WISDOM OF SOLOMON.
Chapter 17.
Forsooth, Lord, thy dooms be great, and thy words may not be fully told out or untellable; unlearned souls erred for these or for these the undisciplined souls erred. 
For the while wicked men hold for steadfast, that they may be lords of or be able to lordship to the holy nation, they were fettered with bonds of darknesses, and of long night, and were enclosed under roofs; and they fugitives were subject to everlasting or perpetual purveyance. 
And the while they guess them to be hid in dark sins, they were scattered by dark hiding of forgetting or by the dark veil of forgetting they be scattered, dreading hideously, and disturbed with full great wondering. 
For the den that withheld them, kept not without dread; for why sound coming down disturbed them, and sorrowful persons appearing to them, gave dread to them. 
And soothly no might or strength of fire might give light to them, and the clear flames of the stars might not lighten that hideous night. 
Soothly sudden fire full of dread appeared to them or there appeared to them sudden fire, full of dread; and they were smitten with the dread of that face, that was not seen, and guessed those things to be worse, that were seen. 
And the scorns of witchcraft were laid to, and the glory of wisdom was chastising with despising or correction with strife. 
For they, that promised themselves to put away dreads and disturbings or perturbations from a sick soul, were full with scorn, and were sick for dread. 
For why though nothing of the wonders against kind disturbed them, they were moved or stirred by the passing of beasts, and by the hissing of adders, 
and they trembled, and perished or fearful, they perished; and denied, that they saw the air, which a man might not escape or flee by any reason; for why worst things before-occupy often, while the conscience reproveth. 
For since wickedness is dreadful, it is given into condemnation of all men; for why a conscience disturbed presumeth evermore wicked things. 
For why dread is nothing, but help of presumption, and showing of thought of helps or betraying of the helps of thought. 
And the while less abiding is from within, it guesseth greater power of that cause, of which it giveth torment. 
Forsooth they, that came into a mighty night, and coming above or overcoming from the lowest things, and from the highest things, they sleeping the same sleep, 
were hurled sometime by dread of wonders against kind, sometime the souls failed by leading over; for why sudden dread and unhoped, came on them. 
Afterward if any of them had fell or had fallen down, he was kept enclosed in prison, without iron; 
for if any churl was, either shepherd, either a workman of fields, and was before-occupied, he suffered need that might not be escaped or unescapable. For why all men were bound together by or with one chain of darknesses; 
either a wind hissing, either sweet sound of birds betwixt the thick boughs of trees, either the fierceness of water running down greatly, 
either a strong sound of stones cast down, either the running unseen of beasts playing or the unseen course of playing beasts, either the strong voice of beasts lowing, either echo sounding or rebounding again from the highest hills, made them failing for dread. 
Forsooth all the world was lightened or lighted with clear light, and was not withholden in works hindered or contained in works not letted. 
But a grievous night, the image of darknesses, that was to coming or to come on them, was set on them alone; therefore they were grievouser or more grievous to themselves than the darknesses. 
