IF SO BE THOU SHALT BE ABLE TO PROFIT IF SO BE THOU MAYEST PREVAIL

ISAIAH 47:8-15

THEREFORE HEAR NOW THIS, 

THOU THAT ART GIVEN 

TO PLEASURES, 

THAT DWELLEST CARELESSLY, 

THAT SAYEST IN THINE HEART, 

I AM, AND NONE ELSE 

BESIDE ME; 

I SHALL NOT SIT AS A WIDOW, 

NEITHER SHALL I KNOW 

THE LOSS OF CHILDREN:
BUT THESE TWO THINGS SHALL 

COME TO THEE 

IN A MOMENT IN ONE DAY,

THE LOSS OF CHILDREN,

AND WIDOWHOOD:

THEY SHALL

COME UPON THEE

IN THEIR

PERFECTION

FOR

THE MULTITUDE OF THY SORCERIES,

AND

FOR THE GREAT ABUNDANCE

OF THINE ENCHANTMENTS.  

FOR THOU HAST TRUSTED IN THY WICKEDNESS: THOU HAST SAID, 

NONE SEETH ME.

THY WISDOM AND THY KNOWLEDGE,

IT HATH PERVERTED THEE;

AND THOU HAST SAID IN THINE HEART,

I AM, AND NONE ELSE

BESIDE ME.

THEREFORE SHALL

EVIL COME UPON THEE;

THOU SHALT NOT KNOW FROM

WHENCE IT RISETH:

AND

MISCHIEF SHALL FALL UPON THEE;

THOU SHALT NOT BE ABLE

TO PUT IT OFF: AND DESOLATION

SHALL COME UPON THEE SUDDENLY,

WHICH THOU SHALT NOT KNOW.

STAND NOW 

WITH THINE ENCHANTMENTS, 

AND WITH THE MULTITUDE OF THY SORCERIES, 

WHEREIN THOU HAST LABOURED 

FROM THY YOUTH; 

IF SO BE 

THOU SHALT BE ABLE TO PROFIT, 

IF SO BE THOU MAYEST PREVAIL. 

THOU ART WEARIED IN THE MULTITUDE OF THY COUNSELS. 

LET NOW THE ASTROLOGERS, 

THE STARGAZERS, 

THE MONTHLY PROGNOSTICATORS, 

STAND UP, AND SAVE 

THEE FROM THESE THINGS THAT SHALL COME UPON THEE.  

BEHOLD, THEY SHALL BE AS STUBBLE; 

THE FIRE SHALL BURN THEM; 

THEY SHALL NOT DELIVER THEMSELVES FROM THE POWER OF THE FLAME: 

THERE SHALL NOT BE A COAL 

TO WARM AT, 

NOR FIRE TO SIT BEFORE IT.  

THUS SHALL THEY BE UNTO 

THEE WITH WHOM THOU HAST 

LABOURED, EVEN THY MERCHANTS,

 FROM THY YOUTH: 

THEY SHALL WANDER EVERY 

ONE TO HIS QUARTER; 

NONE SHALL SAVE THEE.

LOVE