प्रज्ञा ग्रन्थ 5

1Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours.

2These seeing it, shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation.

3Saying within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit: These are they, whom we had some time in derision, and for a parable of reproach.

4We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour.

5Behold how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.

6Therefore we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us.

7We wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction, and have walked through hard ways, but the way of the Lord we have not known.

8What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us?

9All those things are passed away like a shadow, and like a post that runneth on,

10And as a ship that passeth through the waves: whereof when it is gone by, the trace cannot be found, nor the path of its keel in the waters:

11Or as when a bird flieth through the air, of the passage of which no mark can be found, but only the sound of the wings beating the light air, and parting it by the force of her flight; she moved her wings, and hath flown through, and there is no mark found afterwards of her way:

12Or as when an arrow is shot at a mark, the divided air presently cometh together again, so that the passage thereof is not known:

13So we also being born, forthwith ceased to be: and have been able to shew no mark of virtue: but are consumed in our wickedness.

14Such things as these the sinners said in hell:

15For the hope of the wicked is as dust, which is blown away with the wind, and as a thin froth which is dispersed by the storm: and a smoke that is scattered abroad by the wind: and as the remembrance of a guest of one day that passeth by.

16But the just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord, and the care of them with the most High.

17Therefore shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord: for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.

18And his zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies.

19He will put on justice as a breastplate, and will take true judgment instead of a helmet.

20He will take equity for an invincible shield:

21And he will sharpen his severe wrath for a spear, and the whole world shall fight with him against the unwise.

22Then shafts of lightning shall go directly from the clouds, as from a bow well bent, they shall be shot out, and shall fly to the mark.

23And thick hail shall be cast upon them from the stone casting wrath: the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the rivers shall run together in a terrible manner.

24A mighty wind shall stand up against them, and as a whirlwind shall divide them: and their iniquity shall bring all the earth to a desert, and wickedness shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

1[Tunc stabunt justi in magna constantia adversus eos qui se angustiaverunt, et qui abstulerunt labores eorum.

2Videntes turbabuntur timore horribili, et mirabuntur in subitatione insperatæ salutis;

3dicentes intra se, pœnitentiam agentes, et præ angustia spiritus gementes: Hi sunt quos habuimus aliquando in derisum, et in similitudinem improperii.

4Nos insensati, vitam illorum æstimabamus insaniam, et finem illorum sine honore;

5ecce quomodo computati sunt inter filios Dei, et inter sanctos sors illorum est.

6Ergo erravimus a via veritatis, et justitiæ lumen non luxit nobis, et sol intelligentiæ non est ortus nobis.

7Lassati sumus in via iniquitatis et perditionis, et ambulavimus vias difficiles: viam autem Domini ignoravimus.

8Quid nobis profuit superbia? aut divitiarum jactantia quid contulit nobis?

9Transierunt omnia illa tamquam umbra, et tamquam nuntius percurrens,

10et tamquam navis quæ pertransit fluctuantem aquam, cujus cum præterierit non est vestigium invenire, neque semitam carinæ illius in fluctibus;

11aut tamquam avis quæ transvolat in aëre, cujus nullum invenitur argumentum itineris, sed tantum sonitus alarum verberans levem ventum, et scindens per vim itineris aërem: commotis alis transvolavit, et post hoc nullum signum invenitur itineris illius;

12aut tamquam sagitta emissa in locum destinatum, divisus aër continuo in se reclusus est, ut ignoretur transitus illius:

13sic et nos nati continuo desivimus esse; et virtutis quidem nullum signum valuimus ostendere, in malignitate autem nostra consumpti sumus.

14Talia dixerunt in inferno hi qui peccaverunt:

15quoniam spes impii tamquam lanugo est quæ a vento tollitur, et tamquam spuma gracilis quæ a procella dispergitur, et tamquam fumus qui a vento diffusus est, et tamquam memoria hospitis unius diei prætereuntis.

16Justi autem in perpetuum vivent, et apud Dominum est merces eorum, et cogitatio illorum apud Altissimum.

17Ideo accipient regnum decoris, et diadema speciei de manu Domini: quoniam dextera sua teget eos, et brachio sancto suo defendet illos.

18Accipiet armaturam zelus illius, et armabit creaturam ad ultionem inimicorum.

19Induet pro thorace justitiam, et accipiet pro galea judicium certum;

20sumet scutum inexpugnabile æquitatem.

21Acuet autem duram iram in lanceam, et pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contra insensatos.

22Ibunt directe emissiones fulgurum, et tamquam a bene curvato arcu nubium exterminabuntur, et ad certum locum insilient.

23Et a petrosa ira plenæ mittentur grandines; excandescet in illos aqua maris, et flumina concurrent duriter.

24Contra illos stabit spiritus virtutis, et tamquam turbo venti dividet illos; et ad eremum perducet omnem terram iniquitas illorum, et malignitas evertet sedes potentium.]

1Then the just will stand with great steadfastness against those who have oppressed them and have taken away their labors.

2Seeing this, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and they will be amazed at the suddenness of unexpected salvation.

3Driven toward regret, and through the anguish of their groaning spirit, they will say within themselves: “These are the ones whom we held for some time in derision and in mocking reproach.

4We foolish considered their life to be madness, and their end to be without honor.

5How is it that they are counted among the sons of God, and their place is among the holy?

6Therefore, we have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of justice has not shined on us, and the sun of understanding has not risen on us.

7We exhausted ourselves in the way of iniquity and perdition, and have walked a difficult way, while ignoring the way of the Lord.

8How has arrogance benefited us? Or what has exalting in riches brought us?

9All those things have passed away like a shadow, and like a messenger traveling quickly by;

10and like a ship passing over the waves of water, when it has gone by, its trace cannot be found, nor can the pathway of its keel in the waves;

11or, like a bird flying through the air, there is no evidence of her journey to be found, but there is hardly a sound as the beating of her wings lifts up the air and, by the force of her journey, divides the air she has flown across, which was disturbed by her wings, and afterwards there is no sign of her journey to be found;

12or, like an arrow shot at a selected mark, the air continues to be divided and to be brought together again, so that its passing is unknown.

13And in like manner we, having been born, continuously cease to exist, and indeed, we depart with no sign of virtue to show, but we are consumed in our malice.”

14Such things those who sinned said in hell.

15For the hope of the impious is like feathers, which are blown away by the wind, and like a thin foam, which is dispersed by a storm, and like smoke, which is scattered by the wind, and like the memory of a guest who passes by one day.

16But the just will live forever, and their reward is with the Lord, and the thought of them is with the Most High.

17Therefore, they will receive a beautiful kingdom and a crown of splendor from the hand of the Lord, for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.

18And his zeal will take up arms, and he will equip his servants for retribution on their enemies.

19He will put on justice as a breastplate, and he will grasp sure judgment as a helmet.

20He will select fairness as an invincible shield.

21Yet he will sharpen his severe wrath into a spear, and he will fight with those of the world against the irrational.

22Shafts of lightning will hurl forth accurately, and, as if from a well-curved bow of clouds, they will be expelled and will fly to the determined mark.

23And hail will be cast like stones full of anger, and the water of the sea will rise up against them, and the rivers will charge forth harshly.

24The spirit of virtue will stand firm against them and like a whirlwind will divide them, and he will lead all the world of iniquity into a wasteland, and malice will overthrow the seats of power.