Wisdom 19

1But as to the wicked, even to the end there came upon them wrath without mercy. For he knew before also what they would do:

2For when they had given them leave to depart, and had sent them away with great care, they repented, and pursued after them.

3For whilst they were yet mourning, and lamenting at the graves of the dead, they took up another foolish device: and pursued them as fugitives whom they had pressed to be gone:

4For a necessity, of which they were worthy, brought them to this end: and they lost the remembrance of those things which had happened, that their punishment might fill up what was wanting to their torments:

5And that thy people might wonderfully pass through, but they might find a new death.

6For every creature according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying thy commandments, that thy children might be kept without hurt.

7For a cloud overshadowed their camp, and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea a way without hinderance, and out of the great deep a springing field:

8Through which all the nation passed which was protected with thy hand, seeing thy miracles and wonders.

9For they fed on their food like horses, and they skipped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who hadst delivered them.

10For they were yet mindful of those things which had been done in the time of their sojourning, how the ground brought forth flies instead of cattle, and how the river cast up a multitude of frogs instead of fishes.

11And at length they saw a new generation of birds, when being led by their appetite they asked for delicate meats.

12For to satisfy their desire, the quail came up to them from the sea: and punishments came upon the sinners, not without foregoing signs by the force of thunders: for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness.

13For they exercised a more detestable inhospitality than any: others indeed received not strangers unknown to them, but these brought their guests into bondage that had deserved well of them.

14And not only so, but in another respect also they were worse: for the others against their will received the strangers.

15But these grievously afflicted them whom they had received with joy, and who lived under the same laws.

16But they were struck with blindness: as those others were at the doors of the just man, when they were covered with sudden darkness, and every one sought the passage of his own door.

17For while the elements are changed in themselves, as in an instrument the sound of the quality is changed, yet all keep their sound: which may clearly be perceived by the very sight.

18For the things of the land were turned into things of the water: and the things before swam in the water passed upon the land.

19The fire had power in water above its own virtue, and the water forgot its quenching nature.

20On the other side, the flames wasted not the flesh of corruptible animals walking therein, neither did they melt that good food, which was apt to melt as ice. For in all things thou didst magnify thy people, O Lord, and didst honour them, and didst not despise them, but didst assist them at all times, and in every place.

1[Impiis autem usque in novissimum sine misericordia ira supervenit. Præsciebat enim et futura illorum:

2quoniam cum ipsi permisissent ut se educerent, et cum magna sollicitudine præmisissent illos, consequebantur illos, pœnitentia acti.

3Adhuc enim inter manus habentes luctum, et deplorantes ad monumenta mortuorum, aliam sibi assumpserunt cogitationem inscientiæ, et quos rogantes projecerant, hos tamquam fugitivos persequebantur.

4Ducebat enim illos ad hunc finem digna necessitas; et horum quæ acciderant commemorationem amittebant, ut quæ deerant tormentis repleret punitio:

5et populus quidem tuus mirabiliter transiret, illi autem novam mortem invenirent.

6Omnis enim creatura ad suum genus ab initio refigurabatur, deserviens tuis præceptis, ut pueri tui custodirentur illæsi.

7Nam nubes castra eorum obumbrabat, et ex aqua quæ ante erat, terra arida apparuit, et in mari Rubro via sine impedimento, et campus germinans de profundo nimio:

8per quem omnis natio transivit quæ tegebatur tua manu, videntes tua mirabilia et monstra.

9Tamquam enim equi depaverunt escam, et tamquam agni exsultaverunt, magnificantes te, Domine, qui liberasti illos.

10Memores enim erant adhuc eorum quæ in incolatu illorum facta fuerant: quemadmodum pro natione animalium eduxit terra muscas, et pro piscibus eructavit fluvius multitudinem ranarum.

11Novissime autem viderunt novam creaturam avium, cum, adducti concupiscentia, postulaverunt escas epulationis.

12In allocutione enim desiderii ascendit illis de mari ortygometra: et vexationes peccatoribus supervenerunt, non sine illis quæ ante facta erant argumentis per vim fulminum: juste enim patiebantur secundum suas nequitias.]

13[Etenim detestabiliorem inhospitalitatem instituerunt: alii quidem ignotos non recipiebant advenas; alii autem bonos hospites in servitutem redigebant.

14Et non solum hæc, sed et alius quidam respectus illorum erat, quoniam inviti recipiebant extraneos.

15Qui autem cum lætitia receperunt hos qui eisdem usi erant justitiis, sævissimis afflixerunt doloribus.

16Percussi sunt autem cæcitate: sicut illi in foribus justi, cum subitaneis cooperti essent tenebris, unusquisque transitum ostii sui quærebat.

17In se enim elementa dum convertuntur, sicut in organo qualitatis sonus immutatur, et omnia suum sonum custodiunt: unde æstimari ex ipso visu certo potest.

18Agrestia enim in aquatica convertebantur, et quæcumque erant natantia, in terram transibant.

19Ignis in aqua valebat supra suam virtutem, et aqua extinguentis naturæ obliviscebatur.

20Flammæ e contrario corruptibilium animalium non vexaverunt carnes coambulantium, nec dissolvebant illam, quæ facile dissolvebatur sicut glacies, bonam escam. In omnibus enim magnificasti populum tuum, Domine, et honorasti, et non despexisti, in omni tempore et in omni loco assistens eis.]

1But the impious, all the way to the very end, were overcome by anger without mercy. Indeed, he knew beforehand even their future.

2Yet, seeing that they might have repented, so that they would be led by him and be sent forth with great concern, the just sought the impious, while regretting their deeds.

3For, while the just were still holding grief in their hands and weeping at the tombs of the dead, these others took upon themselves another senseless thought, and they cast out the legislators and pursued them as if they were fugitives.

4For a fitting necessity was leading them to this end, and they were losing the remembrance of those things which had happened, so that what was lacking in the sufferings of the conflict might be completed by the punishment,

5and so that your people, indeed, might wonderfully pass through, but these others might find a new death.

6For every creature according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, diligently serving your teachings, so that your children would be preserved unharmed.

7For a cloud overshadowed their camp, and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea, a way without hindrance, and out of the great deep, a level field sprung up,

8through which the whole nation passed, protected by your hand, seeing your miracles and wonders.

9For they consumed food like horses, and they leapt about like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who had freed them.

10For they were still mindful of those things which had happened during the time of their sojourn, how, instead of cattle, the earth brought forth flies, and instead of fish, the river cast up a multitude of frogs.

11And, lastly, they saw a new kind of bird, when, being led by their desire, they demanded a feast of meat.

12For, to console their loss, the quail came up to them from the sea, and yet troubles overcame the sinners, though they were not without the evidence of what had happened before by the power of lightning, for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness.

13And indeed, they set up a more detestable inhospitality. Certainly, some have refused to receive unknown foreigners, but these others were drafting good guests into servitude,

14and not only foreigners, but also those who had been under their care, because they were reluctantly sheltering the outsiders.

15Yet whoever had sheltered them with gladness, by making use of the very same justice, they afflicted with the most severe sorrow.

16Yet they were struck with blindness, like someone brought before the gates of justice, so that they were suddenly covered with darkness, and each one was left searching for the threshold of his front door.

17For the elements in themselves are in the process of being changed, just as when the sound of a musical instrument is being altered in quality, yet each one keeps its own sound, from where it is considered to be and according to its fixed appearance.

18For the countryside was transformed by water, and things which were swimming, crossed over the land.

19Fire prevailed in the midst of water, beyond its own power, and the water forgot its quenching nature.

20On the other hand, the flames did not trouble the bodies of the mortal animals walking around, nor did they melt that good food, which is as easily melted as ice. For in all things, O Lord, you magnified your people, and honored them, and did not despise them, but at every time and in every place, you assisted them.