A Righteous King

1Beholde, a kyng shall gouerne after the rule of righteousnesse, and the princes shall rule according to the ballaunce of equitie.

2And that man shalbe vnto men as a defence for the winde, and as a refuge for the tempest, lyke as a ryuer of water in a thirstie place, and the shadowe of a great rocke in a drye lande.

3The eyes of the seeing shall not be dim, and the eares of them that heare shall take diligent heede.

4The heart of the vnwyse shall attayne to knowledge, and the vnperfect tongue shall speake playnely and distinctly.

5Then shall the foolishe nigarde be no more called gentle, nor the churle liberall.

6But the nigarde wyll speake nigardlye, and his heart wyll worke euyll, and play the hypocrite, and imagine abhominations against God, to make the hungry leane, and to withholde drinke from the thirstie.

7The weapons of the churlishe are euyll, he deuiseth noysome deuises, that he may beguyle the poore with deceiptfull wordes, yea euen there as he should geue sentence with the poore.

8But the liberall person imagineth honest thynges, and commeth vp for liberalitie vnto promotion.

The Women of Jerusalem

9Up ye riche and idle women, hearken vnto my voyce, ye carelesse daughters marke my wordes.

10Many yeres and dayes shall ye be brought in feare O ye carelesse women: for the vintage shall fayle, and the haruest shall not come.

11Be abashed you that lyue in aboundaunce, tremble you that lyue carelesse, cast of your rayment, make your selues bare, and put sackcloth about you.

12For as the infantes weepe when their mothers teates are dryed vp: so shall you weepe for your faire fieldes and fruitfull vineyardes.

13My peoples fielde shall bryng thornes and thistles: and so shall it be in euery house of voluptuousnesse, and in euery citie that reioyceth.

14The palaces also shalbe broke, and the greatly occupied cities desolate: The towres and bulwarkes shall become dennes for euermore, where wylde asses take their pleasure, and sheepe their pasture.

15Unto the tyme that the spirite be powred vpon vs from aboue, and that the wildernesse be a fruitfull fielde, and the plenteous fielde be reckened for a wood.

16Then shall equitie dwell in the desert, and righteousnesse in a fruitfull lande.

17And the worke of righteousnesse shalbe peace, and her fruite rest and quietnesse for euer.

18And my people shall dwell in the innes of peace, and in sure dwellynges, in safe places of comfort.

19And when the hayle falleth, it shall fall in the wood, and the citie shalbe set lowe in the valley.

20O howe happy shall ye be when ye shall safely sowe your seede beside all waters, and dryue thyther the feete of your oxen and asses.