Horrible darkness falling in Egypt. 19. the rest of the world had ordinary light.Horrible darkenes falling in Ægypt. 19. the rest of the world had ordinarie light.✦
For thy judgements O Lord are great, and thy words inenarrabilia: unutterable, past telling: not "puzzling", for this cause the souls lacking discipline have erred.FOR thy iudgements ô Lord are great, & thy wordes inexplicable, for this cause the soules lacking discipline haue erred.Magna sunt enim judicia tua, Domine, et inenarrabilia verba tua : propter hoc indisciplinatæ animæ erraverunt.
2For whiles the wicked are persuaded that they can rule over the holy nation: fettered with the bands of darkness, and long night, shut up under roofs, they have lain fugitives from the everlasting providence.For whiles the wicked are perswaded that they can rule ouer the holie nation: fettered with the bands of darknes, and long night, shut vp vnder roofes, they haue lyen fugitiues from the euerlasting prouidence.Dum enim persuasum habent iniqui posse dominari nationi sanctæ, vinculis tenebrarum et longæ noctis compediti, inclusi sub tectis, fugitivi perpetuæ providentiæ jacuerunt.
3And whiles they think that they be hid in obscure sins, they were dispersed by the dark covert of oblivion, being horribly afraid and disturbed with exceeding admiratione: amazement, astonishment: not approving esteem.And whiles they thincke that they be hid in obscure sinnes, they were dispersed by the darke couert of obliuion, being horribly afrayd and disturbed with exceding admiration.Et dum putant se latere in obscuris peccatis, tenebroso oblivionis velamento dispersi sunt, paventes horrende, et cum admiratione nimia perturbati.
4For neither did the den that contained them, keep them without fear: because the sound coming down troubled them, and sorrowful visions appearing to them, put them in fear.For neither did the denne that conteyned them, keepe them without feare: because the sound coming downe trubled them, and sorowful visions appearing to them, put them in feare.Neque enim quæ continebat illos spelunca sine timore custodiebat, quoniam sonitus descendens perturbabat illos, et personæ tristes illis apparentes pavorem illis præstabant.
5And no force quidem: assuredly, indeed of the fire could give them light, neither could the clear flames of the stars lighten that horrible night.And no force certes of the fyre could geue them light, neither could the clere flames of the starres lighten that horrible night.Et ignis quidem nulla vis poterat illis lumen præbere, nec siderum limpidæ flammæ illuminare poterant illam noctem horrendam.
6But there appeared to them sudden fire, full of fear: and being stricken with the fear of that face, which was not seen, they esteemed the things that were seen to be worse:But there appeared to them soden fyre, ful of feare: and being stroken with the feare of that face, which was not sene, they estemed the thinges that were sene to be worse:Apparebat autem illis subitaneus ignis, timore plenus ; et timore perculsi illius quæ non videbatur faciei, æstimabant deteriora esse quæ videbantur.
7and there were added derisions of the magical art, and contumelia: insolent, reproachful, insulting rebuke of the glory of their wisdom.and there were added derisions of the magical art, and contumelious rebuke of the glorie of their wisdom.Et magicæ artis appositi erant derisus, et sapientiæ gloriæ correptio cum contumelia.
8For they which promised that they would expel fears and perturbations from the languishing soul, these with derision languished full of fear.For they which promised that they would expel feares and perturbations from the languishing soule, these with derision languished ful of feare.Illi enim qui promittebant timores et perturbationes expellere se ab anima languente, hi cum derisu pleni timore languebant.
9For although none of the monsters disturbed them, being moved with the passing by of beasts, and hissing of serpents, they perished trembling: and denying that they saw the air, which by no means any man could effugere: escape, get away from: not merely shun:For although none of the monsters disturbed them, being moued with the passing by of beasts, and hissing of serpents, they perished trembling: and denying that they saw the ayre, which by no meanes any man could avoyde:Nam etsi nihil illos ex monstris perturbabat, transitu animalium et serpentium sibilatione commoti, tremebundi peribant, et aërem quem nulla ratione quis effugere posset, negantes se videre.
10For whereas wickedness is fearful, it giveth testimony of condemnation: for a troubled conscience doth always presume cruel things.For wheras wickednes is fearful, it geueth testimonie of condemnation: for a trubled conscience doth alwayes presume cruel thinges.Cum sit enim timida nequitia, dat testimonium condemnationis : semper enim præsumit sæva, perturbata conscientia :
11For fear is nothing else but a proditio: a disclosing, betraying (bewray = to reveal) of the aids of cogitationis: thought, thinking.For feare is nothing els but a bewraying of the aydes of cogitation.nihil enim est timor nisi proditio cogitationis auxiliorum.
12And whiles inwardly there is less expectation, the greater doth he count the ignorance of that cause which maketh the torment.And whiles inwardly there is lesse expectation, the greater doth he count the ignorance of that cause which maketh the torment.Et dum ab intus minor est exspectatio, majorem computat inscientiam ejus causæ, de qua tormentum præstat.
13But they that during the night in deed impotentem: powerless, helpless: not the sexual sense, and coming upon them from the lowest and highest hell, slept the same sleep,But they that during the night in deede impotent, and coming vpon them from the lowest and highest hel, slept the same sleepe,Illi autem qui impotentem vere noctem, et ab infimis et ab altissimis inferis supervenientem, eumdem somnum dormientes,
14were sometime exagitabantur: harassed, troubled: not the modern sexual sense with the fear of monsters; sometime failed by passing away of the soul: for sudden fear and unlooked for came upon them.were sometime molested with the feare of monsters; sometime fayled by passing away of the soule: for soden feare and vnlooked for came vpon them.aliquando monstrorum exagitabantur timore, aliquando animæ deficiebant traductione : subitaneus enim illis et insperatus timor supervenerat.
15Moreover if any of them had fallen down, he was kept shut up in prison without iron:Moreouer if any of them had fallen downe, he was kept shut vp in prison without yron:Deinde si quisquam ex illis decidisset, custodiebatur in carcere sine ferro reclusus.
16For if one were a husbandman, or if a shepherd, or worker of the labours in the field were suddenly taken, he sustained necessity inevitable.For if one were a husbandman, or if a shepheard, or worker of the labours in the filde were sodenly taken, he susteyned necessitie ineuitable.Si enim rusticus quis erat, aut pastor, aut agri laborum operarius præoccupatus esset, ineffugibilem sustinebat necessitatem ;
17For with one chain of darkness they were all tied together. Whether it were the hissing wind, or among the thick boughs of trees the sweet sound of birds, or the force of water running downward exceedingly,For with one chayne of darkenes they were al tyed together. Whether it were the hissing winde, or among the thicke boughes of trees the sweete sound of birdes, or the force of water running downward exceedingly,una enim catena tenebrarum omnes erant colligati. Sive spiritus sibilans, aut inter spissos arborum ramos avium sonus suavis, aut vis aquæ decurrentis nimium,
18or the mighty sound of rocks tumbled headlong, or the running of playing beasts, that were not seen, or the mighty noise of roaring beasts, or an Echo resounding from the highest mountains: they made them swoon for fear.or the mightie sound of rockes tumbled headlong, or the running of playing beasts, that were not sene, or the mightie noyse of roaring beastes, or an Echo resounding from the highest mountaynes: they made them swoone for feare.aut sonus validus præcipitatarum petrarum, aut ludentium animalium cursus invisus, aut mugientium valida bestiarum vox, aut resonans de altissimis montibus echo : deficientes faciebant illos præ timore.
19For all the world was illuminated with a clear light, and none was hindered in their works.For al the world was illuminated with a cleare light, & none was hindered in their workes.Omnis enim orbis terrarum limpido illuminabatur lumine, et non impeditis operibus continebatur.
20But over them only was laid an heavy night, the image of darkness, which was to come upon them. They therefore were unto themselves more heavy than the darkness.But ouer them onlie was layd an heauie night, the image of darkenes, which was to come vpon them. They therfore were vnto themselues more heauie then the darknes.Solis autem illis superposita erat gravis nox, imago tenebrarum quæ superventura illis erat : ipsi ergo sibi erant graviores tenebris.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.