CHAPTER 17
1 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].
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 And [the] scorns of witchcraft were laid to, and the glory of wisdom was chastising with despising [or correction with strife].
8 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.
9 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,
10 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.
11 For since wickedness is dreadful, it is given into condemnation of all men; for why a conscience disturbed presumeth ever[more] wicked things.
12 For why dread is nothing, but help of presumption, and showing of thought of helps [or betraying of the helps of thought].
13 And the while less abiding is from within, it guesseth greater power of that cause, of which it giveth torment.
14 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,
15 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.
16 Afterward if any of them had fell [or had fallen] down, he was kept enclosed in prison, without iron;
17 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;
18 either a wind hissing, either sweet sound of birds betwixt the thick boughs of trees, either the fierceness of water running down greatly,
19 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.
20 Forsooth all the world was lightened [or lighted] with clear light, and was not withholden in works hindered [or contained in works not letted].
21 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.