Matthew(i)
1 There are places where syluer is molten, and were golde is tried:
2 where yron is digged out of the ground, & stones resolued to metall.
3 The darkenes shal ones come to an ende, he can seke out the grounde of all thynges: the stones, the darcke, & the horrible shadowe.
4 Wyth the ryuer of water parteth he a sunder the straunge people, that knoweth no good neyghbourheade: suche as are rude, vnmanerly and boyustours.
5 He bryngeth foode out of the earthe, & that whiche is vnder consumeth he with fyre.
6 There is found a place, whose stones are cleane Saphirs, & where the clottes of earthe are golde.
7 There is a way also that the byrdes knowe not, that no vulturs eye hath sene:
8 wherin the proude & hye minded walke not, and where no lyon commeth.
9 There putteth he his hande vpon stony rockes, and ouerthroweth the mountaynes
10 Riuers flowe out of the rockes, and loke what is pleasaunt, his eye seith it.
11 Out of droppes bringeth he greate floudes together & the thinge that is hyd bringeth he to lighte.
12 Howe commeth a man then by wysedome? Where is the place that men fynde vnderstandinge?
13 Verely no man can tell howe worthy a thynge she is, neither is she found in the land of the liuinge.
14 The depe sayeth: she is not in me. The sea sayeth: she is not with me.
15 She can not be gotten for the most fine gould, neither may the pryce of her be bought with any money.
16 No wedges of goulde of Ophir, no precious Onix stones, no Saphirs maye be compared vnto her.
17 No, neyther goulde, nor Christal, neyther swete odoures, nor golden plate.
18 There is nothinge so worthy, or so excellent, as ones to be named vnto her: for perfecte wisedome goeth farre beyonde them al.
19 The Topas that commeth out of Iude, may in no wise be lykened vnto her: yea no maner of apparel howe pleasaunt and fayre soeuer it be.
20 From whence then commeth wysedome? & where is the place of vnderstandinge?
21 She is hyd from the eyes of all men, yea & from the foules of the ayre.
22 Destruccyon and death say: we haue hearde tell of her with oure eares.
23 But God seyth her waie, and knoweth her place.
24 For he beholdeth the endes of the world & loketh vpon al that is vnder heauen.
25 When he weyed the windes, & measured the waters
26 when he set the rayne in ordre, and gaue the mighty floudes a lawe?
27 Then dyd he se her, then declared he her, prepared her, and knew her.
28 And vnto man he sayde: Beholde, to feare the Lorde, is wisedom, and to forsake euil, is vnderstandinge.