Read the Bible

¹ Truely the Lorde is very good vnto Israel: vnto such as haue a cleane heart.² Neuerthelesse, my feete were almost gone from me: my steppes had almost slypt.³ For I enuied at the case of the foolishe: I sawe the wicked [flowe] in all kynde of prosperitie.⁴ For there be no bondes of death that can holde them: and the galaries of their houses be strong.⁵ They come in no misfortune lyke other folke: neither are they plagued lyke other men.⁶ And this is the cause that pride compasse them rounde about: and crueltie couereth them as a garment.⁷ Their eyes stande out for fatnesse: and the cogitations of their heartes do passe from them.⁸ They make other dissolute, they speake oppression with iniurie: they talke proudely and presumptuously.⁹ For they stretch foorth their mouth vnto the heauen: and their tongue goeth through the worlde.¹⁰ Therfore [God] his people turneth thither: and there is drawen vnto them waters in a full [cuppe.]¹¹ And they say, howe shoulde God perceaue it? is there knowledge in the most hyghest?¹² Lo these vngodly and fortunate in the worlde: do possesse riches.¹³ Truely I haue cleansed my heart in vayne: and wasshed my handes in innocencie.¹⁴ All the day long I haue ben scourged: and chastened euery mornyng.

¹⁵ If I shoulde say that I woulde iudge after this sort: lo then I shoulde condempne the generation of thy children.¹⁶ Therfore I considered howe I might vnderstande this: but it was to paynefull in myne eyes.¹⁷ Untyll I went vnto the sanctuarie of God: and vnderstood the ende of them.¹⁸ Truely thou doest set them in slippery places: and castest them downe headlong for to be destroyed.¹⁹ Oh howe be they brought to a destruction euen vpon a sodayne: they faynt, they consume away for very dread.²⁰ They be as a dreame to a man after he is once waked: O Lorde thou wylt cause their image to be dispised in the citie.

²¹ Ueryly thus was my heart inflamed: thus was my reynes pricked.²² So foolishe was I and voyde of vnderstanding: I was euen a bruite beast before thee.²³ Neuerthelesse I am alway with thee: for thou hast holden me by my ryght hande.²⁴ Thou hast guyde me with thy counsayle: and after that thou receauedst me with glorie.²⁵ Whom haue I in heauen but thee? and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee.²⁶ My fleshe and my heart fayleth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for euer.²⁷ For lo, they that kepe them selues a loofe from thee shall perishe: thou destroyest euery one that committeth fornication agaynst thee.²⁸ But it is good for me to come neare vnto God: [wherfore] I put my trust in thee O Lorde God, that I may declare all thy workes.