The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased Written by Thomas Middleton |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
Chapter XI.
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| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIIII. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
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Chapter XI.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased |  |
Chapter XI.
Uer. 1 2 3
What he could haue a hart, what hart a thought
what thoght a tong, what tong a shew of fear
Hauing his ship balanste with such a fraught
Which calms the euer-weeping oceans tears:
Which prospers euery enterprise of warre,
And leades their fortune by good fortunes starre.
what thoght a tong, what tong a shew of fear
Hauing his ship balanste with such a fraught
Which calms the euer-weeping oceans tears:
Which prospers euery enterprise of warre,
And leades their fortune by good fortunes starre.
A Pilate on the seas, guide on the land,
Through vncouth desolate vntroden way,
Through wildernes of woe, which in woes stand,
Pitching their tents where desolation lay:
In iust reuenge incountring with their foes,
Annexing wrath to wrath, and blowes to blowes.
Through vncouth desolate vntroden way,
Through wildernes of woe, which in woes stand,
Pitching their tents where desolation lay:
In iust reuenge incountring with their foes,
Annexing wrath to wrath, and blowes to blowes.
Verse 4
But when the heate of ouermuch alarmes,
Had made their bodies subiect vnto thurst,
And broyld their hearts in wraths-allaying harmes,
With fiery surges which from body burst:
That time had made the totall summe of life,
Had not affection stroue to end the strife.
Had made their bodies subiect vnto thurst,
And broyld their hearts in wraths-allaying harmes,
With fiery surges which from body burst:
That time had made the totall summe of life,
Had not affection stroue to end the strife.
Wisedome affectionating power of zeale,
Did coole the passion of tormenting heate,
With water from a rocke which did reueale,
Her deare deare loue, placde in affections seate:
She was their mother twice, she nurst them twice,
Mingling their heat with cold, their fire with ice.
Did coole the passion of tormenting heate,
With water from a rocke which did reueale,
Her deare deare loue, placde in affections seate:
She was their mother twice, she nurst them twice,
Mingling their heat with cold, their fire with ice.
Uerse 5
From whence receiude they life, from a dead stone?
From whence receiude they speach, from a mute rock?
As if all pleasure did proceed from mone,
Or all discretion from a senslesse blocke:
For what was each but silent, dead, and mute?
As if a thorny thistle should beare fruit.
From whence receiude they speach, from a mute rock?
As if all pleasure did proceed from mone,
Or all discretion from a senslesse blocke:
For what was each but silent, dead, and mute?
As if a thorny thistle should beare fruit.
Tis strange how that should cure, which erst did kill,
Giue life, in whome destruction is enshrinde,
Alas the stone is dead, and hath no skil,
Wisedome gaue life and loue, twas wisedomes minde:
Shee made the store, which poysoned her foes,
Giue life, giue cure, giue remedy to those.
Giue life, in whome destruction is enshrinde,
Alas the stone is dead, and hath no skil,
Wisedome gaue life and loue, twas wisedomes minde:
Shee made the store, which poysoned her foes,
Giue life, giue cure, giue remedy to those.
Ver. 6 7
Blood-quaffing Mars, which washt himselfe in gore,
Raignde in her foes thirst-slaughter-drinking hearts,
Their heads the bloody store-house of bloods store,
Their minds made bloody streames disburst in parts:
What was it else but butchery and hate?
To przie yong infants bloud at murders rate.
Raignde in her foes thirst-slaughter-drinking hearts,
Their heads the bloody store-house of bloods store,
Their minds made bloody streames disburst in parts:
What was it else but butchery and hate?
To przie yong infants bloud at murders rate.
But let them surffet on their bloody cup,
Carowsing to their owne destructions health,
We drinke the siluer-streamed water vp,
Which vnexpected flow'd from wisedomes wealth:
Declaring by the thirst of our dry soules,
How all our foes did swimme in murders boules.
Carowsing to their owne destructions health,
We drinke the siluer-streamed water vp,
Which vnexpected flow'd from wisedomes wealth:
Declaring by the thirst of our dry soules,
How all our foes did swimme in murders boules.
Uerse 8
What greater ill than famine? or what ill
Can be compared to the fire of thirst?
One be as both, for both the body kill,
And first brings torments in tormenting first:
Famine is death it selfe, and thirst no lesse,
If bread and water doe not yeelde redresse.
Can be compared to the fire of thirst?
One be as both, for both the body kill,
And first brings torments in tormenting first:
Famine is death it selfe, and thirst no lesse,
If bread and water doe not yeelde redresse.
Yet this affliction is but vertues triall,
Proceeding from the mercy of Gods ire,
To see if it can finde his truths deniall,
His iudgements breach attempts contempts desire:
But oh, the wicked sleeping in misdeede,
Had death on whom they fed, on whom they feede.
Proceeding from the mercy of Gods ire,
To see if it can finde his truths deniall,
His iudgements breach attempts contempts desire:
But oh, the wicked sleeping in misdeede,
Had death on whom they fed, on whom they feede.
Verse 9
A diudgde, condemnd, and punisht in one breath,
Arraignde, tormented, torturde in one lawe,
A diudgde like captiues with destructions wreathe,
Arraignde like theeues before the barre of awe:
Condemnd, tormented, torturde, punished,
Like captiues bold, theeues vnastonished.
Arraignde, tormented, torturde in one lawe,
A diudgde like captiues with destructions wreathe,
Arraignde like theeues before the barre of awe:
Condemnd, tormented, torturde, punished,
Like captiues bold, theeues vnastonished.
Say God did suffer famine for to raigne,
And thirst to rule amongst the choisest hart,
Yet father-like he easde them of their paine,
And proou'd them, how they could endure a smart:
But as a righteous King condemnd the others,
As wicked sonnes vnto as wicked mothers.
And thirst to rule amongst the choisest hart,
Yet father-like he easde them of their paine,
And proou'd them, how they could endure a smart:
But as a righteous King condemnd the others,
As wicked sonnes vnto as wicked mothers.
Uerse 10
For where the diuel raignes, there sure is hell,
Because the tabernacle of his name,
His mansion-house, the place where he doth dwell,
The cole-blacke visage of his nigrum fame:
So if the wicked liue vpon the earth,
Earth is their hell, from good to worser birth.
Because the tabernacle of his name,
His mansion-house, the place where he doth dwell,
The cole-blacke visage of his nigrum fame:
So if the wicked liue vpon the earth,
Earth is their hell, from good to worser birth.
If present, they are present to their teares,
If absent, they are present to their woes,
Like as the snaile which shewes all that she beares,
Making her backe the mountaine of her shoes:
Present to their death, not absent to their care,
Their punishment alike where ere they are.
If absent, they are present to their woes,
Like as the snaile which shewes all that she beares,
Making her backe the mountaine of her shoes:
Present to their death, not absent to their care,
Their punishment alike where ere they are.
Verse 11
Why say they mournd, lamented, greeude, and wailde,
And fed lament with care, care with lament?
Say, how can sorrow be with sorrow bailde,
When teares consumeth that which smiles hath lent?
This makes a double prison, double chaine,
A double mourning, and a double paine.
And fed lament with care, care with lament?
Say, how can sorrow be with sorrow bailde,
When teares consumeth that which smiles hath lent?
This makes a double prison, double chaine,
A double mourning, and a double paine.
Captiuitie hoping for freedomes hap,
At length doth pay the ransome of her hope,
Yet frees her thought from any clogging clap,
Though backe be almost burst with yrons cope:
So they indurde the more, because they knew,
That neuer till the spring the flowers grew.
At length doth pay the ransome of her hope,
Yet frees her thought from any clogging clap,
Though backe be almost burst with yrons cope:
So they indurde the more, because they knew,
That neuer till the spring the flowers grew.
Uerse 12
And that by patience commeth hearts delight,
Long-sought for blisse, Long far fet happines,
Content they were to die for vertues right,
Sith ioy should be the pledge of heauines:
When vnexpected things were brought to passe,
They were amazde and wondred where God was.
Long-sought for blisse, Long far fet happines,
Content they were to die for vertues right,
Sith ioy should be the pledge of heauines:
When vnexpected things were brought to passe,
They were amazde and wondred where God was.
Hee whom they did denie now they extoll,
Hee whom they do extoll, they did denie,
Hee whom they did deride, they doe enroll,
In register of heau'nly maiestie:
Their thirst was euer thirst, repentance stopt it,
Their life was euer dead, repentance propt it.
Hee whom they do extoll, they did denie,
Hee whom they did deride, they doe enroll,
In register of heau'nly maiestie:
Their thirst was euer thirst, repentance stopt it,
Their life was euer dead, repentance propt it.
Verse 13
And had it not their thirst had burnd their harts,
Their harts had cri'd out for their tongues replie,
Their tougues had raised all their bodies parts,
Their bodyes once in armes had made all die:
Their foolish practises had made them wise,
Wise in their hearts, though foolish in their eyes.
Their harts had cri'd out for their tongues replie,
Their tougues had raised all their bodies parts,
Their bodyes once in armes had made all die:
Their foolish practises had made them wise,
Wise in their hearts, though foolish in their eyes.
But they (alas) were dead to worshippe death,
Sencelesse in worshiping all shadowed showes,
Breathlesse in wasting of so vaine a breath,
Dumbe in performance of their tongues suppose:
They in adoring death, in deaths behests,
Were punished with life, and liuing beastes.
Sencelesse in worshiping all shadowed showes,
Breathlesse in wasting of so vaine a breath,
Dumbe in performance of their tongues suppose:
They in adoring death, in deaths behests,
Were punished with life, and liuing beastes.
Uer. 14 15
Thus for a shew of beasts, they substance haue,
The thing it selfe against the shadowes will,
Which makes the shadowes, sad woes in lifes graue,
As nought impossible in heauens skill;
God sent sad-ohes, for shadowes of lament,
Lions, and beares, in multitudes he sent.
The thing it selfe against the shadowes will,
Which makes the shadowes, sad woes in lifes graue,
As nought impossible in heauens skill;
God sent sad-ohes, for shadowes of lament,
Lions, and beares, in multitudes he sent.
Newly created beasts; which sight ne'er sawe,
Vnknowne, which neither eye nor eare did know,
To breathe out blasts of fire against their law,
And cast out smoake with a tempestuous blow:
Making their eyes the chambers of their feares,
Darting forth fire as lightning from the spheares.
Vnknowne, which neither eye nor eare did know,
To breathe out blasts of fire against their law,
And cast out smoake with a tempestuous blow:
Making their eyes the chambers of their feares,
Darting forth fire as lightning from the spheares.
Verse 16
Thus marching one by one, and side by side,
By the prophane ill-limnd, pale spectacles,
Making both fire and feare to be their guide,
Pulld downe their vaine-adoring chronicles:
Then staring in their faces spit forth fire,
Which heats, and cools, their frosty-hot desire.
By the prophane ill-limnd, pale spectacles,
Making both fire and feare to be their guide,
Pulld downe their vaine-adoring chronicles:
Then staring in their faces spit forth fire,
Which heats, and cools, their frosty-hot desire.
Frosty in feare, vnfrosty in their shame,
Coole in lament, hot in their powers disgraces,
Like luke-warme coales, halfe kindled with the flame,
Sate white and red mustring within their faces:
The beasts thēselues did not so much dismay them,
As did their vgly eyes aspects decay them.
Coole in lament, hot in their powers disgraces,
Like luke-warme coales, halfe kindled with the flame,
Sate white and red mustring within their faces:
The beasts thēselues did not so much dismay them,
As did their vgly eyes aspects decay them.
Uerse 17
Yet what are beasts, but subiects vnto man,
By the decree of heau'n, degree of earth?
They haue more strength then he, yet more he can,
Hee hauing reasons store, they reasons dearth,
But these were made to breake subiections rod:
And show the stubernnesse of man to God.
By the decree of heau'n, degree of earth?
They haue more strength then he, yet more he can,
Hee hauing reasons store, they reasons dearth,
But these were made to breake subiections rod:
And show the stubernnesse of man to God.
Had they not beene ordain'd to such intent,
Gods word was able to supplant their powers,
And root out them which were to mischiefe bent,
With wrath & vengeance, minutes in deaths houres:
But God doth keepe a full-direct-true course,
And measures pitties loue, with mercies force.
Gods word was able to supplant their powers,
And root out them which were to mischiefe bent,
With wrath & vengeance, minutes in deaths houres:
But God doth keepe a full-direct-true course,
And measures pitties loue, with mercies force.
Ver. 18 19
The wicked thinkes, God hath no might at all,
Because he makes no shew of what he is,
When God is loth to giue their pride a fall,
Or cloud the day wherein they do amisse;
But should his strength be showne his anger rise,
Who could withstand the sunne-caues of his eyes.
Because he makes no shew of what he is,
When God is loth to giue their pride a fall,
Or cloud the day wherein they do amisse;
But should his strength be showne his anger rise,
Who could withstand the sunne-caues of his eyes.
Alas, what is the world against his ire?
As snowie mountaines gainst the golden sunne,
For'st for to melt, and thawe with frosty fire,
Fire hid in frost, though frost of colde begunne:
As dew-distilling drops fall from the morne,
So nw-destructions claps fall from his scorne.
As snowie mountaines gainst the golden sunne,
For'st for to melt, and thawe with frosty fire,
Fire hid in frost, though frost of colde begunne:
As dew-distilling drops fall from the morne,
So nw-destructions claps fall from his scorne.
Uerse 20
But his reuenge lies smother'd in his smiles,
His wrath lies sleeping in his mercies ioy,
Which very seldome rise at mischiefes coyles,
And will not wake for euery sinners toy:
Boundlesse his mercies are, like heauens grounds,
They haue no limittes they, nor heau'n no bounds.
His wrath lies sleeping in his mercies ioy,
Which very seldome rise at mischiefes coyles,
And will not wake for euery sinners toy:
Boundlesse his mercies are, like heauens grounds,
They haue no limittes they, nor heau'n no bounds.
The promontary top of his true loue,
Is like the end of neuer-ending streames,
Like Nilus water-springs which inward moue,
And haue no outward shew of shadowes beames:
God sees, and will not see, the sinnes of men,
Because they should amend, amend? oh when?
Is like the end of neuer-ending streames,
Like Nilus water-springs which inward moue,
And haue no outward shew of shadowes beames:
God sees, and will not see, the sinnes of men,
Because they should amend, amend? oh when?
Verse 21
The mother loues the issues of her wombe,
As doth the father his begotten sonne,
Shee makes her lap their quiet sleeping tombe,
Hee seekes to care for life which new begun:
What care hath he (think then) that cares for all,
For aged, and for yong, for great and small?
As doth the father his begotten sonne,
Shee makes her lap their quiet sleeping tombe,
Hee seekes to care for life which new begun:
What care hath he (think then) that cares for all,
For aged, and for yong, for great and small?
Is not that father carefull, filld with care,
Louing, long suffering, mercifull, and kinde;
Which made with loue all things that in loue are,
Vnmercifull to none, to none vnkinde,
Had man beene hatefull, man had neuer beene,
But perisht in the spring-time of his greene.
Louing, long suffering, mercifull, and kinde;
Which made with loue all things that in loue are,
Vnmercifull to none, to none vnkinde,
Had man beene hatefull, man had neuer beene,
But perisht in the spring-time of his greene.
Uer. 22 23
But how can hate abide where loue remaines?
Or how can anger follow mercies path?
How can vnkindenesse hinder kindnesse gaines?
Or how can murder bathe in pitties bath?
Loue, mercy, kindenesse, pitty, eithers mate,
Doth scorne vnkindenesse, anger, murder, hate.
Or how can anger follow mercies path?
How can vnkindenesse hinder kindnesse gaines?
Or how can murder bathe in pitties bath?
Loue, mercy, kindenesse, pitty, eithers mate,
Doth scorne vnkindenesse, anger, murder, hate.
Had it not beene thy will to make the earth,
It still had beene a Chaos vnto time,
But twas thy will that man should haue a birth,
And be preserude by good, condemnd by crime:
Yet pitty raignes within thy mercies score,
Thou spar'st & lou'st vs all, what would we more?
It still had beene a Chaos vnto time,
But twas thy will that man should haue a birth,
And be preserude by good, condemnd by crime:
Yet pitty raignes within thy mercies score,
Thou spar'st & lou'st vs all, what would we more?
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Chapter XI.
The Wisdome of Solomon Paraphrased | |