Du Bartas His Divine Weekes And Workes with A Compleate Collectio[n] of all the other most delight-full Workes: Translated and written by yt famous Philomusus: Iosvah Sylvester |
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Th' old Thæmanite, as mou'd withall, replies:
Can Man, to God (as to Him-selfe, the Wise)
Be profitable? Any pleasure is't
Vnto the Lord, if Righteous Thou persist?
If Thou be iust, if perfect, and vpright;
Is God the better? Gaines th'Almighty by't?
For feare of Thee, will He reproue thee (strict)
Enter in Iudgement, and thee thus afflict?
Is not thy Sin great and thy Wickedness;
And infinite thy foule Vnrighteousness?
Can Man, to God (as to Him-selfe, the Wise)
Be profitable? Any pleasure is't
Vnto the Lord, if Righteous Thou persist?
If Thou be iust, if perfect, and vpright;
Is God the better? Gaines th'Almighty by't?
For feare of Thee, will He reproue thee (strict)
Enter in Iudgement, and thee thus afflict?
Is not thy Sin great and thy Wickedness;
And infinite thy foule Vnrighteousness?
Yes: Thou hast ta'en thy Brothers Pledge for nothing,
And stripped euen the Naked of their Clothing:
Thou hast not giuen the wearie Drink, at need;
Nor to the Hungry, wherewithall to feed:
The Eminent and Mighty had their fill:
They held the Earth, and swayd thee at their will:
But silly Widowes hast thou empty packt;
And th'armes of Orphans haue bin crusht and crackt.
Thence is it, now, that Snares beset thee round,
And sodain Feares thee trouble and confound:
Or a black Darknes that thou canst not see;
And a huge Deluge that ore-whelmeth thee.
And stripped euen the Naked of their Clothing:
Thou hast not giuen the wearie Drink, at need;
Nor to the Hungry, wherewithall to feed:
The Eminent and Mighty had their fill:
They held the Earth, and swayd thee at their will:
But silly Widowes hast thou empty packt;
And th'armes of Orphans haue bin crusht and crackt.
Thence is it, now, that Snares beset thee round,
And sodain Feares thee trouble and confound:
Or a black Darknes that thou canst not see;
And a huge Deluge that ore-whelmeth thee.
Is not the Lord in th'High Empyreall Blisse?
Behold the Stars, how high their Distance is:
And then (saist Thou) What can th'Almighty mark?
How iudgeth He? What sees he through the Dark?
Clowds couer Him from spying so far hence:
He walketh in the Heav'ns Circumference.
Behold the Stars, how high their Distance is:
And then (saist Thou) What can th'Almighty mark?
How iudgeth He? What sees he through the Dark?
Clowds couer Him from spying so far hence:
He walketh in the Heav'ns Circumference.
But, hast not Thou obseru'd the ancient Track
The Wicked trod, to their vntimely Wrack;
Who, quick cut downe, supplanted where they stood,
Had their Foundations swallowed with the Flood?
Who said to God, Depart from vs; and thought,
What can th'Almighty doo to vs, in ought:
Yet, with good things He fill'd their habitations.
But, farre from me be their Imaginations.
The Wicked trod, to their vntimely Wrack;
924
Had their Foundations swallowed with the Flood?
Who said to God, Depart from vs; and thought,
What can th'Almighty doo to vs, in ought:
Yet, with good things He fill'd their habitations.
But, farre from me be their Imaginations.
This see the Righteous; safe the while, and glad:
And laugh at them, in their Destruction sad.
For, We shall stand; our Substance not decay:
But their Remainder shall the Fire destroy.
And laugh at them, in their Destruction sad.
For, We shall stand; our Substance not decay:
But their Remainder shall the Fire destroy.
Therefore, acquaint thee (and that quickly too)
With God; make peace: and Thou right wel shalt doo;
Receiue (I pray thee) from his mouth Direction;
And in thy heart, lay-vp his Words instruction.
With God; make peace: and Thou right wel shalt doo;
Receiue (I pray thee) from his mouth Direction;
And in thy heart, lay-vp his Words instruction.
If, to th'Almighty, Thou at-once returne;
Thou shalt be built-vp: and shalt brauely spurne
Iniquity faire from thy Selfe away;
And from thy Dwellings put it farre, for aye.
Then, as the Dust thou shalt hiue Gold, at will;
Pure Ophyr Gold, as Pebbles of the Rill:
Yea, the Almighty Thy defence shall be:
And store of Siluer shall be still with Thee.
For, in the Lord thy Pleasure shalt thou place;
And vnto Him shalt thou lift vp thy Face:
Him shalt thou pray-to; He shall heare thy Layes,
And grant thy Sute; and Thou return him Praise:
Thou shalt decree, and He shall make it good,
(So thy good Purpose shalt not be withstood):
And on Thy Wayes, and in all Works of Thine,
His Light of Grace (and glory too) shall shine.
Nay: when-as Others (as thy selfe art now)
Shall be cast downe; re-comfort them shalt Thou,
And Thus re-cheer them: Yet, yet may you rise;
For God will saue such as haue humbled eyes.
Yea: on the Noxious will he pittie take,
For th'Innocent; and spare them for thy sake.
Thou shalt be built-vp: and shalt brauely spurne
Iniquity faire from thy Selfe away;
And from thy Dwellings put it farre, for aye.
Then, as the Dust thou shalt hiue Gold, at will;
Pure Ophyr Gold, as Pebbles of the Rill:
Yea, the Almighty Thy defence shall be:
And store of Siluer shall be still with Thee.
For, in the Lord thy Pleasure shalt thou place;
And vnto Him shalt thou lift vp thy Face:
Him shalt thou pray-to; He shall heare thy Layes,
And grant thy Sute; and Thou return him Praise:
Thou shalt decree, and He shall make it good,
(So thy good Purpose shalt not be withstood):
And on Thy Wayes, and in all Works of Thine,
His Light of Grace (and glory too) shall shine.
Nay: when-as Others (as thy selfe art now)
Shall be cast downe; re-comfort them shalt Thou,
And Thus re-cheer them: Yet, yet may you rise;
For God will saue such as haue humbled eyes.
Yea: on the Noxious will he pittie take,
For th'Innocent; and spare them for thy sake.
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