Wisdom of Solomon, 17

1. For your judgments, O Lord, are great, and your words are indescribable. Therefore, undisciplined souls have wandered astray.

1. Veliki su i nedokuèivi sudovi tvoji, zato lutaju duše nepouèljive.

2. For, while they managed to convince the unjust, so as to obtain dominion over the holy nation, they themselves were fettered with chains of darkness and of endless night, enclosed in their houses, fugitives of everlasting providence, lying in ruins.

2. Dok su mislili bezbožnici da imaju u vlasti sveti narod tvoj, postadoše sužnji tmine u okovima duge noæi, zatvoreni pod svojim krovovima, prognanici vjeène providnosti.

3. And, while they thought to escape notice in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of oblivion, being horribly afraid, and having been disturbed with great astonishment.

3. Mišljahu da æe im se tajni grijesi skriti, pokriveni tamnim velom zaborava, a rasuše se u užasnu strahu, zaplašeni utvarama.

4. For neither did the cave which enclosed them preserve them from fear, because descending noises disturbed them, and the sorrowful persons appearing to them intensified their fear.

4. Ni skrovište u koje se povukoše nije ih saèuvalo od straha, nego se oko njih razlijegao grozan jek, ukazivahu im se kobne utvare, mraènih lica.

5. And, indeed, even fire had no strength to provide them light, nor could the clear flames of the stars illuminate that horrible night.

5. I nikakva im sila ognjena nije mogla svjetla pružiti, niti su sjajne plamene zvijezde mogle osvijetliti tu strašnu noæ.

6. Yet there appeared to them a sudden fire, filled with fear; and, having been struck with the fear of that face which is unseen, they considered those things which they did see to be worse,

6. Jedino im se ukazivaše neka lomaèa, sama od sebe upaljena, puna užasa; i kad bi ta prikaza išèezla, oni je, izvan sebe od straha, držahu strašnijom nego što bijaše.

7. and, having been ridiculed, the illusions were removed from their arts along with their contemptuous rebuke of glorious wisdom.

7. Nemoæna bijahu njihova umijeæa èarobnjaèka i njihovo hvastanje razborom bijaše izvrgnuto ruglu.

8. Indeed, those who promised to drive away fears and disturbances from a languishing soul, though they were filled with derision, were themselves languishing in fear.

8. Jer oni koji prije obeæavahu kako æe istjerati strah i tjeskobu iz bolne duše, sami se razbolješe od straha smiješnoga.

9. And, even if nothing unnatural disturbed them, yet being agitated by the passing of animals and the hissing of snakes, they died of fear, denying what they themselves saw even in the air, which no one thinks to be able to escape.

9. Kad ih i nije ništa strahovito plašilo, bješe im na užas gmizanje životinja i šištanje zmija. Ginuli su od straha, ne usuðujuæi se pogledati ni u zrak kojem se ne može umaknuti.

10. For, while there may be apprehension with wickedness, it gives testimony to condemnation, for a troubled conscience always forecasts harshness.

10. Jer zloæa je strašljivaca: vlastitim se svjedoèanstvom osuðuje i uvijek zlo uveæava kad je stane savjest tištiti.

11. For fear is nothing else but unfaithfulness to thinking helpful things.

11. Jer strah i nije drugo nego izdaja pomagala što ih razum daje:

12. And, while expectation is driven from within, the cause of this is supposing that one is great in knowledge, and as a result, conflict excels.

12. što se manje èovjek u sebi na njih oslanja, to mu teže pada što ne zna uzrok svojoj patnji.

13. Yet those who were truly powerless that night, being overcome by both the vilest and the deepest hell, were sleeping the same sleep,

13. I tako oni, one noæi zaista nemoæne izišle iz dubina Podzemlja nemoænog, usnuli istim snom,

14. sometimes stirred up by the fear of unnatural things, other times sinking down in disgrace of soul, for a sudden and unexpected fear overcame them.

14. bijahu progonjeni strašnim sablastima ili su smalaksali obamrle duše, jer ih napade iznenadan i neoèekivan strah.

15. Then, if any among them had fallen away, he was kept in a prison without bars which had been left open.

15. I tako svaki, pavši gdje se našao, osta zatoèen u tamnici bez prijevornica:

16. For if a farmer, or a shepherd, or a worker in a field of labor were suddenly overcome, he endured an inescapable necessity.

16. i oraè i pastir i radnik koji se samotan muèi zaskoèeni zapadoše u neminovnu nevolju, svi bijahu okovani jednim lancem tame.

17. For they were all bound together with one chain of darkness. Or if there were a whistling wind, or the sweet sound of birds among the thick tree branches, or the force of water rushing excessively,

17. I šumni vjetar, i milopojni ptièji glas meðu lisnim granama, i odmjeren huk vode što silovito protjeèe; i divlja buka peæina što se ruše,

18. or the strong noise of rocks crashing down, or the scattering of playful animals having been seen, or the strong voice of bellowing beasts, or the resounding of the highest mountain echo, these things made them sink down because of fear.

18. i nevidljiva trka životinja što skaèu, i urlik ljutih divljih zvijeri, i jeka što se odbija od gorskih dolova - sve ih ispunjaše užasom.

19. For the whole world was enlightened with a clear light, and none were being hindered in their labors.

19. A sav svijet blistao od sjajne svjetlosti i prepuštao se nesmetano svojim djelima.

20. But then, the heavy night was placed over the sun for them, an image of that darkness which was about to overcome them. Yet they were more grievous to themselves than was the darkness.

20. Jedino se nad njima raskrilila teška noæ, slika mraka koji æe ih primiti; ali teži od same tame bijahu oni - teret sami sebi.