Wisdom of Solomon, 19

1. But the godless were assailed by merciless anger to the very end, for he knew beforehand what they would do,

1. But the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger, for God knew in advance even their future actions,

2. how, after letting his people leave and hastening their departure, they would change their minds and give chase.

2. that, though they themselves had permitted thy people to depart and hastily sent them forth, they would change their minds and pursue them.

3. They were actually still conducting their mourning rites and lamenting at the tombs of their dead, when another mad scheme came into their heads and they set out to pursue, as though runaways, the people whom they had expelled and begged to go.

3. For while they were still busy at mourning, and were lamenting at the graves of their dead, they reached another foolish decision, and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to depart.

4. A well-deserved fate urged them to this extreme and made them forget what had already happened, so that they would add to their torments the one punishment outstanding

4. For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end, and made them forget what had happened, in order that they might fill up the punishment which their torments still lacked,

5. and, while your people were experiencing a journey contrary to all expectations, would themselves meet an extraordinary death.

5. and that thy people might experience an incredible journey, but they themselves might meet a strange death.

6. For the whole creation, submissive to your commands, had its very nature re-created, so that your children should be preserved from harm.

6. For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew, complying with thy commands, that thy children might be kept unharmed.

7. Overshadowing the camp there was the cloud; where there had been water, dry land was seen to rise; the Red Sea became an unimpeded way, the tempestuous waves, a green plain;

7. The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp, and dry land emerging where water had stood before, an unhindered way out of the Red Sea, and a grassy plain out of the raging waves,

8. sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across, gazing at these amazing prodigies.

8. where those protected by thy hand passed through as one nation, after gazing on marvelous wonders.

9. They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.

9. For they ranged like horses, and leaped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who didst deliver them.

10. For they still remembered the events of their exile, how the land had bred mosquitoes instead of animals and the River had disgorged millions of frogs instead of fish.

10. For they still recalled the events of their sojourn, how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats, and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs.

11. Later they were to see a new way for birds to come into being, when, goaded by greed, they demanded something tasty,

11. Afterward they saw also a new kind of birds, when desire led them to ask for luxurious food;

12. and quails came up out of the sea to satisfy them.

12. for, to give them relief, quails came up from the sea.

13. On the sinners, however, punishments rained down not without violent thunder as early warning; and they suffered what their own crimes had justly deserved since they had shown such bitter hatred to foreigners.

13. The punishments did not come upon the sinners without prior signs in the violence of thunder, for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts; for they practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers.

14. Others, indeed, had failed to welcome strangers who came to them, but the Egyptians had enslaved their own guests and benefactors.

14. Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them, but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.

15. The sinners, moreover, will certainly be punished for it, since they gave the foreigners a hostile welcome;

15. And not only so, but punishment of some sort will come upon the former for their hostile reception of the aliens;

16. but the latter, having given a festive reception to people who already shared the same rights as themselves, later overwhelmed them with terrible labours.

16. but the latter, after receiving them with festal celebrations, afflicted with terrible sufferings those who had already shared the same rights.

17. Hence they were struck with blindness, like the sinners at the gate of the upright, when, yawning darkness all around them, each had to grope his way through his own door.

17. They were stricken also with loss of sight -- just as were those at the door of the righteous man -- when, surrounded by yawning darkness, each tried to find the way through his own door.

18. A new attuning of the elements occurred, as on a harp the notes may change their rhythm, though all the while preserving the same tone; and this is just what happened:

18. For the elements changed places with one another, as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm, while each note remains the same. This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place.

19. land animals became aquatic, swimming ones took to the land,

19. For land animals were transformed into water creatures, and creatures that swim moved over to the land.

20. fire reinforced its strength in water, and water forgot the power of extinguishing it;

20. Fire even in water retained its normal power, and water forgot its fire-quenching nature.

21. flames, on the other hand, did not char the flesh of delicate animals that ventured into them; nor did they melt the heavenly food resembling ice and as easily melted.

21. Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them, nor did they melt the crystalline, easily melted kind of heavenly food.

22. Yes, Lord, in every way you have made your people great and glorious; you have never failed to help them at any time or place.

22. For in everything, O Lord, thou hast exalted and glorified thy people; and thou hast not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.