Wisdom of Solomon, 4

1. Better it is to have no children, and to have virtue: for the memorial thereof is immortal: because it is known with God, and with men.

1. Better to have no children and to be virtuous. People like this are highly considered by God and men. The memory of their life will never end.

2. When it is present, men take example at it; and when it is gone, they desire it: it weareth a crown, and triumpheth for ever, having gotten the victory, striving for undefiled rewards.

2. When virtue is present we imitate it; when it is absent we long for it; it is crowned in eternity for having triumphed in the blameless struggle.

3. But the multiplying brood of the ungodly shall not thrive, nor take deep rooting from bastard slips, nor lay any fast foundation.

3. The numerous progeny of the wicked will be of no use. Offspring of doubtful plants, they will not have deep roots or lay solid foundations.

4. For though they flourish in branches for a time; yet standing not last, they shall be shaken with the wind, and through the force of winds they shall be rooted out.

4. For a time they may produce, but their weak branches shaken by the wind will be uprooted by the storm.

5. The imperfect branches shall be broken off, their fruit unprofitable, not ripe to eat, yea, meet for nothing.

5. Their twigs will be broken off before grown, their fruit useless, unripe for eating and good for nothing.

6. For children begotten of unlawful beds are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial.

6. Children born of unlawful intercourse witness, when God examines them, to the wrongdoing of their parents.

7. But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.

7. The upright, even if he dies before his time, will be at rest.

8. For honourable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years.

8. Honorable age does not depend on length of days, nor is the number of years a true measure of life.

9. But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.

9. A man's gray hair is understanding, and a spotless life is ripe old age.

10. He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated.

10. The upright was pleasing to God, who loved him, and since he was living among sinners, he was taken up.

11. Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.

11. God removed him lest evil impair his understanding and treachery seduce his soul.

12. For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind.

12. For the fascination of evil obscures true values and restless desire undermines a simple heart.

13. He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time:

13. Though his life soon ended, he traveled far.

14. For his soul pleased the Lord: therefore hasted he to take him away from among the wicked.

14. Because his soul was precious to the Lord, he was quickly removed from the wickedness around him.

15. This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect unto his chosen.

15. People saw but did not under-stand, and it did not occur to them that God's grace and mercy are with his chosen ones, his protection is for the holy.

16. Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous.

16. The just man who dies will condemn the wicked man who survives. A life fulfilled early in youth condemns the endless days of the wicked.

17. For they shall see the end of the wise, and shall not understand what God in his counsel hath decreed of him, and to what end the Lord hath set him in safety.

17. They may see the death of the wise, but they will not understand God's design for him and why he has taken him to safety.

18. They shall see him, and despise him; but God shall laugh them to scorn: and they shall hereafter be a vile carcase, and a reproach among the dead for evermore.

18. They may see and sneer at him, but the Lord will also laugh at them

19. For he shall rend them, and cast them down headlong, that they shall be speechless; and he shall shake them from the foundation; and they shall be utterly laid waste, and be in sorrow; and their memorial shall perish.

19. when they have become a useless corpse, a loathsome and dead thing forever. The Lord will dash them to the ground, voiceless, shaking them from their foundations; they will wither and suffer anguish; even their memory will fade.

20. And when they cast up the accounts of their sins, they shall come with fear: and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face.

20. They will come trembling for the reckoning of their sins and they will be confounded when confronted with their wickedness.