A Righteous King

1Beholde, the kinge shal gouerne after ye rule of rightuousnes, and ye princes shal rule acordinge to the balaunce of equite.

2He shalbe vnto me, as a defence for the wynde, and as a refuge for the tempest, like as a ryuer of water in a thurstie place, and ye schadowe of a greate rock in a drie lode.

3The eyes of the seinge shall not be dymme, and the eares of them that heare, shal take diliget hede.

4The hert of the vnwise, shal attayne to knowlege, and the vnparfite tuge shal speake planely and distinctly.

5Then shal the nygarde be no more called gentle, ner the churle lyberall.

6But the churle wil be churlishly mynded, and his hert wil worke euell and playe the ypocrite, and ymagyn abhominacios agaynst God, to make the hungrie leane, and to withholde drinke from the thurstie:

7These are the perlous weapons of the cuvetous, these be his shameful councels: that he maye begyle the poore with disceatful workes, yee euen there as he shulde geue sentence with the poore.

8But the liberall person ymagineth honest thinges, and commeth vp with honesty.

The Women of Jerusalem

9Vp (ye rich and ydle cities), harken vnto my voyce. Ye careles cities, marcke my wordes.

10After yeares and dayes shal ye be brought in feare, o ye carelesse cities. For Haruest shalbe out, and the grape gatheringe shal not come.

11O ye rich ydle cities, ye that feare no parell, ye shalbe abashed and remoued: when ye se the barennesse, the nakednesse and preparinge to warre.

12Ye shal knock vpo youre brestes, because of the pleasaunt felde, and because of the fruteful vynyarde.

13My peoples felde shal bringe thornes and thistels, for in euery house is voluptuousnes & in the cities, wilfulnes.

14The palaces also shalbe broken, and the greatly occupide cities desolate. The towers and bulwerckes shalbe become dennes for euermore, the pleasure of Mules shalbe turned to pasture for shepe:

15Vnto the tyme that ye sprete be poured vpon vs from aboue. Then shal the wildernesse be a fruteful felde & the plenteous felde shalbe rekened for a wodde.

16Then shal equyte dwel in the deserte, and rightuousnesse in a fruteful londe.

17And the rewarde of rightuousnesse shalbe peace, and hir frute rest and quietnesse for euer.

18And my people shal dwel in the ynnes of peace, in my tabernacle and pleasure, where there is ynough in the all.

19And whe the hale falleth, it shal fall in the wodde and in the citie.

20O how happy shal ye be, whe ye shal safely sowe youre sede besyde all waters & dryue thither the fete of youre oxe & asses.