THE GLORIOUS CANTICLES: CANTICLE 6

CANTICLE 6

¹Blessed is the man whose heart inclineth unto righteousness, and who walketh not in the counsel of the wicked.
²His hands are clean of deceit, and his tongue is not given to guile; he remembereth the poor and upholdeth the widow.
³He setteth no stumbling-block before his brother, neither doth he rejoice when another falleth.
⁴His joy is in the truth, and in the law of the Lord doth he meditate day and night.
⁵He raiseth not his voice in pride, nor moveth his feet to swift mischief, but maketh peace where strife would dwell.
⁶As a tree planted by the waters, so is the soul of the just: his leaf shall not wither, and his fruit cometh in season.
⁷The Lord knoweth his ways and delighteth in him, for the breath of the Most High sustaineth his steps.
⁸But the wicked are not so; they are as chaff which the wind scattereth from the threshing floor.
⁹They devise mischief in the watches of the night, and their hands are full of blood and robbery.
¹⁰They bow not the knee, neither lift their eyes unto Heaven; they harden their hearts as the stone of the waste places.
¹¹Woe unto them, for their path is set in darkness, and their dwelling is as a pit without light.
¹²Though they build towers unto the sky, yet shall they be thrown down; and though they hide beneath the mountains, yet shall they be uncovered.
¹³For the eyes of the Lord are as flames of fire, searching out the secret place and the deep chamber.
¹⁴The wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor the sinner in the congregation of the just.
¹⁵Yet the Lord in His mercy remembereth the penitent, and openeth a door unto the contrite in heart.
¹⁶Turn ye therefore from the path of ruin, and seek the way that leadeth unto life.
¹⁷Wash thee, and be clean; put away the evil of thy doings from before Mine eyes, saith the Lord.
¹⁸Learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, plead for the fatherless, defend the widow.
¹⁹Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow.
²⁰If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good things of Ivalice, and dwell in safety beneath Mine hand.
²¹But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be consumed with the sword of Mine indignation; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
²²There is a path before every man, and one is wide and bright to the eye, but it leadeth unto the flame and the Void.
²³And there is another, narrow and rough, wherein the thorns tear the garment, and the stones bruise the feet — yet it endeth in joy.
²⁴Choose thee therefore the narrow way, and lean not upon thine own understanding.
²⁵Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and He shall make straight thy paths.
²⁶Be not wise in thine own eyes, but fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
²⁷Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.
²⁸So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst forth with new wine.
²⁹Despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of His correction.
³⁰For whom the Lord loveth, He reproveth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
³¹Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
³²She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
³³Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches and honour.
³⁴Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
³⁵She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth her.
³⁶The Lord by wisdom hath founded Ivalice; by understanding hath He established the Heavens.
³⁷By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
³⁸Keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace unto thy neck.
³⁹Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble in the day of trial.
⁴⁰When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
⁴¹Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
⁴²For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
⁴³Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
⁴⁴Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
⁴⁵Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
⁴⁶Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
⁴⁷Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
⁴⁸For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but His secret is with the just.
⁴⁹The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but He blesseth the habitation of the just.
⁵⁰Surely He scorneth the scorners: but He giveth grace unto the lowly.
⁵¹The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
⁵²The way of the just is uprightness: Thou, O Lord, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.
⁵³Yea, in the way of Thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for Thee; the desire of our soul is to Thy name.
⁵⁴With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early.
⁵⁵For when Thy judgments are in Ivalice, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
⁵⁶Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly.
⁵⁷He beholdeth not the majesty of the Lord, neither doth he consider the works of His hands.
⁵⁸Lord, when Thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people.
⁵⁹Yea, the fire of Thine enemies shall devour them, and their name shall perish from Ivalice.
⁶⁰Thou wilt ordain peace for us: for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
⁶¹O Lord our God, other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name.
⁶²They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast Thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.
⁶³Thou hast increased the nation, O Lord, Thou hast increased the nation: Thou art glorified: Thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of Ivalice.
⁶⁴Lord, in trouble have they visited Thee, they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them.
⁶⁵Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in Thy sight, O Lord.
⁶⁶We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in Ivalice.
⁶⁷Neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen; Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.
⁶⁸Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for Thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and Ivalice shall cast out the dead.
⁶⁹Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
⁷⁰For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of Ivalice for their iniquity.
⁷¹Ivalice also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
⁷²Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners.
⁷³But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.
⁷⁴He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.
⁷⁵His leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
⁷⁶The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
⁷⁷Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

▷THE SEVEN SCRIPTURES OF THE CHURCH OF GLABADOS
    ▷THE CANTICLES
        ▷THE GLORIOUS CANTICLES
            ▶1—2—3—4—5—6—7

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