Wisdom of Solomon, 3

1. But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them.

1. But the souls of the upright are in the hands of God, and no torment can touch them.

2. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction

2. To the unenlightened, they appeared to die, their departure was regarded as disaster,

3. and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace.

3. their leaving us like annihilation; but they are at peace.

4. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality;

4. If, as it seemed to us, they suffered punishment, their hope was rich with immortality;

5. Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself.

5. slight was their correction, great will their blessings be. God was putting them to the test and has proved them worthy to be with him;

6. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.

6. he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a perfect burnt offering.

7. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;

7. At their time of visitation, they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.

8. They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever.

8. They will judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for ever.

9. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect.

9. Those who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await his holy ones, and he intervenes on behalf of his chosen.

10. But the wicked shall receive a punishment to match their thoughts, since they neglected justice and forsook the LORD.

10. But the godless will be duly punished for their reasoning, for having neglected the upright and deserted the Lord.

11. For he who despises wisdom and instruction is doomed. Vain is their hope, fruitless are their labors, and worthless are their works.

11. Yes, wretched are they who scorn wisdom and discipline: their hope is void, their toil unavailing, their achievements unprofitable;

12. Their wives are foolish and their children wicked; accursed is their brood.

12. their wives are reckless, their children depraved, their descendants accursed.

13. Yes, blessed is she who, childless and undefiled, knew not transgression of the marriage bed; she shall bear fruit at the visitation of souls.

13. Blessed the sterile woman if she be blameless, and has not known an unlawful bed, for she will have fruit at the visitation of souls.

14. So also the eunuch whose hand wrought no misdeed, who held no wicked thoughts against the LORD- For he shall be given fidelity's choice reward and a more gratifying heritage in the LORD'S temple.

14. Blessed, too, the eunuch whose hand commits no crime, and who harbours no resentment against the Lord: a special favour will be granted to him for his loyalty, a most desirable portion in the temple of the Lord.

15. For the fruit of noble struggles is a glorious one; and unfailing is the root of understanding.

15. For the fruit of honest labours is glorious, and the root of understanding does not decay.

16. But the children of adulterers will remain without issue, and the progeny of an unlawful bed will disappear.

16. But the children of adulterers will not reach maturity, the offspring of an unlawful bed will disappear.

17. For should they attain long life, they will be held in no esteem, and dishonored will their old age be at last;

17. Even if they live long, they will count for nothing, their old age will go unhonoured at the last;

18. While should they die abruptly, they have no hope nor comfort in the day of scrutiny;

18. while if they die early, they have neither hope nor comfort on the day of judgement,

19. for dire is the end of the wicked generation.

19. for the end of a race of evil-doers is harsh.