Solomons Proverbs in English and Latin Alphabetical, Poem 1 – Poem 2
Of Wiſdom.
THE great Jehovah, who inhabits light,
Appear'd to Solomon in a dream by night,
And ſaid, Ask now what I ſhall give to thee?
Suppoſe now (Mortals) this ſame queſtion be
Propos'd to you, Let's hear, what would you ſay?
And how would you diſpoſe your choice, I pray?
Give me (ſaith one) in Riches to abound:
Give me (ſaith t'other) Honour and Renown.
But what ſaith Solomon? O Lord impart
To me a wiſe and underſtanding heart.
Wiſe was thy choice, wiſe Solomon, to which
God therefore added to be Great and Rich.
The wiſeſt Lord did know, that only he
Could rightly uſe both Wealth and Dignity,
Who ſteer'd his courſe by wiſdoms ſage advice;
Here's the true Honour, here's the Pearl of price.
For what's a Fool, that is with riches grac'd,
A Swine, in whoſe fowl ſnowt a Gem is plac'd.
Or what's a Fool, on whom honour doth wait?
A long ear'd-Aſs ſitting in Chair of State.
The Miſer is a fool, and ſo is he
That ſpends his wealth in prodigality:
Whom, if they went to Wiſdom, ſhe would ſhow
A fair and middle path wherein to go.
And art thou great? be not a fool, for thus
Thou'lt make thy folly more conſpicuous.
Acquaint they ſelf with Wiſdom, wait upon her,
And ſhe will add true glory to thine honour.
By her Kings reign, and Princes do decree
By her advice, Juſtice and Equity.
A fool that is in honour doth but ſhow
Himſelf to be a fool in Folio.
May n't Rehoboam juſtly ſtiled be,
A famous fool, a fool in high degree?
Whom Iſraels ten Tribes forſook becauſe
He wilfully forſook grave Wiſdoms Laws;
While be th' advice of Seniors refus'd,
And the raſh counſel of the Young Men us'd?
Juſtly might Wiſdom then preferred be
By Solomon, 'bove wealth and dignity:
With him ſhe, above all, the Conqueſt won,
Wiſdom was juſtified by her Son:
Into whoſe breaſts ſhe did a flame inſpire,
Which will laſt longer than the Veſtal fire;
A ſacred flame it is, which ne're will die,
But ev'n now burns for us to warm us by:
A flame that gives not only heat but light,
Not only warms the heart, but guides the ſight.
O Peerleſs Wiſdom! teach us how to prize thee,
That wealth nor honour may not equallize thee;
Without thee they are worſe than nothing; Thou
Art without them both wealth and honour too.
That we may know thy worth, let's ſearch and ſee,
From whence thou doſt derive thy Pedegree.
Though equal honour be not to thee given,
Yet thou'rt the off-ſpring of the King of Heaven,
Wiſdom doth ſhine in all his works, which he
Grants man ſometimes through Wiſdoms glaſs to ſee.
View now and read, Natures great Volumn, look
Wiſdom's in every leaf of Natures Book.
Behold how ſhe hath knit the whole Creation
In a moſt glorious link to admiration.
They're happy who with Contemplations eye
The hidden ſecrets of her glory ſpie.
O fooliſh man, that didſt not know her price,
But didſt forſake her, and ſo Paradiſe:
Whoſe mind the miſts of Ignorance now cloud,
While ſhe in Heaven doth her glory ſhroud.
Yet God (whom goodneſs doth delight) hath given
A Palace to her here beneath the Heaven;
That man (who did deſpiſe her glory) might
In darkneſs ſee his folly by her light;
A light, O bleſſed light, that ſhews the way,
From which blind man hath ſo long gone aſtray,
But where doth Wiſdoms Palace ſtand, yo… …
For this therefore, liſten a while (I pray)
T' a Pilgrim, who hath wandered about,
And ſought to find this famous Palace out.
I went not far, when lo! I did eſpie,
Far off, a Fabrick, beauteous to my eye,
In a fair Proſpect: I approacht therefore,
And ſaw men crown'd with Lawrel at the door;
They call'd them Poets: who, when as they knew
I ſought for Wiſdoms Palace, all the crew
Cry'd out, Pray enter, and it will appear,
That Wiſdom (whom you ſeek for) dwelleth here.
I entred then, and ſaw at my ingreſs,
Rooms garniſh'd to the life, I muſt confeſs;
What Carvers art, or Painters skill could doe,
Was repreſented there unto my view.
But where's the Room where Wiſdom doth abide,
Wherein ſhe doth her beams of glory hide?
She's in that Room, (ſaid they) ſo in I came;
Loe t'was a Strumpet there, Fancy by Name,
Whoſe whole Attire was very gay and ſpruce,
Yet very wanton, and her geſtures looſe;
Yet theſe ſame fooliſh Poets fell before her,
And, as a Goddeſs, did they all adore her.
Farewel (ſaid I) for yet it don't appear,
That Wiſdom (whom I ſeek for) dwelleth here.
Soon I went my journey, till my haſt,
Had brought me to a certain place at laſt,
In which I ſaw men arguing together,
Who aked me, What 'twas that brought me thither?
To … for Wiſdom, I reply'd: but they
(Men called them Philoſophers) did ſay,
Enter this Palace, and it will appear,
That Wiſdom (whom you ſeek for) dwelleth here.
I entered in, the Rooms did ſhine with Gold,
And were all very glorious to behold:
But yet although 'twas Gold unto my view,
I fear the Gold was counterfeit, not true.
And here and there were plac'd in divers ſtations,
Both grave advices, and fine ſpeculations,
I could not ſee diſtinctly; for my ſight
Was only guided by the Candle light
Of nature— But where's Wiſdom? O repair
(Replyed they) to that Chamber, for ſhe's there.
Yea, this is ſhe, ſaid I; but coming nigh,
I could no ſigns of life or motion ſpie;
But ſaw ſhe was an Image made by Art,
Aſſimilating Wiſdom in each part.
O then, thought I, true Wiſdom life hath got,
And is from God above, but this is not.
Farewell (ſaid I) for yet it don't appear,
That Wiſdom (whom I ſeek for) dwelleth here.
So I departed thence with ſpeedy feet,
Whenas I found that was not Wiſdoms Seat.
And in my progreſs, I at laſt did ſee,
Some perſons wearing Wiſdoms Livery.
Grace in their hearts: Then I enquiry made
Where Wiſdoms Palace was: they ſtraight way ſaid,
"Enter theſe Scriptures, and it will appear,
"That Wiſdom (whom you ſeek for) dwelleth here.
"Whoſe glory ('tis ſo great) tongue can't expreſs,
"When you have entred, you will ſay no leſs
"She's glorious within, enlightned eyes
"Do ſee ſuch beauties which they can't but prize
"She hath one Room all hung with Pearls (you'l ſee)
"King Sol…mons Proverbs full of dignity.
"She teaches how to manage every ſtate
"In which you fall; ſhe'l teach to moderate
"Proſperity; ſhe'l make affliction bright;
"She is a cloud by day, and flame by night
"She'l ſhew you ſecret joys, true comforts, and
"E'relaſting pleaſures, ev'n at Gods right hand.
Oh! now I have found her Palace, let me wait,
Till Wiſdom ſhall be pleas'd to ope her Gate.
S. P.
Of a Proverb.
Who ſearches oft in ſmal things, worth deſcries
A pearl is ſmall, and yet of a great price:
A Proverb is a Pearl then, rich, though ſmall,
But Scriptural moſt precious is of all.
King Solomon hath left Poſterity,
A rich and everlaſting Legacy;
A Cabinet of Pearls, which all may take,
Nor ſhall they yet their fellows poorer make:
You may perhaps be owner of't, and yet
I alſo may enjoy the Cabinet.
Who will not then this Cab'net prize and keep?
They'r precious Pearls, although they'r in a heap.
You'l ſay, perhaps, they'r mixt together;—Well,
Loe here, each Iewel hath it's proper Cell,
And as your uſe requires, you may repair
To ſuch a Cell, and have a Jewel there.
S. P.