The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased Written by Thomas Middleton |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
Chapter VIII.
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| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
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Chapter VIII.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased |  |
Chapter VIII.
[Verse 1]
Who is the Empresse of the worlds confine,
The Monarchesse of the foure cornerd earth,
The Princesse of the seas, life without fine,
Commixer of delight with sorowes mirth:
What soueraigne is shee which euer raignes,
Which Queene-like gouerns al, yet none cōstrains?
The Monarchesse of the foure cornerd earth,
The Princesse of the seas, life without fine,
Commixer of delight with sorowes mirth:
What soueraigne is shee which euer raignes,
Which Queene-like gouerns al, yet none cōstrains?
Wisedome, ô flie my spirit with that word,
Wisedome, ô lodge my spirit in that name,
Fly soule vnto the mansion of her lord,
Although thy wings be sindged in her flame:
Tell her my blacknes doth admire her beautie,
Ile marie her in loue, serue her in dutie.
Wisedome, ô lodge my spirit in that name,
Fly soule vnto the mansion of her lord,
Although thy wings be sindged in her flame:
Tell her my blacknes doth admire her beautie,
Ile marie her in loue, serue her in dutie.
Uerse 2
If marry hel; God is my father God,
Christ is my brother, Angells are my kin,
The earth my dowrie, heauen my aboade,
My rule the world, my life without my sin:
Shee is the daughter of immortall Ioue,
My wife in heart, in thought, in soule, in loue.
Christ is my brother, Angells are my kin,
The earth my dowrie, heauen my aboade,
My rule the world, my life without my sin:
Shee is the daughter of immortall Ioue,
My wife in heart, in thought, in soule, in loue.
Happy for euer hee that thought in hart,
Happy for euer he that heart in thought,
Happy the soule of both which beares both part,
Happy that loue which thoght, hart, soule, hath sought;
The name of loue is happiest, for I loue her,
Soule, heart, and thoughts, loues agents are to proue her.
Happy for euer he that heart in thought,
Happy the soule of both which beares both part,
Happy that loue which thoght, hart, soule, hath sought;
The name of loue is happiest, for I loue her,
Soule, heart, and thoughts, loues agents are to proue her.
Uer. 3
Ye parents that would haue your children rulde,
Here may they be instructed, rulde and taught:
Ye children that would haue your parents schoolde,
Feeding their wanton thirst with follies draught;
See here the schoole of discipline erected,
See here how yong and old are both corrected.
Here may they be instructed, rulde and taught:
Ye children that would haue your parents schoolde,
Feeding their wanton thirst with follies draught;
See here the schoole of discipline erected,
See here how yong and old are both corrected.
Children, this is the Mistris of your blisse,
Your schoolemistris reformer of your liues,
Parents, you that do speake, thinke, do amisse,
Heres she, which loues, and lifes direction giues:
She teacheth that which God knowes to be true,
She chuseth that, which God would chuse for you.
Your schoolemistris reformer of your liues,
Parents, you that do speake, thinke, do amisse,
Heres she, which loues, and lifes direction giues:
She teacheth that which God knowes to be true,
She chuseth that, which God would chuse for you.
Verse 4
What is our birth? poore, naked, needy, cold,
What is our life? poore as our birth hath beene:
What is our age? forlorne in being old.
What is our end? as our beginnings scene:
Our birth, our life, our age, our end is poore,
what birth, what life, what age, what end hath more
What is our life? poore as our birth hath beene:
What is our age? forlorne in being old.
What is our end? as our beginnings scene:
Our birth, our life, our age, our end is poore,
what birth, what life, what age, what end hath more
Made rich it is with vanities vaine show,
If wanting wisedome it is follies game,
Or like a bended, or vnbended bow,
Ill fortunes scoffe it is, good fortunes shame:
If wisedome be the riches of thy minde,
Then can thy fortune see, not seeing blinde.
If wanting wisedome it is follies game,
Or like a bended, or vnbended bow,
Ill fortunes scoffe it is, good fortunes shame:
If wisedome be the riches of thy minde,
Then can thy fortune see, not seeing blinde.
Uerse 5 6
Then if good fortune doth begin thy state,
Ill fortune cannot end what she begins,
Thy fate at first will still remaine thy fate,
Thy conduct vnto ioyes, not vnto sins:
If thou the bridegroome art, wisedome the bride,
Ill fortune cannot swimme against thy tide.
Ill fortune cannot end what she begins,
Thy fate at first will still remaine thy fate,
Thy conduct vnto ioyes, not vnto sins:
If thou the bridegroome art, wisedome the bride,
Ill fortune cannot swimme against thy tide.
Thou marrying her, dost marry more than she,
Thy portion is not faculties, but blisse,
Thou needst not teaching, for she teacheth thee,
Nor no reformer she thy mistris is,
The lesson which she giues thee for thy learning,
Is euery vertues loue, and sins deseruing.
Thy portion is not faculties, but blisse,
Thou needst not teaching, for she teacheth thee,
Nor no reformer she thy mistris is,
The lesson which she giues thee for thy learning,
Is euery vertues loue, and sins deseruing.
Verse 7
Dost thou desire experience for to know?
Why how can she be lesse than what she is?
The growth of knowlege doth from wisdome grow,
The growth of wisedome is in knowing this:
Wisedome can tell all things, what things are past,
What done, what vndone, what are doing last.
Why how can she be lesse than what she is?
The growth of knowlege doth from wisdome grow,
The growth of wisedome is in knowing this:
Wisedome can tell all things, what things are past,
What done, what vndone, what are doing last.
Nay more, what things are come, what are to come,
Or words, or works, or shews, or actions,
In her braines table-booke she hath the summe,
And knowes darke sentences solutions:
She knowes what signes and wonders will ensue,
And when successe of seasons will be new.
Or words, or works, or shews, or actions,
In her braines table-booke she hath the summe,
And knowes darke sentences solutions:
She knowes what signes and wonders will ensue,
And when successe of seasons will be new.
Uer. 8
Who would not be a bridegroome? who not wed?
Who would not haue a bride so wise, so faire?
Who would not lie in such a peacefull bed?
Whose canopy is heau'n, whose shade the aire:
How can it be that any of the skies
Can there be missing, where heau'ns kingdom lies?
Who would not haue a bride so wise, so faire?
Who would not lie in such a peacefull bed?
Whose canopy is heau'n, whose shade the aire:
How can it be that any of the skies
Can there be missing, where heau'ns kingdom lies?
If care-sicke, I am comforted with ioy,
If surfeting on ioy, she bids me care,
Shee sayes that ouermuch will soone annoy,
Too much of ioy, too much of sorrowes fare:
She alwayes counsels me to keepe a meane,
And not with ioy too fat, with griefe too leane.
If surfeting on ioy, she bids me care,
Shee sayes that ouermuch will soone annoy,
Too much of ioy, too much of sorrowes fare:
She alwayes counsels me to keepe a meane,
And not with ioy too fat, with griefe too leane.
Verse 9
Faine would the shrub growe by the highest tree,
Faine would the mushrome kisse the cedars barke:
Faine would the seely worme a sporting be,
Faine would the sparrow imitate the larke:
Though I a tender shrub, a mushrome be,
Yet couet I the honour of a tree.
Faine would the mushrome kisse the cedars barke:
Faine would the seely worme a sporting be,
Faine would the sparrow imitate the larke:
Though I a tender shrub, a mushrome be,
Yet couet I the honour of a tree.
And may I not? may not the blossoms bud?
Doth not the little seed make eares of corne?
Doth not a sprig (in time) beare greatest wood?
Doth not yong eu'nings make an elder morne?
For wisedomes sake, I know, though be yong
I shall haue praises from my elders tongue.
Doth not the little seed make eares of corne?
Doth not a sprig (in time) beare greatest wood?
Doth not yong eu'nings make an elder morne?
For wisedomes sake, I know, though be yong
I shall haue praises from my elders tongue.
Uerse 10
And as my growth doth rise, so shall my wit,
And as my wit doth rise, so shall my growth,
In wit I growe, both growths grow to be fit,
Both fitting in one growth, be fittest both:
Experience followes age, and nature youth,
Some aged be in wit, though yong in ruth.
And as my wit doth rise, so shall my growth,
In wit I growe, both growths grow to be fit,
Both fitting in one growth, be fittest both:
Experience followes age, and nature youth,
Some aged be in wit, though yong in ruth.
The wisedome which I haue, springs from aboue,
The wisedome from aboue, is that I haue,
Her I adore, I reuerence, I loue,
Shee's my pure soule, lockt in my bodies graue:
The iudgement which I vse, from her proceedes,
Which makes me maruelld at in all my deedes.
The wisedome from aboue, is that I haue,
Her I adore, I reuerence, I loue,
Shee's my pure soule, lockt in my bodies graue:
The iudgement which I vse, from her proceedes,
Which makes me maruelld at in all my deedes.
Verse 11
Although mute silence tie my iudgements tongue,
Sad secretarie of dumbe action,
Yet shall they giue me place though I be yong,
And stay my leisures satisfaction:
Euen as a iudge which keeps his iudgements mute,
When clients haue no answer of their sute.
Sad secretarie of dumbe action,
Yet shall they giue me place though I be yong,
And stay my leisures satisfaction:
Euen as a iudge which keeps his iudgements mute,
When clients haue no answer of their sute.
But if the closure of my mouth vnmeetes,
And diues within the freedome of my words,
They like petitioners tongues welcome greetes,
And with attentiue eare heares my accords:
But if my words into no limites goe,
Their speech shall ebbe, mine in their ebbing flow.
And diues within the freedome of my words,
They like petitioners tongues welcome greetes,
And with attentiue eare heares my accords:
But if my words into no limites goe,
Their speech shall ebbe, mine in their ebbing flow.
Uerse 12
And what of this vaine world, vaine hope vaine show
Vaine glory seated in a shade of praise,
Mortalities descent, and follies flow,
The badge of vanity, the houre of daies,
What glory is it for to be a King,
When care is crowne, and crown is fortunes sling?
Vaine glory seated in a shade of praise,
Mortalities descent, and follies flow,
The badge of vanity, the houre of daies,
What glory is it for to be a King,
When care is crowne, and crown is fortunes sling?
Wisedome is immortalities alline,
And immortalitie is wisedomes gaine,
By her the heauens lineage is mine,
By her I immortalitie obtaine,
The earth is made immortall in my name,
The heau'ns are made immortall in my fame.
And immortalitie is wisedomes gaine,
By her the heauens lineage is mine,
By her I immortalitie obtaine,
The earth is made immortall in my name,
The heau'ns are made immortall in my fame.
Uer. 13 14
Two spatious orbes of two as spatious climes,
Shall be the heritage which I possesse,
My rule in heau'n, directing earthly times,
My raigne in earth, commencing earths redresse,
One king made two, one crowne a double crowne,
One rule two rules, one fame a twice renowne.
Shall be the heritage which I possesse,
My rule in heau'n, directing earthly times,
My raigne in earth, commencing earths redresse,
One king made two, one crowne a double crowne,
One rule two rules, one fame a twice renowne.
What heauen is this, which euery thought containes,
Wisedome my heau'n, my heau'n is wisedoms heau'n,
What earth is this, wherein my bodie raines?
Wisedome my earth, all rule from wisedome giu'n:
Through her I rule, through her I do subdue,
Through hir I raigne, through hir my empire grew.
Wisedome my heau'n, my heau'n is wisedoms heau'n,
What earth is this, wherein my bodie raines?
Wisedome my earth, all rule from wisedome giu'n:
Through her I rule, through her I do subdue,
Through hir I raigne, through hir my empire grew.
Verse 15
A rule, not tyrannie, a raigne, not blood,
An empire, not a slaughter house of liues,
A crowne, not crueltie in furies moode,
A Scepter which restores, and not depriues:
All made to make a peace and not a warre,
By wisedome concords Queene, and discords barre.
An empire, not a slaughter house of liues,
A crowne, not crueltie in furies moode,
A Scepter which restores, and not depriues:
All made to make a peace and not a warre,
By wisedome concords Queene, and discords barre.
The coldest worde oft cooles the hottest threat,
The tyrants menaces, the calmes of peace,
Two coldes augmenteth one, two heates one heat,
And makes both too extreame, when both encrease:
My peacefull raigne shall conquer tyrants force,
Not armes, but wordes, not battaile, but remorce,
The tyrants menaces, the calmes of peace,
Two coldes augmenteth one, two heates one heat,
And makes both too extreame, when both encrease:
My peacefull raigne shall conquer tyrants force,
Not armes, but wordes, not battaile, but remorce,
Uerse 16
Yet mightie shall I be though warre in peace,
Strong though abilitie hath left his clime,
And good, because my warres and battails cease,
Or at the least lie smothered in their prime:
The sence once digged vp with feares amaze,
Doth rage vntam'd with follies senceles gaze.
Strong though abilitie hath left his clime,
And good, because my warres and battails cease,
Or at the least lie smothered in their prime:
The sence once digged vp with feares amaze,
Doth rage vntam'd with follies senceles gaze.
If wisedome doth not harbour in delight,
It breakes the outward passage of the minde,
Therfore I place my war in wisedomes might,
Whose heauie labours easie harbours finde:
Her company is pleasure, mirth, and ioy,
Not bitternes, not mourning, not annoy,
It breakes the outward passage of the minde,
Therfore I place my war in wisedomes might,
Whose heauie labours easie harbours finde:
Her company is pleasure, mirth, and ioy,
Not bitternes, not mourning, not annoy,
Uer. 17 18
When euery thought was ballanced by weight
Within the concaue of my bodies scale,
My heart and soule did holde the ballance streight,
To see what thoght was ioy, what thoght was waile:
But when I saw that griefe did weigh down plesure,
I put in wisedome to augment her treasure.
Within the concaue of my bodies scale,
My heart and soule did holde the ballance streight,
To see what thoght was ioy, what thoght was waile:
But when I saw that griefe did weigh down plesure,
I put in wisedome to augment her treasure.
Wisedome the weight of immortallitie,
Wisedome the ballance of all happinesse,
Wisedome the weigher of felicitie,
Wisedome the Paragon of blessednesse:
When in her hands there lies such plenties store,
Needs must her heart haue twice as much and more.
Wisedome the ballance of all happinesse,
Wisedome the weigher of felicitie,
Wisedome the Paragon of blessednesse:
When in her hands there lies such plenties store,
Needs must her heart haue twice as much and more.
Uer. 19 20
Her hart haue I conioyned with hir hand,
Her hand hath she conioyned with my hart,
Two soules, one soule, two hearts, one bodyes band,
And two hands made of foure, by amours art:
Was I not wise in chusing earthly life?
Nay wise, thrice wise, in chusing such a wife?
Her hand hath she conioyned with my hart,
Two soules, one soule, two hearts, one bodyes band,
And two hands made of foure, by amours art:
Was I not wise in chusing earthly life?
Nay wise, thrice wise, in chusing such a wife?
Was I not good? good; then the sooner bad,
Bad, because earth is full of wickednes,
Because my body is with vices clad,
Anotomy of my sins heauines:
As doth vnseemely clothes make the skin foule,
So the sin-inked body blots the soule.
Bad, because earth is full of wickednes,
Because my body is with vices clad,
Anotomy of my sins heauines:
As doth vnseemely clothes make the skin foule,
So the sin-inked body blots the soule.
Verse 21
Thus lay my hart plung'd in destructions mire,
Thus lay my soule bespotted with my sin,
Thus lay my selfe consum'd in my desire,
Thus lay all parts ensnared in one gin:
At last my hart mounting aboue the mud,
Lay betweene hope and death, mischiefe, and good.
Thus lay my soule bespotted with my sin,
Thus lay my selfe consum'd in my desire,
Thus lay all parts ensnared in one gin:
At last my hart mounting aboue the mud,
Lay betweene hope and death, mischiefe, and good.
Thus panting ignorant to liue or die,
To rise or fall, to stand or else to sinke,
I cast a fainting looke vnto the skie,
And sawe the thought, which my poore hart did think
Wisdome my thought at whose seene sight I prai'd,
And with my hart, my minde, my soule, I said.
To rise or fall, to stand or else to sinke,
I cast a fainting looke vnto the skie,
And sawe the thought, which my poore hart did think
Wisdome my thought at whose seene sight I prai'd,
And with my hart, my minde, my soule, I said.
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Chapter VIII.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased | |