Wisdom of Solomon, 17

Revised Standard Version

1 Great are thy judgments and hard to describe; therefore unintructed souls have gone astray.

2 For when lawless men supposed that they held the holy nation in their power, they themselves lay as captives of darkness and prisoners of long night, shut in under their roofs, exiles from eternal providence.

3 For thinking that in their secret sins they were unobserved behind a dark curtain of forgetfulness, they were scattered, terribly alarmed, and appalled by specters.

4 For not even the inner chamber that held them protected them from fear, but terrifying sounds rang out around them, and dismal phantoms with gloomy faces appeared.

5 And no power of fire was able to give light, nor did the brilliant flames of the stars avail to illumine that hateful night.

6 Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things which they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.

7 The delusions of their magic art lay humbled, and their boasted wisdom was scornfully rebuked.

8 For those who promised to drive off the fears and disorders of a sick soul were sick themselves with ridiculous fear.

9 For even if nothing disturbing frightened them, yet, scared by the passing of beasts and the hissing of serpents,

10 they perished in trembling fear, refusing to look even at the air, though it nowhere could be avoided.

11 For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by its own testimony; distressed by conscience, it has always exaggerated the difficulties.

12 For fear is nothing but surrender of the helps that come from reason;

13 and the inner expectation of help, being weak, prefers ignorance of what causes the torment.

14 But throughout the night, which was really powerless, and which beset them from the recesses of powerless Hades, they all slept the same sleep,

15 and now were driven by monstrous specters, and now were paralyzed by their souls' surrender, for sudden and unexpected fear overwhelmed them.

16 And whoever was there fell down, and thus was kept shut up in a prison not made of iron;

17 for whether he was a farmer or a shepherd or a workman who toiled in the wilderness, he was seized, and endured the inescapable fate; for with one chain of darkness they all were bound.

18 Whether there came a whistling wind, or a melodious sound of birds in wide-spreading branches, or the rhythm of violently rushing water,

19 or the harsh crash of rocks hurled down, or the unseen running of leaping animals, or the sound of the most savage roaring beasts, or an echo thrown back from a hollow of the mountains, it paralyzed them with terror.

20 For the whole world was illumined with brilliant light, and was engaged in unhindered work,

21 while over those men alone heavy night was spread, an image of the darkness that was destined to receive them; but still heavier than darkness were they to themselves.




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Chapter 17 of the Wisdom Book addresses the theme of fear and night terror that can haunt people during sleep. The author presents how these fears are the result of human imagination and how it is possible to overcome them with the help of reason and trust in God. Following are five verses related to these themes:

Psalm 34:5: "I sought the Lord, and he welcomed me; he delivered me from all my fears." This verse speaks of the importance of seeking God to find comfort and liberation of fear.

Isaiah 41:10: "Do not be afraid, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will hold you with my victorious right hand." This verse shows how God's presence can be a source of strength and courage to overcome fear.

Matthew 6:34: "Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring your own concerns. Your own evil is enough every day." This verse speaks of the importance of living the present without overcoming the future, which can lead to fear and anxiety.

2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, love and balance." This verse highlights how trust in God can help us overcome fear and find emotional balance.

1 John 4:18: "In love there is no fear; on the contrary the perfect love expels fear, because fear supposes punishment. He who is afraid is not perfected in love." This verse shows how love can be a source of security and peace, helping to overcome fear and anxiety.


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