The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased Written by Thomas Middleton |
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| I. | [Chapter I.] |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
 | [Chapter I.] The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased |  |
[Chapter I.]
Uerse 1
Wisedome Elixer of the purest life,
Hath taught hir lesson to iudicial views,
To those that iudge a cause & end a strife,
Which sits in Iudgements seat &c Iustice vse:
A lesson worthy of diuinest eare,
Quintessence of a true diuinest feare.
Hath taught hir lesson to iudicial views,
To those that iudge a cause & end a strife,
Which sits in Iudgements seat &c Iustice vse:
A lesson worthy of diuinest eare,
Quintessence of a true diuinest feare.
Vnwilling that exordium should retaine,
Her life-infusing speech, doth thus begin,
You (quoth shee) that giue remedy or paine:
Loue Iustice, for iniustice is a sin.
Giue vnto God his due, his reuerent stile;
And rather vse simplicity then guile.
Her life-infusing speech, doth thus begin,
You (quoth shee) that giue remedy or paine:
Loue Iustice, for iniustice is a sin.
Giue vnto God his due, his reuerent stile;
And rather vse simplicity then guile.
[Verse] 2
For him, that guides the radiant eie of day,
Sitting in his star-chamber of the Skie,
The Horizons and hemespheres obay,
And windes the fillers of vacuitie:
Much lesse shuld man tempt God, when all obay,
But rather be a guide, and leade the way.
Sitting in his star-chamber of the Skie,
The Horizons and hemespheres obay,
And windes the fillers of vacuitie:
Much lesse shuld man tempt God, when all obay,
But rather be a guide, and leade the way.
For temting argues but a sins attempt,
Temptation is to sin associate;
So doing, thou from God art cleane exempt,
Whose loue is neuer placde, in his loues hate,
He will be found, not of a tempting minde,
But found of those which he doth faithfull finde.
Temptation is to sin associate;
So doing, thou from God art cleane exempt,
Whose loue is neuer placde, in his loues hate,
He will be found, not of a tempting minde,
But found of those which he doth faithfull finde.
[Verse] 3
Temptation rather seperates from God,
Conuerting goodnes from the thing it was,
Heaping the indignation of his rod,
To bruse our bodies like a brittle glasse:
For wicked thoughts haue still a wicked end,
In making God our foe, which was our frend.
Conuerting goodnes from the thing it was,
Heaping the indignation of his rod,
To bruse our bodies like a brittle glasse:
For wicked thoughts haue still a wicked end,
In making God our foe, which was our frend.
They muster vp reuenge, encamp our hate,
Vndoing what before they meant to do,
Stirring vp anger, and vnluckie fate,
Making the earth their friend, the heauen their foe:
But when heauens guide makes manifest his power,
The earth, their frinds, doth them like foes deuoure.
Vndoing what before they meant to do,
Stirring vp anger, and vnluckie fate,
Making the earth their friend, the heauen their foe:
But when heauens guide makes manifest his power,
The earth, their frinds, doth them like foes deuoure.
[Verse] 4
O foolish men to warre against your blisse,
O hatefull harts where wisedome neuer raignd,
O wicked thoughts which euer thought amisse,
What haue you reapt? what pleasure haue you gaind?
A fruite in shew, a pleasure to decay,
This haue you got by keeping follies way.
O hatefull harts where wisedome neuer raignd,
O wicked thoughts which euer thought amisse,
What haue you reapt? what pleasure haue you gaind?
A fruite in shew, a pleasure to decay,
This haue you got by keeping follies way.
For wisedomes haruest is with follie nipt,
And with the winter of your vices frost,
Her fruite all scattered her implanting ript,
Her name decayed, her fruition lost:
Nor can she prosper in a plot of vice,
Gaining no summers warmth, but winters ice.
And with the winter of your vices frost,
Her fruite all scattered her implanting ript,
Her name decayed, her fruition lost:
Nor can she prosper in a plot of vice,
Gaining no summers warmth, but winters ice.
[Verse] 5
Thou barren earth, where vertues neuer bud,
Thou fruitles wombe, where neuer fruits abide,
And thou drie-withered sap which bears no good,
But the dishonor of thy prowd hearts pride:
A seate of al deceit, deceit, deceaude,
Thy blisse, a woe, thy woe of blisse bereaude.
Thou fruitles wombe, where neuer fruits abide,
And thou drie-withered sap which bears no good,
But the dishonor of thy prowd hearts pride:
A seate of al deceit, deceit, deceaude,
Thy blisse, a woe, thy woe of blisse bereaude.
This place of night hath left no place for day,
Here neuer shines the sunne of discipline,
But mischiefe clad in sable nights array,
Thoughts apparition, euill Angels signe,
These raigne enhoused with their mother Night,
To cloude the day of clearest wisedomes light.
Here neuer shines the sunne of discipline,
But mischiefe clad in sable nights array,
Thoughts apparition, euill Angels signe,
These raigne enhoused with their mother Night,
To cloude the day of clearest wisedomes light.
[Verse] 6
Oh you that practise to be chiefe in sinne,
Loues hate, hates friend, friends foe, foes follower,
What doe you gaine? what merit do you winne,
To be blaspheming vices practiser?
Your gaine is wisedomes euerlasting hate,
Your merit, griefe, your griefe, your liues debate.
Loues hate, hates friend, friends foe, foes follower,
What doe you gaine? what merit do you winne,
To be blaspheming vices practiser?
Your gaine is wisedomes euerlasting hate,
Your merit, griefe, your griefe, your liues debate.
Thou canst not hide thy thoght, god made thy thoght,
Let this thy caucat be for thinking ill,
Thou knowst that Christ thy liuing freedome boght,
To liue on earth according to his will:
God being thy creator, Christ thy blisse,
Why dost thou erre? why dost thou do amisse?
Let this thy caucat be for thinking ill,
Thou knowst that Christ thy liuing freedome boght,
To liue on earth according to his will:
God being thy creator, Christ thy blisse,
Why dost thou erre? why dost thou do amisse?
[Verse] 7
Hee is both Iudge and witnesse of thy deeds,
Hee knowes the volume which thy hart containes,
Christ skips thy faults, only thy virtue reades,
Redeeming thee from all thy vices paines:
O happy crowne of mortall mans content,
Sent for our ioye, our ioye in being sent.
Hee knowes the volume which thy hart containes,
Christ skips thy faults, only thy virtue reades,
Redeeming thee from all thy vices paines:
O happy crowne of mortall mans content,
Sent for our ioye, our ioye in being sent.
Then sham'st thou not to erre, to sin, to stray,
To come to composition with thy vice,
With new-purg'd feete to treade the ouldest way,
Lending new sence vnto thy ould deuice?
Thy shame might flowe in thy sin-flowing face,
Rather then ebbe to make an ebbe of grace.
To come to composition with thy vice,
With new-purg'd feete to treade the ouldest way,
Lending new sence vnto thy ould deuice?
Thy shame might flowe in thy sin-flowing face,
Rather then ebbe to make an ebbe of grace.
[Verse] 8
For hee which rules the Orbe of heauen and earth,
And the ineqall course of euery starre,
Did knowe mans thoughts and secreats at his birth,
Whither enclinde to peace or discords iarre:
He knowes what man will be ere he be man,
And all his deeds in his lifes liuing span.
And the ineqall course of euery starre,
Did knowe mans thoughts and secreats at his birth,
Whither enclinde to peace or discords iarre:
He knowes what man will be ere he be man,
And all his deeds in his lifes liuing span.
Then tis vnpossible that earth can hide,
Vnrighteous actions from a righteous God,
For he can see their feete in sin that slide,
And those that lodge in righteousnesse abode:
Hee will extend his mercy on the good,
His wrath on those in whom no vertues bud.
Vnrighteous actions from a righteous God,
For he can see their feete in sin that slide,
And those that lodge in righteousnesse abode:
Hee will extend his mercy on the good,
His wrath on those in whom no vertues bud.
[Verse] 9
Many there bee, that after trespasse done,
Will seeke a couert for to hide their shame,
And range about the earth, thinking to shunne,
Gods heauie wrath, and meritorious blame:
They thinking to flye sin, run into sin,
And thinke to end, when they do new begin.
Will seeke a couert for to hide their shame,
And range about the earth, thinking to shunne,
Gods heauie wrath, and meritorious blame:
They thinking to flye sin, run into sin,
And thinke to end, when they do new begin.
God made the earth, the earth denies their sute,
Nor can they harbor in the centres womb,
God knowes their thoughts, although their tongs be mute,
And heares the sounds from forth their bodies tomb:
Sounds? ah no sounds, but man himselfe hee heares,
Too true a voice of mans most falsest feares.
Nor can they harbor in the centres womb,
God knowes their thoughts, although their tongs be mute,
And heares the sounds from forth their bodies tomb:
Sounds? ah no sounds, but man himselfe hee heares,
Too true a voice of mans most falsest feares.
[Verse] 10
Oh see destruction houering ore thy head,
Mantling her selfe in wickednes array,
Hoping to make thy body as her bed,
Thy vice her nutriment, thy soule her pray:
Thou hast forsaken him that was thy guide,
And see what followes to asswage thy pride.
Mantling her selfe in wickednes array,
Hoping to make thy body as her bed,
Thy vice her nutriment, thy soule her pray:
Thou hast forsaken him that was thy guide,
And see what followes to asswage thy pride.
Thy roaring vices noyse, hath cloyd his eares,
Like foaming waues they haue orewhelmde thy ioy,
Thy murmurings which thy whole body beares
Hath bred thy waile, thy waile, thy lifes annoy,
Vnhappy thoughts to make a soules decay,
Vnhappie soule in suffering thoughts to sway.
Like foaming waues they haue orewhelmde thy ioy,
Thy murmurings which thy whole body beares
Hath bred thy waile, thy waile, thy lifes annoy,
Vnhappy thoughts to make a soules decay,
Vnhappie soule in suffering thoughts to sway.
[Verse] 11
Then sith the height of mans felicitie,
Is plung'd within the pudle of misdeedes:
And wades amongst discredits infamie,
Blasting the merit of his vertues seedes,
Beware of murmuring, the chiefest ill,
From whence all sin, all vice, all paines distill.
Is plung'd within the pudle of misdeedes:
And wades amongst discredits infamie,
Blasting the merit of his vertues seedes,
Beware of murmuring, the chiefest ill,
From whence all sin, all vice, all paines distill.
O heauie doome proceeding from a tong,
Heauie light tong; tong to thy owne decay,
In vertue weake, in wickednesse too strong,
To mischiefe prone, from goodnesse gone astray;
Hammer to forge misdeedes, to temper lies,
Selling thy life to death, thy soule to cries.
Heauie light tong; tong to thy owne decay,
In vertue weake, in wickednesse too strong,
To mischiefe prone, from goodnesse gone astray;
Hammer to forge misdeedes, to temper lies,
Selling thy life to death, thy soule to cries.
[Verse] 12
Must death needs pay the ransome of thy sin,
With the dead carcasse of descending spirit?
Wilt thou of force be snared in his gin,
And place thy errour in destructions merit:
Life seeke not for thy death, death comes vnsought,
Buying the life which not long since was bought.
With the dead carcasse of descending spirit?
Wilt thou of force be snared in his gin,
And place thy errour in destructions merit:
Life seeke not for thy death, death comes vnsought,
Buying the life which not long since was bought.
Death and destruction neuer needs a call,
They are attendants on liues pilgrimage,
And life to them is as their playing ball.
Grounded vppon destructions anchorage,
Seeke not for that which vnsought will betide,
Nere wants destruction a prouoking guide.
They are attendants on liues pilgrimage,
And life to them is as their playing ball.
Grounded vppon destructions anchorage,
Seeke not for that which vnsought will betide,
Nere wants destruction a prouoking guide.
[Verse] 13
Will you needs act your owne destruction?
Will you needs harbour your owne ouerthrowe?
Or will you cause your owne euersion?
Beginning with dispaire, ending with woe:
Then die your hartes in tyrannies arraie,
To make acquittance of destructions pay.
Will you needs harbour your owne ouerthrowe?
Or will you cause your owne euersion?
Beginning with dispaire, ending with woe:
Then die your hartes in tyrannies arraie,
To make acquittance of destructions pay.
What do you meditate but on your death?
What doe you practise but your liuing fall?
Who of you all haue any vertues breath,
But ready armed at a mischiefes call?
God is not pleased at your vices sauour,
But you best pleased when you lose his fauour.
What doe you practise but your liuing fall?
Who of you all haue any vertues breath,
But ready armed at a mischiefes call?
God is not pleased at your vices sauour,
But you best pleased when you lose his fauour.
[Verse] 14
He made not death to be your conqueror,
But you to conquer ouer death and hell.
Nor you to bee destructions seruitor,
Enhoused there where Maiestie should dwell:
God made man to obay at his beheast,
And man to be obayde of euery beast,
But you to conquer ouer death and hell.
Nor you to bee destructions seruitor,
Enhoused there where Maiestie should dwell:
God made man to obay at his beheast,
And man to be obayde of euery beast,
He made not death to be our labours hire,
But we our selues made death through our desart,
Here neuer was the kingdome of hell fire,
Before the brand was kindled in mans hart:
Now man defieth God, all creatures, man,
Vice flourisheth, and vertue lieth wan.
But we our selues made death through our desart,
Here neuer was the kingdome of hell fire,
Before the brand was kindled in mans hart:
Now man defieth God, all creatures, man,
Vice flourisheth, and vertue lieth wan.
[Verse] 15
O fruitefull tree, whose roote is alwaies greene,
Whose blossomes euer bud, whose fruites encrease,
Whose toppe celestiall vertues seat hath been,
Defended by the soueraintie of peace:
This tree is righteousnes, ô happy tree,
Immortalized by thine owne decree.
Whose blossomes euer bud, whose fruites encrease,
Whose toppe celestiall vertues seat hath been,
Defended by the soueraintie of peace:
This tree is righteousnes, ô happy tree,
Immortalized by thine owne decree.
O hatefull plant whose roote is alwaies drie,
Whose blossomes neuer bud, whose fruites decrease:
On whom sits the infernall deitie,
To take possession of so foule a lease;
This plant is vice, O too vnhappy plant,
Euer to die, and neuer fill deaths want.
Whose blossomes neuer bud, whose fruites decrease:
On whom sits the infernall deitie,
To take possession of so foule a lease;
This plant is vice, O too vnhappy plant,
Euer to die, and neuer fill deaths want.
[Verse] 16
Accursed in thy growth, dead in thy roote,
Cancred with sin, shaken with euery winde,
Whose top dooth nothing differ from the foote,
Mischiefe the sappe, and wickednesse the rhinde:
So the vngodly like this withered tree,
Is slacke in doing good, in ill too free.
Cancred with sin, shaken with euery winde,
Whose top dooth nothing differ from the foote,
Mischiefe the sappe, and wickednesse the rhinde:
So the vngodly like this withered tree,
Is slacke in doing good, in ill too free.
Like this their wicked growth, too fast, too slowe,
Too fast in slouth, too slow in vertues hast,
They thinke their vice a friend, when tis a foe,
In good, in wickednes, too slow, too fast:
And as this tree decayes, so do they all,
Each one copartner of the others fall.
Too fast in slouth, too slow in vertues hast,
They thinke their vice a friend, when tis a foe,
In good, in wickednes, too slow, too fast:
And as this tree decayes, so do they all,
Each one copartner of the others fall.
| [Chapter I.] The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased | |