The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased Written by Thomas Middleton |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
Chapter III.
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| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
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Chapter III.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased |  |
Chapter III.
Uerse 1
Bvt euery cloude can not hide Phœbus face,
Nor shut the casement of his liuing flame,
Nor is there euery soule which wanteth grace,
Nor euery hart seducde with mischiefs name;
Life cannot liue without corruption,
World cannot be without destruction.
Nor shut the casement of his liuing flame,
Nor is there euery soule which wanteth grace,
Nor euery hart seducde with mischiefs name;
Life cannot liue without corruption,
World cannot be without destruction.
Nor is the body all corrupt, or world
Bent wholie vnto wickednes assault,
The adder is not alwaies seene vncurlde,
Nor euery soule found guiltie in one fault;
Some good, some bad, but those whom vertues guard,
Heauen is their hauen, comfort their reward.
Bent wholie vnto wickednes assault,
The adder is not alwaies seene vncurlde,
Nor euery soule found guiltie in one fault;
Some good, some bad, but those whom vertues guard,
Heauen is their hauen, comfort their reward.
[Verse] 2 3
Thrice happy habitation of delight,
Thrice happy step of immortalitie,
Thrice happy soules to gaine such heauenly sight,
Springing from heauens perpetuitie;
Oh peacefull place, but oh thrice peacefull soules,
Whom neither threats, nor strife, nor wars controls
Thrice happy step of immortalitie,
Thrice happy soules to gaine such heauenly sight,
Springing from heauens perpetuitie;
Oh peacefull place, but oh thrice peacefull soules,
Whom neither threats, nor strife, nor wars controls
They are not like the wicked, for they liue,
Nor they, like to the righteous, for they die;
Each of their liues a differing nature giue,
One thinkes that life endes with mortalitie,
And that the righteous neuer liue againe,
But die as subiects to a grieuous paine.
Nor they, like to the righteous, for they die;
Each of their liues a differing nature giue,
One thinkes that life endes with mortalitie,
And that the righteous neuer liue againe,
But die as subiects to a grieuous paine.
[Verse] 4
What labouring soule refuseth for to sweat,
Knowing his hire, his paiment, his reward?
To suffer winters colde, and summers heate,
Assured of his labours due regard?
The Bee with summers toile will lade her hiue,
In winters frost to keepe herselfe aliue.
Knowing his hire, his paiment, his reward?
To suffer winters colde, and summers heate,
Assured of his labours due regard?
The Bee with summers toile will lade her hiue,
In winters frost to keepe herselfe aliue.
And what diuinest spirit would not toile,
And suffer many torments, many paines,
This worlds destruction, heauie laboures foile,
When heauen is their hire, heauens ioy their gaines?
Who would not suffer torments for to die,
When deaths reward is immortalitie?
And suffer many torments, many paines,
This worlds destruction, heauie laboures foile,
When heauen is their hire, heauens ioy their gaines?
Who would not suffer torments for to die,
When deaths reward is immortalitie?
[Verse] 5
Paine is the entrance to eternall ioy,
Death endeth life, and death beginneth life,
Beginneth happy, endeth in annoy,
Begins immortall peace, ends mortall strife;
Then seeing death and paines bring ioy and heauen,
What need we feare deaths pain when life is giuen?
Death endeth life, and death beginneth life,
Beginneth happy, endeth in annoy,
Begins immortall peace, ends mortall strife;
Then seeing death and paines bring ioy and heauen,
What need we feare deaths pain when life is giuen?
Say sicknes or infirmities disease,
(As many harmes hang ouer mortall heades)
Should be his worlds reward, yet heauen hath ease,
A salue to cure, and quiet resting beds;
God maketh in earths world, lament our pleasure.
That in heauēs world, delight might be our treasure
(As many harmes hang ouer mortall heades)
Should be his worlds reward, yet heauen hath ease,
A salue to cure, and quiet resting beds;
God maketh in earths world, lament our pleasure.
That in heauēs world, delight might be our treasure
Uerse 6
Faire may the shadow bee, the substance foule,
After the triall followeth the trust,
The clearest skinne may haue the soulest soule,
The purest golde will sooner take the ruste:
The brooke though nere so cleare may take some soile,
The hart thogh nere so strong may take some foile.
After the triall followeth the trust,
The clearest skinne may haue the soulest soule,
The purest golde will sooner take the ruste:
The brooke though nere so cleare may take some soile,
The hart thogh nere so strong may take some foile.
Wouldst thou be counted iust? make thy selfe iust,
Oh purifie thy mire-bespotted heart,
For god doth trie thy actions ere he trust,
Thy faith, thy deeds, thy wordes, and what thou art,
He will receiue no mud, for clearest springs,
Nor thy vnrighteous wordes for righteous things.
Oh purifie thy mire-bespotted heart,
For god doth trie thy actions ere he trust,
Thy faith, thy deeds, thy wordes, and what thou art,
He will receiue no mud, for clearest springs,
Nor thy vnrighteous wordes for righteous things.
Verse 7
As God is perfit God, and perfit good,
So hee accepteth none but perfit mindes,
They euer prosper, flourish, liue, and bud,
Like blessed plants, far from destructions winds:
Still bud, nere fade, still flourish, nere decay,
Stil rise, nere fall, still spring, nere fade away.
So hee accepteth none but perfit mindes,
They euer prosper, flourish, liue, and bud,
Like blessed plants, far from destructions winds:
Still bud, nere fade, still flourish, nere decay,
Stil rise, nere fall, still spring, nere fade away.
Who would not couet to be such a plant?
Who would not wish to stand in such a ground?
Sith it doth neither fruit nor blessing want,
Nor ought which in this plant might not be found;
They are the righteous which enioye this earth,
The figure of an euer-bearing birth.
Who would not wish to stand in such a ground?
Sith it doth neither fruit nor blessing want,
Nor ought which in this plant might not be found;
They are the righteous which enioye this earth,
The figure of an euer-bearing birth.
Uerse 8
The small is alwayes subiect to the great,
The yong to him which is of elder time,
The lowest place vnto the highest seate,
And pale-facde Phœbe to bright Phœbus clime,
Vice is not gouerner of vertues place,
But blushes for to see see so bright a face.
The yong to him which is of elder time,
The lowest place vnto the highest seate,
And pale-facde Phœbe to bright Phœbus clime,
Vice is not gouerner of vertues place,
But blushes for to see see so bright a face.
Vertue is chiefe, and vertue will be chiefe,
Chiefe good, and chiefe Astræa, Iustice mate,
Both for to punish and to yeeld reliefe,
And haue dominion ouer euery state:
Torghit the wrongs which wickednes hath done,
Deliuering Nations from life-lasting mone.
Chiefe good, and chiefe Astræa, Iustice mate,
Both for to punish and to yeeld reliefe,
And haue dominion ouer euery state:
Torghit the wrongs which wickednes hath done,
Deliuering Nations from life-lasting mone.
Verse 9
Oh you whose causes plungeth in despaire,
Sad facde petitioners with griefes request:
What seeke you? heeres nor Iustice, nor her heire,
But woe and sorrow with deaths dumbe arrest:
Turne vp your woe blinde eyes vnto the skie,
There sits the Iudge can yeeld you remedie.
Sad facde petitioners with griefes request:
What seeke you? heeres nor Iustice, nor her heire,
But woe and sorrow with deaths dumbe arrest:
Turne vp your woe blinde eyes vnto the skie,
There sits the Iudge can yeeld you remedie.
Trust in his power, he is the truest God,
True God, true Iudge, true Iustice, and true guide;
All trueth is placed in his trueths abode,
All vertues seated at his vertuous side:
He will regarde your sute, and ease your plaint,
And mollifie your miseries constraint.
True God, true Iudge, true Iustice, and true guide;
All trueth is placed in his trueths abode,
All vertues seated at his vertuous side:
He will regarde your sute, and ease your plaint,
And mollifie your miseries constraint.
[Verse] 10
Then shall you see the Iudges of the earth,
Summoned with the trumpet of his ire,
To giue account and reckning from their birth,
Where worthy or vnworthy of their hire:
The godly shall receiue their labours triall,
The wicked shall receiue their ioyes deniall.
Summoned with the trumpet of his ire,
To giue account and reckning from their birth,
Where worthy or vnworthy of their hire:
The godly shall receiue their labours triall,
The wicked shall receiue their ioyes deniall.
They which did sleepe in sinne, and not regarded
The poore mans fortune, prostrate at their feete,
Euen as they dealt, so shall they be rewarded,
When they their toyled soules destruction meet,
From Iudges they petitioners shall be,
Yet want the sight which they do sue to see.
The poore mans fortune, prostrate at their feete,
Euen as they dealt, so shall they be rewarded,
When they their toyled soules destruction meet,
From Iudges they petitioners shall be,
Yet want the sight which they do sue to see.
[Verse] 11
That labour which is grounded on delight,
That hope which reason doth enrich with hap,
That merite which is placde in wisedomes might,
Secure from mischiefes baite, or follies clap:
Wits labour, reasons hope, and wisedomess merit,
All three in one, make one thrice happy spirit.
That hope which reason doth enrich with hap,
That merite which is placde in wisedomes might,
Secure from mischiefes baite, or follies clap:
Wits labour, reasons hope, and wisedomess merit,
All three in one, make one thrice happy spirit.
Why set I happinesse fore mortall eyes,
Which couets to be drencht in misery?
Mantling their foolish mindes in follies guise,
Despising wisedomes perpetuitie:
Sins labour, follies hope, and vices merit,
These three in one, make a thrice cursed spirit.
Which couets to be drencht in misery?
Mantling their foolish mindes in follies guise,
Despising wisedomes perpetuitie:
Sins labour, follies hope, and vices merit,
These three in one, make a thrice cursed spirit.
Uerse 5
Vaine hope must needs consist in what is vaine;
All foolish laboures flowes from follies teares,
Vnprofitable workes proceed from paine,
And paine ill labours duest guerdon beares:
Their vanities in one, and one in three,
Make three paines one, and one vncertaintie,
All foolish laboures flowes from follies teares,
Vnprofitable workes proceed from paine,
And paine ill labours duest guerdon beares:
Their vanities in one, and one in three,
Make three paines one, and one vncertaintie,
A wicked King, makes a more wicked land,
Heads once infected, soone corrupts the feete,
If the tree falls, the branches cannot stand,
Nor children, bee their parents indiscreet;
The man infects the wife, the wife the childe,
Like birdes, which in one nest bee all defilde.
Heads once infected, soone corrupts the feete,
If the tree falls, the branches cannot stand,
Nor children, bee their parents indiscreet;
The man infects the wife, the wife the childe,
Like birdes, which in one nest bee all defilde.
Uerse 6
The field which neuer was ordainde to beare,
Is happier farre, then a still tilled ground,
This sleepes with quietnes in euery yeare,
The other curst if any tares bee found,
The barren happier then shee that beares,
This brings foorth ioye, the other tares and teares.
Is happier farre, then a still tilled ground,
This sleepes with quietnes in euery yeare,
The other curst if any tares bee found,
The barren happier then shee that beares,
This brings foorth ioye, the other tares and teares.
The Eunuch neuer lay in vices bed,
The barren woman, neuer brought foorth sin,
These two in heauens happines are led,
Shee fruite in soule, hee fruite in faith doth win:
O rare and happy man, for euer blest,
O rare and happy woman, heauens guest.
The barren woman, neuer brought foorth sin,
These two in heauens happines are led,
Shee fruite in soule, hee fruite in faith doth win:
O rare and happy man, for euer blest,
O rare and happy woman, heauens guest.
[Verse] 7
Who seekes to reape, before the corne be ripe?
Who lookes for haruest among winters frost?
Or who in greife, will followe pleasures pipe?
What mariner can saile vppon the coast?
That which is done in time, is done in season,
And things done out of time, is out of reason.
Who lookes for haruest among winters frost?
Or who in greife, will followe pleasures pipe?
What mariner can saile vppon the coast?
That which is done in time, is done in season,
And things done out of time, is out of reason.
The glorious labour is in doing good,
In times obseruance, and in natures will,
Whose fruite is also glorious for our foode,
If glory may consist in labours skill:
Whose roote is wisdome, which shal neuer wither,
But spring, and sprout, and loue, and liue together.
In times obseruance, and in natures will,
Whose fruite is also glorious for our foode,
If glory may consist in labours skill:
Whose roote is wisdome, which shal neuer wither,
But spring, and sprout, and loue, and liue together.
Uerse 2
But euery ground doth not beare blessed plants,
Nor euery plant brings foorth expected frute,
What this same ground may haue, another wants,
Nor are all causes answered with one sute:
That tree whose roote is found, whose grounding strong,
May firmely stand when others lie along.
Nor euery plant brings foorth expected frute,
What this same ground may haue, another wants,
Nor are all causes answered with one sute:
That tree whose roote is found, whose grounding strong,
May firmely stand when others lie along.
View natures beautie, marke her chaunging hue,
Shee is not alwaies foule, nor alwaies faire,
Chaste and vnchaste she is, true and vntrue,
And some springs from her in a lustfull aire,
And these adulterers be, whose seede shall perish,
Neuer shall lust and wickednes long florish.
Shee is not alwaies foule, nor alwaies faire,
Chaste and vnchaste she is, true and vntrue,
And some springs from her in a lustfull aire,
And these adulterers be, whose seede shall perish,
Neuer shall lust and wickednes long florish.
Uerse 5
Although the flint be hard, the water soft,
Yet is it molifide with lightest drops,
Hard is the water, when the wind's aloft,
Small things in time may vanquish greatest stops:
The longer growes the tree, the greater mosse,
The longer soile remaines, the more the drosse.
Yet is it molifide with lightest drops,
Hard is the water, when the wind's aloft,
Small things in time may vanquish greatest stops:
The longer growes the tree, the greater mosse,
The longer soile remaines, the more the drosse.
The longer that the wicked liues on earth,
The greater is their paine, their sin, their shame;
The greater vices raigne, and vertues dearth,
The greater goodnes lacke, and mischiefes name;
When in their youth no honour they could get,
Olde age could neuer pay so yong a debt.
The greater is their paine, their sin, their shame;
The greater vices raigne, and vertues dearth,
The greater goodnes lacke, and mischiefes name;
When in their youth no honour they could get,
Olde age could neuer pay so yong a debt.
Uerse 6
To place an honour in dishonours place,
Were but to make disparagement of both,
Both enimies they could not brooke the case,
For honor to subuert dishonors growth:
Dishonor will not chaunge for honours roome,
Shee hopes to stay after their bodies doome.
Were but to make disparagement of both,
Both enimies they could not brooke the case,
For honor to subuert dishonors growth:
Dishonor will not chaunge for honours roome,
Shee hopes to stay after their bodies doome.
Or liue they long, or die they sodainly,
They haue nor hope, nor comfort of rewarde,
Their hope of comfort is iniquitie,
The barre by which they from their ioyes are bard:
O olde newe end, made to begin newe griefe,
O new beginning, end of old reliefe.
They haue nor hope, nor comfort of rewarde,
Their hope of comfort is iniquitie,
The barre by which they from their ioyes are bard:
O olde newe end, made to begin newe griefe,
O new beginning, end of old reliefe.
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Chapter III.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased | |