Wisdom 4

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Better to have no children yet to have virtue, since immortality perpetuates its memory; for God andhuman beings both recognise it.	1 Better it is to have no children, and to have virtue: for the memorial thereof is immortal: because it is known with God, and with men.
2 Present, we imitate it, absent, we long for it; crowned, it holds triumph through eternity, having strivenfor untainted prizes and emerged the victor.	2 When it is present, men take example at it; and when it is gone, they desire it: it weareth a crown, and triumpheth for ever, having gotten the victory, striving for undefiled rewards.
3 But the offspring of the godless come to nothing, however prolific, sprung from a bastard stock, they willnever strike deep roots, never put down firm foundations.	3 But the multiplying brood of the ungodly shall not thrive, nor take deep rooting from bastard slips, nor lay any fast foundation.
4 They may branch out for a time, but, on unsteady foundations, they will be rocked by the wind anduprooted by the force of the storm;	4 For though they flourish in branches for a time; yet standing not last, they shall be shaken with the wind, and through the force of winds they shall be rooted out.
5 their branches, yet unformed, wil be snapped off, their fruit be useless, too unripe to eat, fit for nothing.	5 The imperfect branches shall be broken off, their fruit unprofitable, not ripe to eat, yea, meet for nothing.
6 For children begotten of unlawful bed witness, when put on trial, to their parents' wickedness.	6 For children begotten of unlawful beds are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial.
7 The upright, though he die before his time, will find rest.	7 But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.
8 Length of days is not what makes age honourable, nor number of years the true measure of life;	8 For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years.
9 understanding, this is grey hairs, untarnished life, this is ripe old age.	9 But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.
10 Having won God's favour, he has been loved and, as he was living among sinners, has been takenaway.	10 He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated.
11 He has been carried off so that evil may not warp his understanding or deceitfulness seduce his soul;	11 Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.
12 for the fascination of evil throws good things into the shade, and the whirlwind of desire corrupts asimple heart.	12 For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind.
13 Having come to perfection so soon, he has lived long;	13 He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time:
14 his soul being pleasing to the Lord, he has hurried away from the wickedness around him. Yet peoplelook on, uncomprehending; and it does not enter their heads	14 For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked.
15 that grace and mercy await his chosen ones and that he intervenes on behalf of his holy ones.	15 This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.
16 The upright who dies condemns the godless who survive, and youth quickly perfected condemns thelengthy old age of the wicked.	16 Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous.
17 These people see the end of the wise without understanding what the Lord has in store or why he hastaken such a one to safety;	17 For they shall see the end of the wise, and shall not understand what God in his counsel hath decreed of him, and to what end the Lord hath set him in safety.
18 they look on and sneer, but the Lord wil laugh at them.	18 They shall see him, and despise him; but God shall laugh them to scorn: and they shall hereafter be a vile carcase, and a reproach among the dead for evermore.
19 Soon they wil be corpses without honour, objects of horror among the dead for ever. For he wilshatter them and fling them headlong and dumbfounded. He wil shake them from their foundations; they wil beutterly laid waste, a prey to grief, and their memory wil perish.	19 For he shall rend them, and cast them down headlong, that they shall be speechless; and he shall shake them from the foundation; and they shall be utterly laid waste, and be in sorrow; and their memorial shall perish.
20 When the count of their sins has been drawn up, in terror they wil come, and their crimes, confrontingthem, wil accuse them.	20 And when they cast up the accounts of their sins, they shall come with fear: and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face.