2 I will open my mouth in a | parable: I will declare hard sentences of old.

3 Which we have heard and | known: and such as our fathers have told us;

4 That we should not hide them from the children of the generations to come: but to shew the honour of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works that he hath | done.

5 He made a covenant with Jacob, and gave | Israel a law: which he commanded our fore | fathers to teach their | children.

6 That their pos | terity might ¦ know it: and the children which were | yet un | born;

7 To the intent that when they came | up: they might shew their | children the same; 8 That they might put their | trust in | God: and not to forget the works of God, | but to | keep his commandments;

9 And not to be as their forefathers, a faithless and stubborn generation: a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit cleaveth not steadfastly unto | God:

10 Like as the children of Ephraim: who being harnessed and carrying bows, turned themselves back in the | day of | battle.

11 They kept not the covenant of God: and I would not walk in his law;

12 But forgat what he had done: and the wonderful works that he

them.

had shew

ed for

13 Marvellous things did he in the sight of our forefathers, in the land of | Egypt: even | in · the field of Zoan.

14 He divided the sea, and let them go through: he made the | waters to | stand on an heap.

15 In the day-time also he led them with · al

cloud: and all the night | through with a light · of fire.

16 He clave the hard rocks | in the wilderness : and gave them drink thereof, as it had been | out · of the great depth.

17 He brought waters out of the | stony | rock: so that it gushed out like the | rivers.

18 Yet for all this they sinned more against him and provoked the most | Highest | in the | wilderness.

19 They tempted | God in their hearts: and required meat for their | lust.

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20 They spake against God al · so, | saying: Shall God prepare a table | in the wilderness?

21 He smote the stony rock indeed, that the water gushed out, and the streams | flowed with | al: but can he give bread also, or pro | vide | flesh for his people?

22 When the Lord heard this, he was | wroth: so the fire was kindled in Jacob, and there came up heavy displeasure against | Israel;

23 Because they believed not in God: and put not their | trust in his help.

24 So he commanded the | clouds above: and opened the doors of heaven.

25 He rained down manna also upon them for to eat: and gave them | food from heaven. 26 So man did eat | angels' | food: for he sent them meat en | ough.

27 He caused the east wind to blow | under | heaven: and through his power he brought in the south west wind.

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28 He rained flesh upon them as | thick as | dust and feathered fowls | like as the | sand · of the sea.

29 He let it fall among their | tents: even round about their | hab

tation.

30 So they did eat and were well filled; for he gave them their own desire: they were not disappointed of their | lust.

31 But while the meat was yet in their mouths, the heavy wrath of God came upon them, and slew the wealthiest of them: yea, and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel.

32 But for all this they | sinned yet more: and believed not his wondrous works.

33 Therefore their days did he consume · in | vanity and their | years in | trouble.

34 When he slew them they sought him: and turned them early and enquired after | God. 35 And they remembered that God was their strength and that the high | God redeemer.

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was their.

36 Nevertheless, they did but flatter him | with their mouth and dissembled with him in. their tongue.

37 For their heart was not neither continued they | sted

covenant.

whole with him:

his \

38 But he was so merciful, that he for gave their misdeeds and destroyed them | not. 39 Yea, many a time turned he his | wratha | way: and would not suffer his whole dis | pleasure | to arise.

40 For he considered that they were but | flesh: and that they were even a wind that passeth away, and cometh | not again.

4 Many a time did they provoke him in the | wilderness: and | grieved him in the desert. 42 They turned back, and | tempted | God: and moved the Holy One in Israel.

43 They thought not of his hand and of the day when he delivered them from the | hand of the enemy;

44 How he had wrought his miracles in | Egypt: and his wonders in the field of Zoan. 45 He turned their waters | in to blood: so that they might not | drink of the rivers.

46 He sent lice among them, and devoured · them up and || frogs to destroy them.

47 He gave their fruit | un to the caterpillar: and their labour un to the grasshopper.

48 He destroyed their | vines with hail-stones: and their mulberry · trees | with the | frost.

49 He smote their cattle also with | hail stones and their flocks | with hot | thunder bolts.

50 He cast upon them the furiousness of his wrath, anger, dis | pleasure, and trouble: and sent evil angels among them.

51 He made a way to his indignation, and spared not their soul from | death: but gave their life | over to the pestilence;

52 And smote all the first-born in | Egypt: the most principal and | mightiest · in the | dwellings · of Ham.

53 But as for his own people, he led them forth · like sheep and carried them in the wilderness | like a flock.

54 He brought them out safely, that they | should not fear and overwhelmed their | ene mies with the sea.

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55 And brought them within the borders | of: his sanctuary: even to his mountain which he | purchased with | his right | hand.

56 He cast out the heathen | also be \fore them: caused their land to be divided among them for an heritage, and made the tribes of Israel · to | dwell in their tents.

57 So they tempted, and displeased the most. high God and kept not his | testimonies;

58 But turned their backs, and fell away | like their forefathers: starting a side like a | broken bow.

59 For they grieved him | with their hill | altars and provoked him to dis | pleasure | with their images.

60 When God heard this, he was wroth: and took sore dis | pleasure at Israel.

61 So that he forsook the tabernacle in | Silo: even the tent that he had | pitched among men. 62 He delivered their power | into captivity: and their beauty | into the | ene · my's hand. 63 He gave his people over also unto the | sword: and was wroth with | his in | heritance. 64 The fire consumed their | young | men: and their maidens were not given to | marriage. 65 Their priests were | slain with the sword: and there were no | widows to make | lam en | tation. 66 So the Lord awaked as one. out of sleep: and like a giant refreshed with wine.

67 He smote his enemies in the | hin· der | parts: and put them to a perpetual | shame.

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68 He refused the | tabernacle of | Joseph: and chose not the | tribe of Ephraim;

69 But chose the tribe of Judah: even the hill of Sion which he loved.

70 And there he built his | temple on | high: and laid the foundation of it like the ground which | he hath made continually.

71 He chose David | also his | servant: and | took him away from the sheep-folds.

72 As he was following the ewes great with young ones · he took him that he might feed Jacob his people, and | Israel | his inheritance.

73 So he fed them with a faithful and | true | heart and ruled them | prudently with | all his power.