Wisdom 11

1She prospered their works in the hands of the holy prophet.

2They went through wildernesses that were not inhabited, and in desert places they pitched their tents.

3They stood against their enemies, and revenged themselves of their adversaries.

4They were thirsty, and they called upon thee, and water was given them out of the high rock, and a refreshment of their thirst out of the hard stone.

5For by what things their enemies were punished, when their drink failed them, while the children of Israel abounded therewith and rejoiced:

6By the same things they in their need were benefited.

7For instead of a fountain of an ever running river, thou gavest human blood to the unjust.

8And whilst they were diminished for a manifest reproof of their murdering the infants, thou gavest to thine abundant water unlooked for:

9Shewing by the thirst that was then, how thou didst exalt thine, and didst kill their adversaries.

10For when they were tried, and chastised with mercy, they knew how the wicked were judged with wrath and tormented.

11For thou didst admonish and try them as a father: but the others, as a severe king, thou didst examine and condemn.

12For whether absent or present, they were tormented alike.

13For a double affliction came upon them, and a groaning for the remembrance of things past.

14For when they heard that by their punishments the others were benefited, they remembered the Lord, wondering at the end of what was come to pass.

15For whom they scorned before, when he was thrown out at the time of his being wickedly exposed to perish, him they admired in the end, when they saw the event: their thirsting being unlike to that of the just.

16But for the foolish devices of their iniquity, because some being deceived worshipped dumb serpents and worthless beasts, thou didst send upon them a multitude of dumb beasts for vengeance.

17That they might know that by what things a man sinneth, by the same also he is tormented.

18For thy almighty hand, which made the world of matter without form, was not unable to send upon them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions,

19Or unknown beasts of a new kind, full of rage: either breathing out a fiery vapour, or sending forth a stinking smoke, or shooting horrible sparks out of their eyes:

20Whereof not only the hurt might be able to destroy them, but also the very sight might kill them through fear.

21Yea and without these, they might have been slain with one blast, persecuted by their own deeds, and scattered by the breath of thy power: but thou hast ordered all things in measure, and number, and weight.

22For great power always belonged to thee alone: and who shall resist the strength of thy arm?

23For the whole world before thee is as the least grain of the balance, and as a drop of the morning dew, that falleth down upon the earth:

24But thou hast mercy upon all, because thou canst do all things, and overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance.

25For thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things which thou hast made: for thou didst not appoint, or make any thing hating it.

26And how could any thing endure, if thou wouldst not? or be preserved, if not called by thee.

27But thou sparest all: because they are thine, O Lord, who lovest souls.

1[Direxit opera eorum in manibus prophetæ sancti.

2Iter fecerunt per deserta quæ non habitabantur, et in locis desertis fixerunt casas.

3Steterunt contra hostes, et de inimicis se vindicaverunt.

4Sitierunt, et invocaverunt te, et data est illis aqua de petra altissima, et requies sitis de lapide duro.]

5[Per quæ enim pœnas passi sunt inimici illorum a defectione potus sui, et in eis cum abundarent filii Israël lætati sunt:

6per hæc, cum illis deessent, bene cum illis actum est.

7Nam pro fonte quidem sempiterni fluminis, humanum sanguinem dedisti injustis.

8Qui cum minuerentur in traductione infantium occisorum, dedisti illis abundantem aquam insperate,

9ostendens per sitim quæ tunc fuit, quemadmodum tuos exaltares, et adversarios illorum necares.

10Cum enim tentati sunt, et quidem cum misericordia disciplinam accipientes, scierunt quemadmodum cum ira judicati impii tormenta paterentur.

11Hos quidem tamquam pater monens probasti; illos autem tamquam durus rex interrogans condemnasti.

12Absentes enim, et præsentes, similiter torquebantur.

13Duplex enim illos acceperat tædium et gemitus, cum memoria præteritorum.

14Cum enim audirent per sua tormenta bene secum agi, commemorati sunt Dominum, admirantes in finem exitus.

15Quem enim in expositione prava projectum deriserunt, in finem eventus mirati sunt, non similiter justis sitientes.

16Pro cogitationibus autem insensatis iniquitatis illorum, quod quidam errantes colebant mutos serpentes et bestias supervacuas, immisisti illis multitudinem mutorum animalium in vindictam;

17ut scirent quia per quæ peccat quis, per hæc et torquetur.

18Non enim impossibilis erat omnipotens manus tua, quæ creavit orbem terrarum ex materia invisa, immittere illis multitudinem ursorum, aut audaces leones,

19aut novi generis ira plenas ignotas bestias, aut vaporem ignium spirantes, aut fumi odorem proferentes, aut horrendas ab oculis scintillas emittentes;

20quarum non solum læsura poterat illos exterminare, sed et aspectus per timorem occidere.

21Sed et sine his uno spiritu poterant occidi, persecutionem passi ab ipsis factis suis, et dispersi per spiritum virtutis tuæ: sed omnia in mensura, et numero et pondere disposuisti.

22Multum enim valere, tibi soli supererat semper: et virtuti brachii tui quis resistet?

23Quoniam tamquam momentum stateræ, sic est ante te orbis terrarum, et tamquam gutta roris antelucani quæ descendit in terram.

24Sed misereris omnium, quia omnia potes; et dissimulas peccata hominum, propter pœnitentiam.

25Diligis enim omnia quæ sunt, et nihil odisti eorum quæ fecisti; nec enim odiens aliquid constituisti aut fecisti.

26Quomodo autem posset aliquid permanere, nisi tu voluisses? aut quod a te vocatum non esset conservaretur?

27Parcis autem omnibus, quoniam tua sunt, Domine, qui amas animas.]

1She directed their works in the hands of the holy prophet.

2They made a path through desolate areas, which were uninhabited, and set up their homes in remote places.

3They stood firm against the enemy, and vindicated themselves from their adversaries.

4They thirsted, and they called upon you, and water was given them out of the deepest rock, and respite from thirst out of the hard stone.

5For through water, their enemies had been punished, by the corruption of their drinking water; and so, among them, when the sons of Israel lacked the abundance they would have had, their enemies rejoiced;

6yet through water, when they were in need, it turned out well for them.

7For instead of a fountain, even everlasting in flow, you gave human blood to the unjust,

8and while they would be crushed into disgrace because of the murdering of infants, you unexpectedly gave your own abundant water,

9revealing through the thirst, which occurred at that time, how you would exalt your own and would kill their adversaries.

10For when they were being tested, and even when receiving merciful correction, they knew in what way, when your wrath judged the impious, they would suffer torments.

11For these, advising like a father, you approved; but the others, interrogating like a severe king, you condemned.

12For whether absent or present, they were tortured alike.

13For they had received double: weariness and groaning in the remembrance of things past.

14For when they paid attention to their punishments, to attend to their own benefit, they called to mind the Lord, admiring the end result.

15For though they showed scorn by throwing out distorted statements, in the end they were amazed at the result, but this is not the same as thirsting for justice.

16For according to the thinking of their irrational iniquity, because some, going astray, were worshiping mute serpents and worthless beasts, you sent upon them a multitude of mute beasts for vengeance,

17so that they might know that by whatever things a man sins, by the same also is he tormented.

18For it was not impossible for your all-powerful hand, which created the world from unknown material, to send forth upon them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions,

19or, in anger, beasts of a new kind, massive and strange, either breathing out a fiery vapor, or sending forth an odorous smoke, or shooting horrible sparks from their eyes;

20whereby, not only wounds would be able to destroy them, but also the very sight would kill them through fear.

21Yet, even without these, they could have been killed with one breath, suffering persecution of their own making and being scattered by your spirit of virtue; but you have ordered all things in size and number and weight.

22Though many are strong, you alone always overcome. And who will withstand the strength of your arm?

23For, like a tiny grain on a scale, just so is the world before you, and like a drop of dew before dawn, which descends upon the earth.

24But you are merciful to all, because you can do all, and you dismiss the sins of man because of repentance.

25For you love all things that are, and you hate nothing of the things you have made; for you would not have created or established anything that you hated.

26For how could anything endure, except by your will? Or what, having been called by you not to exist, would be preserved?

27Yet you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord, who loves souls.