The works of God are wonderful from the beginning, 7. and men ungrateful 13. In Abraham God chose to himself a peculiar people: who nevertheless were froward, and obstinate. 23. He also chose David, but still the people were sinful: 28. the Babylonians also, by whom they are afflicted, are no less but rather greater sinners.The workes of God are wonderful from the beginning, 7. and men vngratful 13. In Abraham God chose to himself a peculiar people: who neuertheles were froward, and obstinate. 23. He also chose Dauid, but stil the people were sinful: 28. the Babylonians also, by whom they are afflicted, are no lesse but rather greater sinners.
In the thirtieth year of the ruin of the city I was in Babylon, and was troubled lying in my chamber, and my cogitations came up over my heart:IN the thirteth yeare of the ruine of the citie I was in Babylon, and was trubled lying in my chamber, and my cogitations came vp ouer my hart:Anno tricesimo ruinæ civitatis eram in Babylone, et conturbatus sum super cubiculo meo recumbens, et cogitationes meæ ascendebant super cor meum :
2because I saw the desolation of Sion, and the abundance of them that dwelt in Babylon.because I saw the desolation of Sion, and the abundance of them that dwelt in Babylon.quoniam vidi desertionem Sion, et abundantiam eorum qui habitabant in Babylone.
3And my spirit was tossed exceedingly, and I began to speak to the highest timorata: timid, cowardly; reverent, full of holy fear words,And my spirit was tossed excedingly, and I began to speake to the highest timorous wordes,et ventilatus est spiritus meus valde, et cœpi loqui ad Altissimum verba timorata,
4and said: O Lord dominator: sovereign Ruler, Lord thou spakest from the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth, and that alone, and didst rule over the people,and sayd: O Lord dominatour thou spakest from the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth, and that alone, and didst rule ouer the people,et dixi : O dominator Domine, tu dixisti ab initio, quando plantasti terram, et hoc solus, et imperasti populo,
5and gavest Adam a dead body: but that also was the work of thy hands, and didst breathe into him the spirit of life, and he was made to live before thee:and gauest Adam a dead bodie: but that also was the worke of thy handes, & didst breath into him the spirit of life, and he was made to liue before thee:et dedisti Adam corpus mortuum : sed et ipsum figmentum manuum tuarum erat, et insufflasti in eum spiritum vitæ, et factus est vivus coram te :
6and thou broughtest him into paradise, which thy right hand had planted, before the earth came.and thou broughst him into paradise, which thy right hand had planted, before the earth came.et induxisti eum in paradiso, quem plantaverat dextera tua, antequam terra adventaret.
7And him thou didst command to love thy way, and he transgressed it, and forthwith thou didst institute death in him, and in his posterity, and there were born nations, and tribes, and peoples, and kindreds, whereof there is no number.And him thou didst command to loue thy way, and he transgressed it, & forthwith thou didst institute death in him, and in his posteritie, and there were borne nations, and tribes, and peoples, and kinreds, wherof there is no number.Et huic mandasti diligere viam tuam, et præterivit eam, et statim instituisti in eo mortem, et in nationibus ejus, et natæ sunt gentes, et tribus, et populi, et cognationes, quarum non est numerus.
8And every nation walked in their own will, and they did marvellous things before thee, and despised thy precepts.And euerie nation walked in their owne wil, & they did meruelous thinges before thee, and despised thy preceptes.Et ambulavit unaquæque gens in voluntate sua, et mira agebant coram te, et spernebant præcepta tua.
9And again in time thou broughtest in the flood upon inhabitants of the world, and didst destroy them.And agane in time thou broughst in the floud vpon inhabitantes of the world, and didst destroy them.Iterum autem in tempore induxisti diluvium super inhabitantes sæculum, et perdidisti eos.
10And there was made in every one of them, as unto Adam to die, so to them the flood,And there was made in euery one of them, as vnto Adam to dye, so to them the floud,Et factum est in unoquoque eorum, sicut Adæ mori, sic his diluvium.
11But thou didst leave one of them, Noe with his house and of him were all the just.But thou didst leaue one of them, Noe with his house and of him were al the iust.Dereliquisti autem unum ex his Noë cum domo sua, et ex eo justi omnes.
12And it came to pass, when they began to be multiplied, that dwelt upon the earth, and multiplied children and peoples and many nations: and they began again to do impiety more than the former.And it came to passe, when they began to be multiplied, that dwelt vpon the earth, & multiplied children and peoples and manie nations: and they begane againe to doe impietie more then the former.Et factum est, cum cœpissent multiplicari, qui habitabant super terram, et multiplicaverunt filios et populos et gentes multas : et cœperunt iterato impietatem facere plus quam priores.
13And it came to pass when they did iniquity before thee, thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham.And it came to passe when they did iniquitie before thee, thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham.Et factum est cum iniquitatem facerent coram te, elegisti tibi virum ex his, cui nomen erat Abraham.
14And thou didst love him and to him only thou didst show thy will.And thou didst loue him and to him onlie thou didst shew thy wil.Et dilexisti eum, et demonstrasti ei soli voluntatem tuam :
15And thou didst dispose unto him an everlasting testament, and toldest him that thou wouldst never forsake his seed. And thou gavest him Isaac, and to Isaac thou gavest Jacob and Esau.And thou didst dispose vnto him an euerlasting testament, and toldst him that thou wouldst neuer forsake his seede. And thou gauest him Isaac, and to Isaac thou gauest Iacob and Esau.et disposuisti ei testamentum æternum, et dixisti ei, ut non umquam derelinqueres semen ejus. Et dedisti ei Isaac, et Isaac dedisti Jacob et Esau.
16And Jacob thou didst sever to thy self, but Esau thou didst separate. And Jacob grew to a great multitude.And Iacob thou didst seuer to thy selfe, but Esau thou didst separate. And Iacob grewe to a great multitude.Et segregasti tibi Jacob, Esau autem separasti. Et factus est Jacob in multitudine magna.
17And it came to pass when thou didst bring forth his seed out of Egypt, thou broughtest it upon mount Sinai.And it came to passe when thou didst bring forth his sede out of Ægypt, thou broughst it vpon mount Sinai.Et factum est cum educeres semen ejus ex Ægypto, adduxisti super montem Sina.
18And thou didst bow the heavens, and fasten the earth, and didst shake the world, and madest the depths to tremble, and troubledst the world,And thou didst bowe the heauens, and fasten the earth, and didst shake the world, and madest the depthes to tremble, and trubledst the world,Et inclinasti cælos, et statuisti terram, et commovisti orbem, et tremere fecisti abyssos, et conturbasti sæculum,
19and thy glory passed four gates of fire, and of earthquake, and wind, and frost, that thou mightest give a law to the seed of Jacob, and to the generation of Israel diligence.and thy glorie passed foure gates of fire, and of earthquake, and winde, and frost, that thou mightst geue a law to the seede of Iacob, and to the generation of Israel diligence.et transiit gloria tua portas quattuor ignis et terræmotus, et spiritus, et gelu, ut dares semini Jacob legem, et generationi Israël diligentiam.
20And thou didst not take away from them a malignum: cancerous, virulent; malicious, evil-minded heart, that thy law might bring forth fruit in them,And thou didst not take away from them a malignant hart, that thy law might bring forth fruite in them,Et non abstulisti ab eis cor malignum, ut faceret lex tua in eis fructum.
21For Adam the first bearing a vicious heart transgressed and was overcome, yea and all that were born of him.For Adam the first bearing a vicious hart transgressed and was ouercome, yea and al that were borne of him.Cor enim malignum bajulans primus Adam transgressus et victus est, sed et omnes qui de eo nati sunt.
22And it was made a permanent infirmity, and the law with the heart of the people, with the wickedness of the root, and that which is good departed, and the wicked remained.And it was made a permanent infirmitie, and the law with the hart of the people, with the wickednes of the roote, and that which is good departed, and the wicked remayned.Et facta est permanens infirmitas, et lex cum corde populi, cum malignitate radicis : et discessit quod bonum est, et mansit malignum.
23And the times passed, and the years were ended: and thou didst raise up unto thee a servant named David,And the times passed, & the yeares were ended: and thou didst raise vp vnto thee a seruant named Dauid,Et transierunt tempora, et finiti sunt anni : et suscitasti tibi servum nomine David,
24and spakest unto him to build a city of thy name, and to offer unto thee in it frankincense, and oblations.and spakest vnto him to build a citie of thy name, and to offer vnto thee in it frankencense, and oblations.et dixisti ei ædificare civitatem nominis tui, et offerre tibi in eadem thus et oblationes.
25And this was done many years, and they that inhabited the city forsook thee,And this was done manie yeares, and they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee,Et factum est hoc annis multis, et deliquerunt qui habitabant civitatem,
26in all things as Adam and all his generations. For they also used a wicked heart.in al things as Adam and al his generations. For they also vsed a wicked hart.in omnibus facientes sicut fecit Adam et omnes generationes ejus. Utebantur enim et ipsi corde maligno.
27And thou didst deliver thy city into the hands of thine enemies.And thou didst deliuer thy citie into the hands of thyne enimies.Et tradidisti civitatem tuam in manibus inimicorum tuorum.
28Why, do they better things, that inhabit Babylon? And for this shall she rule over Sion?Why, doe they better thinges, that inhabite Babylon? And for this shal she rule ouer Sion?Numquid meliora faciunt, qui habitant Babylonem ? Et propter hoc dominabitur Sion ?
29It came to pass when I was come hither, and had seen the impieties that cannot be numbered: and my soul saw many offending this thirtieth year, and my heart was excessit: stunned, overwhelmed:It came to passe when I was come hither, and had sene the impieties that can not be numbred: and my soul saw manie offending this thirteth yeare, & my hart was astonied:Factum est cum venissem huc, et vidissem impietates, quarum non est numerus : et delinquentes multos vidit anima mea hoc tricesimo anno, et excessit cor meum :
30because I saw how thou bearest with their sin, and didst spare them that did impiously, and didst destroy thine own people, and preserve thine enemies, and didst not signify it.because I saw how thou bearest with their sinne, and didst spare them that did impiously, and didst destroy thine owne people, and preserue thine enimies, and didst not signifie it.quoniam vidi quomodo sustines eos peccantes, et pepercisti impie agentibus, et perdidisti populum tuum, et conservasti inimicos tuos, et non significasti.
31I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken: doth Babylon better things than Sion?I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken: doth Babylon better thinges then Sion?Nihil memini quomodo debeat derelinqui via hæc. Numquid meliora facit Babylon quàm Sion ?
32Or hath any nation known thee beside Israel: or what tribes have believed thy testaments as Jacob?Or hath anie nation knowen thee beside Israel: or what tribes haue beleued thy testamentes as Iacob?aut alia gens cognovit te præter Israël ? aut quæ tribus crediderunt testamentis tuis, sicut Jacob ?
33Whose reward hath not appeared, nor their labour fructificavit: brought forth fruit. For passing through I passed among the nations, and I saw them abound, and not mindful of thy commandments.Whose reward hath not appeared, nor their labour fructified. For passing through I passed among the nations, and I saw them abound, and not mindeful of thy commandmentes.Quarum merces non comparuit, neque labor fructificavit. Pertransiens enim pertransivi in gentibus, et vidi abundantes eas, et non memorantes mandatorum tuorum.
34Now therefore weigh our iniquities in a balance, and theirs that dwell in the world: and thy name shall not be found, but in Israel.Now therfore wey our iniquities in a ballance, and theirs that dwel in the world: & thy name shal not be found, but in Israel.Nunc ergo pondera in statera nostras iniquitates, et eorum qui habitant in sæculo : et non invenietur nomen tuum, nisi in Israël.
35Or when have not they sinned in thy sight, that inhabit the earth? or what nation hath so observed thy commandments?Or when haue not they sinned in thy sight, that inhabite the earth? or what nation hath so obserued thy commandmentes?Aut quando non peccaverunt in conspectu tuo, qui habitant terram ? aut quæ gens sic observavit mandata tua ?
36These quidem: certainly, assuredly by their names thou shalt find to have kept thy commandments, but the nations thou shalt not find.These certes by their names thou shal finde to haue kept thy commandmentes, but the nations thou shalt not finde.Hos quidem per nomina invenies servasse mandata tua, gentes autem non invenies.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.