,
Scorn'd, because mortall, mortall, in wrongs reake:
My father like my selfe did liue on earth,
I like my selfe, and him, folow his birth.
In birth no man, a child, child, because weake,
Weake, because weakned by ill fortunes scorne,
Scorn'd, because mortall, mortall, in wrongs reake:
My father like my selfe did liue on earth,
I like my selfe, and him, folow his birth.
Verse 2
My mothers matrice was my bodies maker,
There had I this same shape of infamies,
Shape, ah no shape, but substance mischiefes taker,
In ten months fashion; months, ah miseries,
The shame of shape, the very shape of shame,
Calamitie my selfe lament my name.
There had I this same shape of infamies,
Shape, ah no shape, but substance mischiefes taker,
In ten months fashion; months, ah miseries,
The shame of shape, the very shape of shame,
Calamitie my selfe lament my name.
I was conceiude with seede, deceiude with sin,
Deceiude, because my seede was sins deceit,
My seede deceit, because it closde me in,
Hemd me about, for sins and mischiefes baite:
The seede of man did bring me into blood,
And now I bring my selfe, in what? no good.
Deceiude, because my seede was sins deceit,
My seede deceit, because it closde me in,
Hemd me about, for sins and mischiefes baite:
The seede of man did bring me into blood,
And now I bring my selfe, in what? no good.
Uerse 3
When I was borne, when I was, then I was,
Borne? when? yet borne I was, but now I beare,
Beare mine owne vices, which my ioyes surpasse,
Beare mine owne burden full of mischiefes feare:
When I was borne, I did not beare lament,
But now vnborne, I beare what birth hath spent.
Borne? when? yet borne I was, but now I beare,
Beare mine owne vices, which my ioyes surpasse,
Beare mine owne burden full of mischiefes feare:
When I was borne, I did not beare lament,
But now vnborne, I beare what birth hath spent.
When I was borne, my breath was borne to mee,
The common aire which aires my bodies forme,
Then fell I on the earth with feeble knee,
Lamenting for my lifes ill fortunes storme:
Making my selfe the index of my woe,
Commencing what I could, ere I could goe.
The common aire which aires my bodies forme,
Then fell I on the earth with feeble knee,
Lamenting for my lifes ill fortunes storme:
Making my selfe the index of my woe,
Commencing what I could, ere I could goe.
Uerse 4 5
Fed was I with lament as well as meat,
My milke was sweet, but teares did make it sower,
Meat and lament, milke and my teares I eat,
As bitter herbs commixt with sweetest flower:
Care was my swadling clothes as well as cloth,
For I was swadled, and clothed in both.
My milke was sweet, but teares did make it sower,
Meat and lament, milke and my teares I eat,
As bitter herbs commixt with sweetest flower:
Care was my swadling clothes as well as cloth,
For I was swadled, and clothed in both.
Why do I make my selfe more then I am?
Why say I, I am nourished with cares,
When euery one is clothed with the same,
Sith as I fare my selfe, another fares?
No King had any other birth then I,
But waild his fortune with a watry eye.
Why say I, I am nourished with cares,
When euery one is clothed with the same,
Sith as I fare my selfe, another fares?
No King had any other birth then I,
But waild his fortune with a watry eye.
Verse 6
Say what is mirth, an entrance vnto woe,
Say what is woe, an entrance vnto mirth,
That which begins with ioy doth not end so,
These go by chaunge, because a changing birth:
Our birth is as our death, both barren, bare,
Our entrance waile, our going out with care.
Say what is woe, an entrance vnto mirth,
That which begins with ioy doth not end so,
These go by chaunge, because a changing birth:
Our birth is as our death, both barren, bare,
Our entrance waile, our going out with care.
Naked we came, into the world as naked,
Wee had nor wealth nor riches to possesse,
Now differ we, which difference riches maked,
Yet in the end we naked nerethelesse:
As our beginning is, so is our end,
Naked and poore, which needs no wealth to spend.
Wee had nor wealth nor riches to possesse,
Now differ we, which difference riches maked,
Yet in the end we naked nerethelesse:
As our beginning is, so is our end,
Naked and poore, which needs no wealth to spend.
Uerse 7
Thus weighing in the ballance of my minde,
My state, all states, my birth, all births alike,
My meditated passions could not finde,
One freed thought which sorrow did not strike:
But knowing euery ill is curde by praier,
My minde besought the Lord my griefes allaier.
My state, all states, my birth, all births alike,
My meditated passions could not finde,
One freed thought which sorrow did not strike:
But knowing euery ill is curde by praier,
My minde besought the Lord my griefes allaier.
Wherefore I prayde, my praier tooke effect,
And my effect was good, my good was gaine,
My gaine was sacred wisedomes bright aspect,
And her aspect in my respect did raigne:
Wisedome that heau'nly spirit of content,
Was vnto me from heau'n by praier sent.
And my effect was good, my good was gaine,
My gaine was sacred wisedomes bright aspect,
And her aspect in my respect did raigne:
Wisedome that heau'nly spirit of content,
Was vnto me from heau'n by praier sent.
Uerse 8
A present far more worthy then a crowne,
Because the crowne of an eternall rest,
A present far more worthie then a throne,
Because the throne of heau'n, which makes vs blest:
The crowne of blisse, the throne of God is shee,
Compared vnto heau'n, not earth to thee.
Because the crowne of an eternall rest,
A present far more worthie then a throne,
Because the throne of heau'n, which makes vs blest:
The crowne of blisse, the throne of God is shee,
Compared vnto heau'n, not earth to thee.
Her foot-stoole is thy face, her face thy shame,
Thy shame her liuing praise, her praise thy scorne,
Thy scorne her loue, her loue thy merits blame,
Thy blame her worth, her worth thy being borne:
Thy selfe art drosse to her comparison,
Thy valour weake vnto her garison.
Thy shame her liuing praise, her praise thy scorne,
Thy scorne her loue, her loue thy merits blame,
Thy blame her worth, her worth thy being borne:
Thy selfe art drosse to her comparison,
Thy valour weake vnto her garison.
Uerse 9
To liken gold vnto her radiant face,
Were likening day to night, and night to day,
The Kings high seat, to the low subiects place,
And heau'ns translucent breast, to earthly way:
For what is golde? her scorne, her scorne? her ire,
Melting that drosse, with nought but angers fire.
Were likening day to night, and night to day,
The Kings high seat, to the low subiects place,
And heau'ns translucent breast, to earthly way:
For what is golde? her scorne, her scorne? her ire,
Melting that drosse, with nought but angers fire.
In her respect tis dust, in her aspects
Earth, in respect of her tis little grauell,
As dust, as earth, as grauell she reiects,
The hope, the gaine, the sight, the price, the trauell:
Siluer, because inferiour to the other
Is clay, which two she in one looke doth smother.
Earth, in respect of her tis little grauell,
As dust, as earth, as grauell she reiects,
The hope, the gaine, the sight, the price, the trauell:
Siluer, because inferiour to the other
Is clay, which two she in one looke doth smother.
Verse 10
Her sight I called health, her selfe my beautie,
Health as my life, and beautie as my light,
Each in performance of the others dutie,
This curing griefe, this leading me aright:
Two soueraigne eies, belonging to two places,
This guides the soule, and this the body graces.
Health as my life, and beautie as my light,
Each in performance of the others dutie,
This curing griefe, this leading me aright:
Two soueraigne eies, belonging to two places,
This guides the soule, and this the body graces.
The heart sicke soule, is cur'd by heart-strong health,
The heart-strong health, is the soules brightest eye,
The heart-sick body heal'd by beauties wealth,
Two sunnie windolets of eithers skie,
Whose beames cannot be clouded by reproach,
Nor yet dismounted from so bright a coach.
The heart-strong health, is the soules brightest eye,
The heart-sick body heal'd by beauties wealth,
Two sunnie windolets of eithers skie,
Whose beames cannot be clouded by reproach,
Nor yet dismounted from so bright a coach.
Uerse 11
What dowrie could I wish more then I haue?
What wealth, what honour, more then I possesse?
My soules request is mine, which I did craue,
For sole redresse in soule, I haue redresse:
The bodyly expences which I spend,
Is lent by her, which my delight doth lend.
What wealth, what honour, more then I possesse?
My soules request is mine, which I did craue,
For sole redresse in soule, I haue redresse:
The bodyly expences which I spend,
Is lent by her, which my delight doth lend.
Then I may call her author of my good,
Sith good and goods are portions for my loue,
I loue her well, who would not loue his food,
His ioyes maintatiner, which all woes remoue?
I richest am, because I doe possesse her,
I strongest am, in that none can oppresse her.
Sith good and goods are portions for my loue,
I loue her well, who would not loue his food,
His ioyes maintatiner, which all woes remoue?
I richest am, because I doe possesse her,
I strongest am, in that none can oppresse her.
Uerse 12
It made me glad to thinke that I was rich,
More gladder for to thinke that I was strong,
For lowest mindes do couet highest pitch,
As highest braues proceed from lowest tongue:
Her first arriuall first did make me glad,
Yet ignorant at first, first made me sad.
More gladder for to thinke that I was strong,
For lowest mindes do couet highest pitch,
As highest braues proceed from lowest tongue:
Her first arriuall first did make me glad,
Yet ignorant at first, first made me sad.
Ioyfull I was, because I sawe her power,
Wofull I was, because I knew her not,
Glad that her face was in mine eies lockt bower,
Sad that my senses neuer drew her plot
I knew not that she was discretions mother,
Though I profest my selfe to be her brother.
Wofull I was, because I knew her not,
Glad that her face was in mine eies lockt bower,
Sad that my senses neuer drew her plot
I knew not that she was discretions mother,
Though I profest my selfe to be her brother.
Uerse 13
Like a rash wooer feeding on the lookes,
Disgesting beauty apparitions show,
Viewing the painted out-side of the bookes,
And inward workes little regardes to know:
So I, feeding my fancies with her sight,
Forgot to make inquirie of her might.
Disgesting beauty apparitions show,
Viewing the painted out-side of the bookes,
And inward workes little regardes to know:
So I, feeding my fancies with her sight,
Forgot to make inquirie of her might.
Externall powers I knew, riches I had,
Internall powers I scarcely had discernd,
Vntainedly I learned to be glad,
Faining I hated, veritie I learnd:
I was not enuious, learned to forsake her.
But I was louing, learned for to take her.
Internall powers I scarcely had discernd,
Vntainedly I learned to be glad,
Faining I hated, veritie I learnd:
I was not enuious, learned to forsake her.
But I was louing, learned for to take her.
Uerse 14
And had I not, my treasure had bin lost,
My losse, my perills hazard had proclaimde,
My perill had my lifes destruction tost,
My lifes destruction at my soule had aimde:
Great perills hazarded from one poore losse,
As greatest filth doth come with smallest drosse.
My losse, my perills hazard had proclaimde,
My perill had my lifes destruction tost,
My lifes destruction at my soule had aimde:
Great perills hazarded from one poore losse,
As greatest filth doth come with smallest drosse.
This righteous treasure whoso rightly vseth,
Shall be an heire in heau'ns eternitie,
All earthly fruites her heretage excuseth,
All happinesse in her felicitie:
The loue of God consists in her embracing,
The gifts of knowledge in her wisedomes placing.
Shall be an heire in heau'ns eternitie,
All earthly fruites her heretage excuseth,
All happinesse in her felicitie:
The loue of God consists in her embracing,
The gifts of knowledge in her wisedomes placing.
Verse 15
I speake as I am prompted by my mind,
My soules chiefe agent, pleader of my cause,
I speake these things, and what I speake I finde,
By heau'ns iudgement, not mine owne applause:
God he is iudge, I next, because I haue her,
God he doth know, I next, because I craue her.
My soules chiefe agent, pleader of my cause,
I speake these things, and what I speake I finde,
By heau'ns iudgement, not mine owne applause:
God he is iudge, I next, because I haue her,
God he doth know, I next, because I craue her.
Should I direct, and God subuert my tongue,
I worthy were of an vnworthy name,
Vnworthy of my right, not of my wrong,
Vnworthy of my praise, not of my shame:
But seeing God directs my tongue from missing,
I rather looke for clapping than for hissing.
I worthy were of an vnworthy name,
Vnworthy of my right, not of my wrong,
Vnworthy of my praise, not of my shame:
But seeing God directs my tongue from missing,
I rather looke for clapping than for hissing.
Uerse 16
He is the prompter of my tongue and me,
My tongue doth vtter what his tongue applies,
He sets before my sight what I should see,
He breathes into my heart his verities:
He telles me what I thinke, or see, or heare,
His tongue a part, my tongue a part doth beare.
My tongue doth vtter what his tongue applies,
He sets before my sight what I should see,
He breathes into my heart his verities:
He telles me what I thinke, or see, or heare,
His tongue a part, my tongue a part doth beare.
Our wordes he knowes, in telling of our hearts,
Our hearts he knowes in telling of our words,
All in his hands, words, wisedome, workes, and arts,
And euery power which influence affords:
He knowes what we will speake, what we will doe,
And how our mindes and actions will goe.
Our hearts he knowes in telling of our words,
All in his hands, words, wisedome, workes, and arts,
And euery power which influence affords:
He knowes what we will speake, what we will doe,
And how our mindes and actions will goe.
Ver. 17 18
The wisedome which I haue, is heauens gift,
The knowledge which I haue, is Gods reward,
Both presents my fore-warned sences lift,
And of my preseruation had regard:
This teaches me to know, this to be wise,
Knowledge is wits, and wit is knowledge guise.
The knowledge which I haue, is Gods reward,
Both presents my fore-warned sences lift,
And of my preseruation had regard:
This teaches me to know, this to be wise,
Knowledge is wits, and wit is knowledge guise.
Now know I, how the world was first created,
How euery motion of the aire was framed,
How man was made, the diuells pride abated,
How times beginning, midst, and end was named:
now know I time, times chāge, times date, times sho
And when the seasons come, and when they goe.
How euery motion of the aire was framed,
How man was made, the diuells pride abated,
How times beginning, midst, and end was named:
now know I time, times chāge, times date, times sho
And when the seasons come, and when they goe.
Ver. 19 20
I know the chaunging courses of the yeares,
And the diuision of all differing climes,
The situation of the stars and spheres,
The flowing tides, and the flow-ebbing times:
I know that euery yeare hath his foure courses,
I know that euery course hath seuerall forces.
And the diuision of all differing climes,
The situation of the stars and spheres,
The flowing tides, and the flow-ebbing times:
I know that euery yeare hath his foure courses,
I know that euery course hath seuerall forces.
I know that nature is in euery thing,
Beasts furious, winds rough, men wicked are,
whose thoghts their scurge, whose deeds their iugmēts sting,
Whose words and works their perill, and their care,
I know that euery plant hath difference,
I know that euery roote hath influence.
Beasts furious, winds rough, men wicked are,
whose thoghts their scurge, whose deeds their iugmēts sting,
Whose words and works their perill, and their care,
I know that euery plant hath difference,
I know that euery roote hath influence.
Verse 21
True knowledge haue I got in knowing truth,
True wisedome purchased in wisest wit,
A knowledge fitting age, wit fitting youth,
Which makes me yong, though olde with gaine of it;
True knowledge haue I, and true wisedomes store,
True hap, true hope, what wish, what wold I more?
True wisedome purchased in wisest wit,
A knowledge fitting age, wit fitting youth,
Which makes me yong, though olde with gaine of it;
True knowledge haue I, and true wisedomes store,
True hap, true hope, what wish, what wold I more?
Known things I needs must know, sith not vnknown,
My care is knowledge, she doth heare for me,
All secrets know I more because not showne,
My wisedome secret is, and her I see;
Knowledge hath taught me how to heare knowne causes
Wisedome hath taught me secrecies applauses.
My care is knowledge, she doth heare for me,
All secrets know I more because not showne,
My wisedome secret is, and her I see;
Knowledge hath taught me how to heare knowne causes
Wisedome hath taught me secrecies applauses.
Uer. 22 23
Knowledge and wisedome knowne in wisest things,
Is reasons mate, discretions centinell,
More then a trine of ioyes, from vertues springs,
More then one vnion, yet in vnion dwell,
One for to guide the spring, sommer the other,
One haruests nurse, the other winters mother.
Is reasons mate, discretions centinell,
More then a trine of ioyes, from vertues springs,
More then one vnion, yet in vnion dwell,
One for to guide the spring, sommer the other,
One haruests nurse, the other winters mother.
Foure mounts, and foure high mounters, all foure one,
One holy vnion, one begotten life,
One manifolde affection, yet alone,
All one in peaces rest, all none in strife:
Sure, stable, without care, hauing all power,
Not hurtfull, doing good, (as one all foure.)
One holy vnion, one begotten life,
One manifolde affection, yet alone,
All one in peaces rest, all none in strife:
Sure, stable, without care, hauing all power,
Not hurtfull, doing good, (as one all foure.)
Verse 24
This peacefull army of foure knitted soules,
Is marching vnto peaces endles warre,
Their weapons are discretions written roules,
Their quarrell, loue, and amitie their iarre:
Wisedome directorlis, captaine, and guide,
All other take their places, side by side.
Is marching vnto peaces endles warre,
Their weapons are discretions written roules,
Their quarrell, loue, and amitie their iarre:
Wisedome directorlis, captaine, and guide,
All other take their places, side by side.
Wisedome deuides the conflict of her peace,
Into foure squadrons, of foure mutuall loues,
Each bent to war, and neuer meanes to cease,
Her wings of shot her disputation moues:
Shee warres vnseene, and pacifies vnseene,
Shee is wars victory, yet peaces Queene.
Into foure squadrons, of foure mutuall loues,
Each bent to war, and neuer meanes to cease,
Her wings of shot her disputation moues:
Shee warres vnseene, and pacifies vnseene,
Shee is wars victory, yet peaces Queene.
Uerse 25
Shee is the martiall trumpet of alarmes,
And yet the quiet rest in peaces night,
Shee guideth martiall troupes, she honours armes,
Yet ioyns she fight with peace, and peace with fight:
Shee is the breath of Gods and heauens power,
Yet peaces nurse, in being peaces flower.
And yet the quiet rest in peaces night,
Shee guideth martiall troupes, she honours armes,
Yet ioyns she fight with peace, and peace with fight:
Shee is the breath of Gods and heauens power,
Yet peaces nurse, in being peaces flower.
A flowing in of that which ebbeth out,
An ebbing out of that which floweth in,
Presumption she doth hate, in being stout,
Humilitie though poore her fauours win:
Shee is the influence of heauens flow,
No filth doth follow her, where ere shee goe.
An ebbing out of that which floweth in,
Presumption she doth hate, in being stout,
Humilitie though poore her fauours win:
Shee is the influence of heauens flow,
No filth doth follow her, where ere shee goe.
Uerse 26
Shee is that spring, which neuer hath an ebbe,
That siluer-coloured brooke, which hath no mud,
That loome, which weaues, and neuer cuts the webbe,
That tree which growes, and neuer leaues to bud:
Shee constant is, vnconstancie her foe,
Shee doth nor flow and ebbe, nor come and goe.
That siluer-coloured brooke, which hath no mud,
That loome, which weaues, and neuer cuts the webbe,
That tree which growes, and neuer leaues to bud:
Shee constant is, vnconstancie her foe,
Shee doth nor flow and ebbe, nor come and goe.
Phœbus doth weepe, when watrie cloudes approach,
Shee keeps her brightnes euerlastingly,
Phœbe, when Phœbus shines forsakes nights coach,
Hir day is night and day immortally:
The vndefiled mirrour of renowne,
The image of Gods power, her vertues crowne.
Shee keeps her brightnes euerlastingly,
Phœbe, when Phœbus shines forsakes nights coach,
Hir day is night and day immortally:
The vndefiled mirrour of renowne,
The image of Gods power, her vertues crowne.
Uer. 27 28
Discretion, knowledge, wit, and reasons skill,
All foure are places in one only grace,
They wisedome are, obedient to her will,
All foure are one, one in all foures place:
And wisedome being one, she can do all,
Sith one hath foure, all subiect to one call.
All foure are places in one only grace,
They wisedome are, obedient to her will,
All foure are one, one in all foures place:
And wisedome being one, she can do all,
Sith one hath foure, all subiect to one call.
Her selfe remaining selfe, the world renewes,
Renewing ages with perpetuall youth,
Entring into the soules, which death pursues,
Making thē Gods friends, which were frends to truth.
If wisedome doth not harbour in thy minde,
God loues thee not, and that thy soule shall finde.
Renewing ages with perpetuall youth,
Entring into the soules, which death pursues,
Making thē Gods friends, which were frends to truth.
If wisedome doth not harbour in thy minde,
God loues thee not, and that thy soule shall finde.
Ver. 29 30
For how canst thou be lead without thy light,
How can thy eyles soule direct her way,
If wanting her, which guides thy steps aright,
Thy steps from night into a path of day?
More beautifull then is the eye of heau'n,
Guilding her selfe with her selfe-changing steau'n.
How can thy eyles soule direct her way,
If wanting her, which guides thy steps aright,
Thy steps from night into a path of day?
More beautifull then is the eye of heau'n,
Guilding her selfe with her selfe-changing steau'n.
The stars are twinckling handmaides to the moone,
Both moone and stars, handmaids to wisdomes sunne,
These shine at middest night, this at mid-noone,
Each new begins their light, when each hath done:
Pale-mantled night, followes red-mantled day,
Vice followes both, but to her owne decay.
Both moone and stars, handmaids to wisdomes sunne,
These shine at middest night, this at mid-noone,
Each new begins their light, when each hath done:
Pale-mantled night, followes red-mantled day,
Vice followes both, but to her owne decay.
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Chapter VII.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased | |