Wis 17:1 

For great are thy judgments, and cannot be expressed: 

therefore unnurtured souls have erred. 

Wis 17:2 

For when unrighteous men thought to oppress the holy nation; 

they being shut up in their houses, the prisoners of darkness, 

and fettered with the bonds of a long night, lay [there] exiled 

from the eternal providence. 

Wis 17:3 

For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sins, they 

were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being 

horribly astonished, and troubled with [strange] apparitions. 

Wis 17:4 

For neither might the corner that held them keep them from 

fear: but noises [as of waters] falling down sounded about them, 

and sad visions appeared unto them with heavy countenances. 

Wis 17:5 

No power of the fire might give them light: neither could the 

bright flames of the stars endure to lighten that horrible 

night. 

Wis 17:6 

Only there appeared unto them a fire kindled of itself, very 

dreadful: for being much terrified, they thought the things 

which they saw to be worse than the sight they saw not. 

Wis 17:7 

As for the illusions of art magick, they were put down, and 

their vaunting in wisdom was reproved with disgrace. 

Wis 17:8 

For they, that promised to drive away terrors and troubles 

from a sick soul, were sick themselves of fear, worthy to be 

laughed at. 

Wis 17:9 

For though no terrible thing did fear them; yet being scared 

with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents, 

Wis 17:10 

They died for fear, denying that they saw the air, which 

could of no side be avoided. 

Wis 17:11 

For wickedness, condemned by her own witness, is very 

timorous, and being pressed with conscience, always forecasteth 

grievous things. 

Wis 17:12 

For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succours 

which reason offereth. 

Wis 17:13 

And the expectation from within, being less, counteth the 

ignorance more than the cause which bringeth the torment. 

Wis 17:14 

But they sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed 

intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottoms of 

inevitable hell, 

Wis 17:15 

Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly 

fainted, their heart failing them: for a sudden fear, and not 

looked for, came upon them. 

Wis 17:16 

So then whosoever there fell down was straitly kept, shut up 

in a prison without iron bars, 

Wis 17:17 

For whether he were husbandman, or shepherd, or a labourer in 

the field, he was overtaken, and endured that necessity, which 

could not be avoided: for they were all bound with one chain of 

darkness. 

Wis 17:18 

Whether it were a whistling wind, or a melodious noise of 

birds among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water 

running violently, 

Wis 17:19 

Or a terrible sound of stones cast down, or a running that 

could not be seen of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most 

savage wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the hollow 

mountains; these things made them to swoon for fear. 

Wis 17:20 

For the whole world shined with clear light, and none were 

hindered in their labour: 

Wis 17:21 

Over them only was spread an heavy night, an image of that 

darkness which should afterward receive them: but yet were they 

unto themselves more grievous than the darkness.