A   Then answered Sophar the Naamathite, and sayde: For the same cause do my thoughtes compell me to answere. And why? my mynde is tossed here and there. I haue sufficiently herde the checkynge ∧ reprofe, therfore am I purposed to make answere after my vnderst&obar;dinge. Knowest thou not this, namely: that from the begynninge (euer sence the creacion of man vpon earth) the prayse of the vngodly hath bene shorte, and that the ioye of Ypocrytes continued but þe; twincklinge of an eye? Though he be magnified vp to the heau&ebar;, so that his heade reacheth vnto the cloudes: yet he perisheth at the last like donge: In so moch þt; they which haue sene him, saye: Where is he? He vanysheth as a dreame, so that he can nomore be founde, ∧ passeth awaye as a vision in þe; night. So that the eye which sawe him before, getteth now no sight of him, ∧ his place knoweth him nomore. His childr&ebar; go a begginge, their handes bringe th&ebar; to sorow and heuynesse.

B   From his youth his bones are ful of vyce, which shal lie downe &wt; him in þe; earth. Wh&ebar;

wickednesse is swete in his mouth, he hydeth it vnder his tonge. That he fauoureth, that wyll he not forsake, but kepeth it close in his throte. The meate that he eateth, shalbe turned to the poyson of serp&ebar;tes within his body. The riches þt; he deuoureth, shall he perbreake agayne, for God shal drawe them out of his bely. The serpentes heade shall sucke him, and the adders tonge shall slaye him: so that he shal nomore se the ryuers and brokes of hony and butter: But laboure shal he, ∧ yet haue nothinge to eate. Greate trauayle shal he make for riches, but he shal not enioye them. And why? he hath oppressed the poore, and not helped them: houses hath he spoyled, and not buylded them. His bely coude neuer be fylled, therfore shall he perish in his couetousnesse. C   He deuoured so gredely, þt; he left nothinge behynde, therfore his goodes shal not prospere. ^noteThough he had plenteousnesse of euerythinge, yet was he poore, ∧ therfore he is but a wretch on euery syde.

For though þe; wicked haue neuer so moch to fyll his bely, yet God shal sende his wrath vpon him, and cause his battayll to rayne ouer him: so that yf he fle the yron weapens, he shall be shott with the stele bowe. The arowe shal be taken forth, ∧ go out at his backe, and a glisteringe swearde thorow þe; gall of him, feare shal come vp&obar; him. There shal no darcknes be able to hyde him. An vnkyndled fyre shal consume him, and loke what remayneth in his house, it shall be destroyed. The heauen shall declare his wickednesse, ∧ the earth shal take parte agaynst him. The substaunce that he hath in his house, shalbe taken awaye and perish, in the daye of the LORDES wrath. This is the porcion that þe; wicked shal haue of God, and the heretage that he maye loke for of the LORDE. ^note

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