1 For the vngodly said, reasoning with themselues, but not aright: Our life is short and tedious, and in the death of a man there is no remedie: neither was there any man knowen to haue returned from the graue.

2 For wee are borne at all aduenture: & we shalbe heereafter as though we had neuer bene: for the breath in our nostrils is as smoke, and a litle sparke in the mouing of our heart.

3 Which being extinguished, our body shall be turned into ashes, and our spirit shall vanish as the soft aire:

4 And our name shalbe forgotten in time, and no man shall haue our works in remembrance, and our life shall passe away as the trace of a cloud: and shall be dispersed as a mist that is driuen away with the beames of the Sunne, and ouercome with the heat thereof.

5 For our time is a very shadow that passeth away: and after our end there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man commeth againe.

6 Come on therefore, let vs enioy the good things that are present: and let vs speedily vse the creatures like as in youth.

7 Let vs fill our selues with costly wine, and ointments: and let no flower of the Spring passe by vs.

8 Let vs crowne our selues with Rose buds, before they be withered.

9 Let none of vs goe without his part of our voluptuousnesse: let vs leaue tokens of our ioyfulnesse in euery place: for this is our portion, and our lot is this.

10 Let vs oppresse the poore righteous man, let vs not spare the widow, nor reuerence the ancient gray haires of the aged.

11 Let our strength bee the Lawe of iustice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.

12 Therefore let vs lye in wait for the righteous: because he is not for our turne, and he is cleane contrary to our doings: he vpbraideth vs with our offending the Law, and obiecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education.

13 Hee professeth to haue the knowledge of God: and hee calleth himselfe the childe of the Lord.

14 Hee was made to reprooue our thoughts.

15 Hee is grieuous vnto vs euen to beholde: for his life is not like other mens, his waies are of another fashion.

16 We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse: he pronounceth the end of the iust to be blessed, and maketh his boast that God is his father.

17 Let vs see if his wordes be true: and let vs proue what shall happen in the end of him.

18 For if the iust man be the sonne of God, he will helpe him, and deliuer him from the hand of his enemies.

19 Let vs examine him with despitefulnesse and torrture, that we may know his meekenesse, and prooue his patience.

20 Let vs condemne him with a shamefull death: for by his owne saying, he shall be respected.

21 Such things they did imagine, and were deceiued: for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them.

22 As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousnesse: nor discerned a reward for blamelesse soules.

23 For God created man to bee immortall, and made him to be an image of his owne eternitie.

24 Neuerthelesse through enuie of the deuill came death into the world: and they that doe holde of his side doe finde it.