Wisdom 2
2
1For they said #2.1 Or amongwithin themselves, reasoning not aright,
# See Gen. 47.9. Short and sorrowful is our life;
# Cp. Eccles. 8.8. And there is no healing when a man cometh to his end,
And #Cp. Ps. 89.48.none was ever known that #2.1 Or returned out of Hadesgave release from Hades.
2Because by mere chance were we born,
And #Obad. 16. Ecclus. 44.9.hereafter we shall be as though we had never been:
# Cp. Ps. 102.3. Because the breath in our nostrils is smoke,
And #2.2 Or reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our heartwhile our heart beateth reason is a spark,
3Which being extinguished, #Cp. Ecclus. 17.1. See Gen. 3.19.the body shall be turned into ashes,
And the spirit shall be dispersed as thin air;
4 #
Eccles. 2.16 & 9.5. And our name shall be forgotten in time,
And no man shall remember our works;
And our life shall pass away #Job 7.9.as the traces of a cloud,
And #Cp. James 4.14.shall be scattered as is a mist,
When it is chased by the beams of the sun,
And #2.4 Gr. weighed down.overcome by the heat thereof.
5For our allotted time is #ch. 5.9. Job 8.9. See 1 Chr. 29.15.the passing of a shadow,
And #2.5 Or there is no putting back of our endour end retreateth not;
Because it is fast sealed, and none #2.5 Or cometh againturneth it back.
6 #
Is. 22.13. 1 Cor. 15.32. Come therefore and let us enjoy the good things #2.6 Or that arethat now are;
And let us use the creation #2.6 Gr. earnestly.with all our soul #2.6 Some authorities read even as our youth. #Cp. Eccles. 11.9.as youth's possession.
7 # Cp. Is. 56.12. Let us fill ourselves with costly wine and perfumes;
And let no flower of #2.7 Some authorities read air.spring pass us by:
8 # Cp. Ecclus. 32.2. Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds, before they be withered:
9Let none of us go without his share in our proud revelry:
Everywhere let us leave tokens of our mirth:
#
Eccles. 3.22. Because this is our portion, and our lot is this.
10 # Cp. Job 24.3,4. Let us oppress the righteous poor;
Let us not spare the widow,
Nor reverence the hairs of the old man gray for length of years.
11But let our strength be to us a law of righteousness;
For that which is weak is #2.11 Gr. convicted.found to be of no service.
12But #Prov. 1.11.let us lie in wait for the righteous man,
Because he is of disservice to us,
And is contrary to our works,
And upbraideth us with sins against #2.12 Or lawthe law,
And layeth to our charge sins against our discipline.
13 # Cp. John 7.29. He professeth to have knowledge of God,
And nameth himself #2.13 Or childservant of the Lord.
14 # Cp. John 7.7. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts.
15 # Cp. Is. 53.3. He is grievous unto us even to behold,
Because his life is unlike other men's,
And his paths are of strange fashion.
16We were accounted of him #Cp. Jer. 6.30.as base metal,
And he abstaineth from our ways as from uncleannesses.
# See Num. 23.10. The latter end of the righteous he calleth happy;
And he vaunteth #Cp. ch. 5.5 & John 5.18.that God is his father.
17 # Cp. Gen. 37.20 & Mat. 27.49. Let us see if his words be true,
And let us try what shall befall in the ending of his life.
18 # Cp. Ps. 22.8 & Mat. 27.43. For if the righteous man is God's son, he will uphold him,
And he will deliver him out of the hand of his adversaries.
19 # Cp. Is. 53.7 & Jer. 11.19. With outrage and torture let us put him to the test,
That we may learn his gentleness,
And may prove his patience under wrong.
20 #
James 5.6. Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
# Cp. Ecclus. 23.24 (for mg.). For #2.20 Gr. there shall be a visitation of him out of his words.he shall be visited according to his words.
21Thus reasoned they, and they were led astray;
For #Rom. 1.21. Eph. 4.18. Cp. ch. 4.12.their #2.21 Or malicewickedness blinded them,
22And they knew not #Cp. Mat. 13.11.the mysteries of God,
Neither hoped they for wages of holiness,
Nor did they judge that there is a prize for blameless souls.
23 # Cp. ch. 1.13. Because God created man for #ch. 6.18.incorruption,
And made him #Ecclus. 17.3. See Gen. 1.26.an image of his own #2.23 Some authorities read everlastingness.proper being;
24 #
Gen. 3.13. Cp. John 8.44. But by the envy of the devil death entered into the world,
And #ch. 1.16.they that are of his portion make trial thereof.
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Wisdom 2: RV1895
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historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society