1Forsooth the souls of just men be in the hand of God; and the torment of death shall not touch them.

2They seemed to the eyes of unwise men to die; and torment was deemed the out-going of them.

3And from just way they went into destroying, and that that is of us the way of destroying [or destruction]; but they be in peace.

4Though they suffered torments before men, the hope of them is full of undeadliness.

5They were travailed in a few things, and they shall be disposed well in many things; for why God assayed them, and found them worthy to himself.

6He proved them as gold in a furnace, and he took them as the offering of burnt sacrifice;

7and the beholding of them shall be in time of yielding. Just men shall shine, and they shall run about as sparkles in a place of reeds. [and in time shall be the beholding of them. They shall shine rightwise, and as sparkles in reedy places they shall run hither and thither.]

8They shall deem nations, and shall be lords of peoples; and the Lord of them shall reign without end.

9They that trust on him, shall understand truth; and faithful men in love shall assent to him; for why gift and peace is to his chosen men.

10But wicked men, by those things that they thought, shall have punishing; which despised just thing, and went away from the Lord.

11For he that casteth away wisdom and lore, is cursed [or is unhappy]; and the hope of wicked men is void, and their travails be without fruit, and their works be unhabitable, and unprofitable.

12The women of them be unwitting [or unwise], and the sons of them be full wayward [or most wicked].

13The creature of them is cursed; for why the woman barren and undefouled is blessed [or happy is the barren, and the undefouled], that hath not known the bed in trespass; she shall have fruit in the beholding of holy souls.

14And a man unmighty to engender or beget, [or a gelding], is blessed, that hath not wrought wickedness by his hands, neither thought most wayward [or wicked] things against the Lord; for why a chosen [free] gift of faith shall be given to him, and a most acceptable [or most allowed] heritage in the temple of God.

15For why the fruits of good travails is glorious, and the root of wisdom that falleth not down.

16But the sons of adulterers shall be in destroying, and the seed of a wicked bed shall be destroyed [or outlawed].

17And soothly though they shall be of long life, they shall be areckoned into nought; and the last eld age of them shall be without honour.

18And if they be dead swiftlier [or if swiftlier they shall be dead], they shall not have hope, neither allowing in the day of knowing.

19Forsooth wicked nations be of hard ending.