Liber Sapientiae, 11

1. Direxit opera eorum in manibus prophetae sancti.

1. Wisdom prospered their works by the hand of a holy prophet.

2. Iter fecerunt per deserta, quae non habitabantur, et in locis inviis fixerunt casas;

2. They journeyed through an uninhabited wilderness, and pitched their tents in untrodden places.

3. steterunt contra hostes et de inimicis se vindicaverunt.

3. They withstood their enemies and fought off their foes.

4. Sitierunt et invocaverunt te; et data est illis aqua de petra altissima, et remedium sitis de lapide duro.

4. When they thirsted they called upon thee, and water was given them out of flinty rock, and slaking of thirst from hard stone.

5. Per quae enim poenas passi sunt inimici illorum, per haec, cum illis deessent, bene cum illis actum est.

5. For through the very things by which their enemies were punished, they themselves received benefit in their need.

6. Nam pro fonte quidem perennis fluminis, tabescente sanguine turbidi

6. Instead of the fountain of an ever-flowing river, stirred up and defiled with blood

7. in traductionem decreti infanticidae, dedisti illis abundantem aquam insperate,

7. in rebuke for the decree to slay the infants, thou gavest them abundant water unexpectedly,

8. ostendens per sitim, quae tunc fuit, quemadmodum adversarios excruciares.

8. showing by their thirst at that time how thou didst punish their enemies.

9. Cum enim tentati sunt, etsi cum misericordia disciplinam accipientes, scierunt quemadmodum cum ira iudicati impii tormenta paterentur.

9. For when they were tried, though they were being disciplined in mercy, they learned how the ungodly were tormented when judged in wrath.

10. Hos quidem tamquam pater monens probasti, illos autem tamquam durus rex condemnans tormento interrogasti.

10. For thou didst test them as a father does in warning, but thou didst examine the ungodly as a stern king does in condemnation.

11. Absentes enim et praesentes similiter torquebantur;

11. Whether absent or present, they were equally distressed,

12. duplex enim illos acceperat taedium et gemitus cum memoria praeteritorum.

12. for a twofold grief possessed them, and a groaning at the memory of what had occurred.

13. Cum enim audirent per sua tormenta bene secum agi, senserunt Dominum.

13. For when they heard that through their own punishments the righteous had received benefit, they perceived it was the Lord's doing.

14. Quem enim in expositione olim proiectum reiecerunt deridentes, in finem eventuum mirati sunt, non similiter iustis sitientes.

14. For though they had mockingly rejected him who long before had been cast out and exposed, at the end of the events they marveled at him, for their thirst was not like that of the righteous.

15. Pro cogitationibus autem insensatis iniquitatis illorum, in quibus errantes colebant mutos serpentes et bestias supervacuas, immisisti illis multitudinem mutorum animalium in vindictam,

15. In return for their foolish and wicked thoughts, which led them astray to worship irrational serpents and worthless animals, thou didst send upon them a multitude of irrational creatures to punish them,

16. ut scirent quia, per quae peccat quis, per haec et torquetur.

16. that they might learn that one is punished by the very things by which he sins.

17. Non enim impossibilis erat omnipotens manus tua, quae creavit orbem terrarum ex materia informi, immittere illis multitudinem ursorum aut audaces leones

17. For thy all-powerful hand, which created the world out of formless matter, did not lack the means to send upon them a multitude of bears, or bold lions,

18. aut recens conditas ira plenas ignotas bestias aut vaporem igneum spirantes aut fumi fremitum proferentes aut horrendas ab oculis scintillas fulgurantes,

18. or newly created unknown beasts full of rage, or such as breathe out fiery breath, or belch forth a thick pall of smoke, or flash terrible sparks from their eyes;

19. quarum non solum laesura poterat illos exterminare, sed et aspectus per timorem occidere.

19. not only could their damage exterminate men, but the mere sight of them could kill by fright.

20. Sed et sine his uno spiritu poterant occidi, persecutionem passi a iustitia, et dispersi per spiritum virtutis tuae. Sed omnia in mensura et numero et pondere disposuisti.

20. Even apart from these, men could fall at a single breath when pursued by justice and scattered by the breath of thy power. But thou hast arranged all things by measure and number and weight.

21. Multum enim valere tibi soli subest semper, et virtuti brachii tui quis resistet?

21. For it is always in thy power to show great strength, and who can withstand the might of thy arm?

22. Quoniam tamquam momentum staterae, sic est ante te totus orbis terrarum, et tamquam gutta roris antelucani, quae descendit in terram.

22. Because the whole world before thee is like a speck that tips the scales, and like a drop of morning dew that falls upon the ground.

23. Sed misereris omnium, quia omnia potes; et dissimulas peccata hominum propter paenitentiam.

23. But thou art merciful to all, for thou canst do all things, and thou dost overlook men's sins, that they may repent.

24. Diligis enim omnia, quae sunt, et nihil odisti eorum, quae fecisti; nec enim, si odisses, aliquid constituisses.

24. For thou lovest all things that exist, and hast loathing for none of the things which thou hast made, for thou wouldst not have made anything if thou hadst hated it.

25. Quomodo autem posset aliquid permanere, nisi tu voluisses? Aut, quod a te vocatum non esset, conservaretur?

25. How would anything have endured if thou hadst not willed it? Or how would anything not called forth by thee have been preserved?

26. Parcis autem omnibus, quoniam tua sunt, Domine, qui amas animas.

26. Thou sparest all things, for they are thine, O Lord who lovest the living.