The songs of The Old Testament, Translated into English Measures preseruing the Naturall Phrase and genuine Sense of the holy Text: and with as little circumlocution as in most prose Translations. To euery Song is added a new and easie Tvne, and a short Prologue also, deliuering the effect and Vse thereof, for the profit of vnlearned Readers. By George Wither |
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 | The songs of The Old Testament, Translated into English Measures |  |
THE Second Song of Moses.
Deut. 32
8
The Song.
And Moses spake in the eares of all the Congregation of Jsrael; the words of this Song, vntill they were ended, &c.
To what I speake, an eare O heauens lend,
And heare oh earth what words I vtter will,
Like drops of raine, my speaches shall descend,
And as the dew, my doctrine shall distill,
As doth the raine that showreth small on tender slow'rs
And as vpon the grasse doe fall the greater show'rs,
For I the LORD'S great name will publish now.
Vnto our God the glory render you.
And heare oh earth what words I vtter will,
Like drops of raine, my speaches shall descend,
9
As doth the raine that showreth small on tender slow'rs
And as vpon the grasse doe fall the greater show'rs,
For I the LORD'S great name will publish now.
Vnto our God the glory render you.
10
He is that Rock, whose Workes perfection are;
For all his waies with Iudgement guided be:
A God of truth, from all wrong-doing cleare,
A truly iust, and righteous-One is He.
Yet they with spots themselues defilde,
Vnlike his Sonnes;
And are a race of crooked, wilde,
And froward ones.
Vnwise and foolish nation, dost thou so
Thy selfe vnto the LORD vngratefull show?
For all his waies with Iudgement guided be:
A God of truth, from all wrong-doing cleare,
A truly iust, and righteous-One is He.
Yet they with spots themselues defilde,
Vnlike his Sonnes;
And are a race of crooked, wilde,
And froward ones.
Vnwise and foolish nation, dost thou so
Thy selfe vnto the LORD vngratefull show?
Thy Father, and Redeemer, is not he?
Hath he not made, and now confirm'd thee fast?
Oh call to minde the dayes that older be,
And weigh the yeeres, of many Ages past,
Thy Father will, (if thou desire)
Informe thee well;
Thy elders, (when thou shalt enquire,)
Can also tell
How, the most-high did Adams Sonnes diuide;
And shares for euery Kindred did prouide.
Hath he not made, and now confirm'd thee fast?
Oh call to minde the dayes that older be,
And weigh the yeeres, of many Ages past,
Thy Father will, (if thou desire)
Informe thee well;
Thy elders, (when thou shalt enquire,)
Can also tell
How, the most-high did Adams Sonnes diuide;
And shares for euery Kindred did prouide.
How, he the Nations Limits did prepare,
In number with the Sonnes of Israel,
The LORD had in his people then his share;
And Iacob, for his part allotted fell.
Them, in a desert rude, he found,
Possest of none:
A place of terrour, and a ground
Vast and vnknowne.
He taught them there, he led them farre and nigh:
And kept them as the apple of his eyes.
In number with the Sonnes of Israel,
The LORD had in his people then his share;
And Iacob, for his part allotted fell.
Them, in a desert rude, he found,
Possest of none:
A place of terrour, and a ground
Vast and vnknowne.
He taught them there, he led them farre and nigh:
And kept them as the apple of his eyes.
11
Eu'n as an Eagle, to prouoke her young,
About her neast doth houer here and there;
Spread forth her wings, to traine her birds along;
And sometime, on her backe, her younglings beare:
Right so, the LORD conducted them,
Himselfe alone,
And for assistant, there with him
Strange God was none:
Them, on the High-lands of the earth he set,
Where they the plenties of the fields might eate.
About her neast doth houer here and there;
Spread forth her wings, to traine her birds along;
And sometime, on her backe, her younglings beare:
Right so, the LORD conducted them,
Himselfe alone,
And for assistant, there with him
Strange God was none:
Them, on the High-lands of the earth he set,
Where they the plenties of the fields might eate.
For them he made the Rocke with hony flowe,
They suckt out oyle from flints, and they did feed
On milke of sheepe, on butter of the Cowe,
Fat lambs and goates, and rammes of Bashan breed;
Of wheat he gaue them for their food,
The fullest seede,
And they did drinke the purest blood
The grape did bleed.
But, here-withall; vnthankefull Israel,
Soone fat became, and spurned with his heele.
They suckt out oyle from flints, and they did feed
On milke of sheepe, on butter of the Cowe,
Fat lambs and goates, and rammes of Bashan breed;
Of wheat he gaue them for their food,
The fullest seede,
And they did drinke the purest blood
The grape did bleed.
But, here-withall; vnthankefull Israel,
Soone fat became, and spurned with his heele.
They waxed fat, and grosse, and couer'd o're;
And then their God and Maker did forsake:
Their Rocke of health regarded was no more,
But with strange Gods him Iealous did they make:
Yea, they with what was most abhor'd,
His wrath entise;
To deuils (not vnto the LORD)
They sacrifice:
To gods vnknowne, that new inuented were,
And such, as their fore-fathers did not feare.
And then their God and Maker did forsake:
Their Rocke of health regarded was no more,
But with strange Gods him Iealous did they make:
Yea, they with what was most abhor'd,
His wrath entise;
To deuils (not vnto the LORD)
They sacrifice:
To gods vnknowne, that new inuented were,
And such, as their fore-fathers did not feare.
12
They minded not the Rocke, which them begat,
But haue forgot the God that form'd them hath,
Which, when the LORD perceiu'd, it made him hate
His sonnes and daughters, mouing him to wrath.
I will, to marke their end, (saith he)
Obscure my face;
For they, vnfaithfull Children be,
Of froward race:
My wrath, with what was not a God they mou'd;
And haue mine anger, with their follies prou'd.
But haue forgot the God that form'd them hath,
Which, when the LORD perceiu'd, it made him hate
His sonnes and daughters, mouing him to wrath.
I will, to marke their end, (saith he)
Obscure my face;
For they, vnfaithfull Children be,
Of froward race:
My wrath, with what was not a God they mou'd;
And haue mine anger, with their follies prou'd.
But, by a people, without being (yet)
Their Iealous wrath, will I prouoke for this,
And by a foolish nation make them fret,
For in my wrath a fire enflamed is;
And to the depth of hell it shall
Deuouring goe,
Earth with her fruits and mountaines all
Consuming to.
In heapes, I mischiefes will vpon them throw,
And shoot mine arrowes, till I haue no moe.
Their Iealous wrath, will I prouoke for this,
And by a foolish nation make them fret,
For in my wrath a fire enflamed is;
And to the depth of hell it shall
Deuouring goe,
Earth with her fruits and mountaines all
Consuming to.
In heapes, I mischiefes will vpon them throw,
And shoot mine arrowes, till I haue no moe.
With hunger parched, and consum'd with heat,
I will enforce them to a bitter end,
The teeth of beasts, vpon them I will set,
And the invenom'd dust-fed, Serpent send.
The sword without, and terrour grimme
Within shall slay,
Young men, and maides, the babe and him
Whose haire is gray:
Yea, I had vow'd to spread them here and there,
Vntill that men forget they euer were.
I will enforce them to a bitter end,
The teeth of beasts, vpon them I will set,
And the invenom'd dust-fed, Serpent send.
The sword without, and terrour grimme
Within shall slay,
Young men, and maides, the babe and him
Whose haire is gray:
Yea, I had vow'd to spread them here and there,
Vntill that men forget they euer were.
13
But this, the Foe compel'd me to delay,
Lest that their Aduersaries prouder growne,
Should when they saw it; thus presume to say:
This, not the LORD; but our high-hand hath done.
For, they a people are in whom
No Counsellis:
And neuer will their dulnesse, come
To iudge of this.
Oh! would their wisedome, this might comprehend;
And that they would consider of their end!
Lest that their Aduersaries prouder growne,
Should when they saw it; thus presume to say:
This, not the LORD; but our high-hand hath done.
For, they a people are in whom
No Counsellis:
And neuer will their dulnesse, come
To iudge of this.
Oh! would their wisedome, this might comprehend;
And that they would consider of their end!
How should one make a thousand runneaway?
Or two men put tenne thousand to the foile;
Except their Rocke, had sold them for a pray;
And that the LORD, had clos'd them vp the while?
For with our God their God compare
They neuer may,
And if our foes the iudges were,
Thus would they say:
But, they haue Vines of those that Sodome yeelds,
And such as grow within Gomorrha fields.
Or two men put tenne thousand to the foile;
Except their Rocke, had sold them for a pray;
And that the LORD, had clos'd them vp the while?
For with our God their God compare
They neuer may,
And if our foes the iudges were,
Thus would they say:
But, they haue Vines of those that Sodome yeelds,
And such as grow within Gomorrha fields.
The Grapes are gall (that grow vpon their vine)
Their Clusters, are extreamely bitter all,
Yea, made of Dragons venome is their wine;
And of the cruell Aspes infectious gall.
And may I this forget to beare
In minde with me?
Or shall it not be sealed where
My treasures be?
Yes, mine is vengeance, and I will repay:
Their feet shall slide at the appointed day.
Their Clusters, are extreamely bitter all,
Yea, made of Dragons venome is their wine;
And of the cruell Aspes infectious gall.
And may I this forget to beare
In minde with me?
Or shall it not be sealed where
My treasures be?
Yes, mine is vengeance, and I will repay:
Their feet shall slide at the appointed day.
14
Their time of ruine, neare at hand is come,
Those things, that must befall them, haste will make:
For sure, the LORD shall giue his people doome,
And on his Seruants will compassion take.
Yea, when he sees, their strength is all
Bereft and gone;
And they shut vp in prison, shall
Be left alone:
Where are their Gods, become (then will he say)
Their Rocke on whom they did affiance lay?
Those things, that must befall them, haste will make:
For sure, the LORD shall giue his people doome,
And on his Seruants will compassion take.
Yea, when he sees, their strength is all
Bereft and gone;
And they shut vp in prison, shall
Be left alone:
Where are their Gods, become (then will he say)
Their Rocke on whom they did affiance lay?
Who eate the fattest of their sacrifice?
Who, of their drinke oblations, dranke the wine?
Let those vnso their succour now arise,
And vnder their protection them enshrine.
Oh! therefore now, consider this,
That I am Hee;
That I am Hee, and that there is
No God with mee,
I kill, and make aliue, I wound, I cure:
And there is none, can from my hand assure.
Who, of their drinke oblations, dranke the wine?
Let those vnso their succour now arise,
And vnder their protection them enshrine.
Oh! therefore now, consider this,
That I am Hee;
That I am Hee, and that there is
No God with mee,
I kill, and make aliue, I wound, I cure:
And there is none, can from my hand assure.
For, vp to heauen I my hand doe reare,
And (as I liue for euer) this I say,
If once I whet my sword, that sparkles cleare,
And shall my hand to acting vengeance lay;
I will not cease, till I my foes,
With vengeance quite,
Nor till I haue repaid all those
That beare me spite:
And in the bloud, which I shall make to flow,
I'le steepe mine arrowes, till they drunken grow.
And (as I liue for euer) this I say,
If once I whet my sword, that sparkles cleare,
And shall my hand to acting vengeance lay;
I will not cease, till I my foes,
With vengeance quite,
Nor till I haue repaid all those
That beare me spite:
And in the bloud, which I shall make to flow,
I'le steepe mine arrowes, till they drunken grow.
15
My sword shall feed on flesh and bloud of those,
That either shall be slaine, or kept in thrall,
When I beginne to quit me of my foes.
Then, with his people Ioy you kindreds all;
For he their bloud (that serue him) will
With bloud pursue;
And all his foes repayeth still
With vengeance due.
But, to his land will mercy she wing be,
And those that are his people pitties He.
That either shall be slaine, or kept in thrall,
When I beginne to quit me of my foes.
Then, with his people Ioy you kindreds all;
For he their bloud (that serue him) will
With bloud pursue;
And all his foes repayeth still
With vengeance due.
But, to his land will mercy she wing be,
And those that are his people pitties He.
| The songs of The Old Testament, Translated into English Measures | |