Wisdom of Solomon Chapter 17
(Original 1611 KJV Bible)

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Wisdom of Solomon Chapter 17 Original 1611 Bible Scan

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CHAP. XVII.

1 Why the Egyptians were punished with darkenesse. 4 The terrours of that darknes. 12 The terrours of an ill conscience.

¹ For great are thy Iudgements, and cannot be expressed: therefore vnnourtured soules haue erred.¹

² For when vnrighteous men thought to oppresse the holy nation: they being shut vp in their houses, the prisoners of darkenesse, and fettered with the bondes of a long night, lay [there] exiled from the eternall prouidence.²

³ For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sinnes, they were scattered vnder a darke vaile of forgetfulnesse, being horribly astonished, and troubled with (strange) apparitions.³

⁴ For neither might the corner that helde them keepe them from feare: but noises (as of waters) falling downe, sounded about them, and sadde visions appeared vnto them with heauie countenances.

⁵ No power of the fire might giue them light: neither could the bright flames of the starres endure to lighten that horrible night.

⁶ Onely there appeared vnto them a fire kindled of it selfe, very dreadfull: for being much terrified, they thought the things which they saw to be worse then the sight they saw not.

⁷ As for the illusions of arte Magicke, they were put downe, and their vaunting in wisedome was reprooued with disgrace.⁷

⁸ For they that promised to driue away terrours, and troubles from a sicke soule, were sicke themselues of feare worthy to be laughed at.

⁹ For though no terrible thing did feare them: yet being skared with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents,

¹⁰ They died for feare, denying that they saw the ayre, which could of no side be auoided.¹⁰

¹¹ For wickednesse condemned by her owne witnesse, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, alwayes forecasteth grieuous things.

¹² For feare is nothing else, but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth.

¹³ And the expectation from within being lesse, counteth the ignorance more then the cause which bringeth the torment.

¹⁴ But they sleeping the same sleepe that night which was indeed intolerable, and which came vpon them out of the bottomes of ineuitable hell:¹⁴

¹⁵ Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly fainted, their heart failing them: for a suddaine feare and not looked for, came vpon them.

¹⁶ So then, whosoeuer there fell downe, was straitly kept, shut vp in a prison without yron barres.

¹⁷ For whether hee were husbandman, or shepheard, or a labourer in the field, he was ouertaken, and endured that necessitie, which could not be auoided: for they were all bound with one chaine of darkenesse.¹⁷

¹⁸ Whether it were a whistling winde, or a melodious noise of birdes among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water running violently:

¹⁹ Or a terrible sound of stones cast downe, or a running that could not be seene of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most sauage wilde beasts, or a rebounding Eccho from the hollow mountaines: these things made them to swoone for feare.¹⁹

²⁰ For the whole world shined with cleare light, and none were hindered in their labour.

²¹ Ouer them onely was spread an heauie night, an image of that darkenesse which should afterwards receiue them: but yet were they vnto themselues more grieuous then the darkenesse.

Wisdom of Solomon Chapter 17 Sidenote References (from Original 1611 KJV Bible):

¹ Or, soules that will not be reformed.
² Or, vnder their roofes. , Or, fugitiues.
³ Or, in. , Or, sights.
⁷ Exo.7.12. and 8.7,19.
¹⁰ Or refusing to looke vpon.
¹⁴ Or, wherein they could doe nothing.
¹⁷ Or, desert.
¹⁹ Or, hideous.

* Some content on this page courtesy of Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania

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