Wisdom of Solomon, 3
1. But the souls of the upright are in the hands of God, and no torment can touch them.
1. But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them.
2. To the unenlightened, they appeared to die, their departure was regarded as disaster,
2. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an affliction,
3. their leaving us like annihilation; but they are at peace.
3. and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace.
4. If, as it seemed to us, they suffered punishment, their hope was rich with immortality;
4. For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality.
5. slight was their correction, great will their blessings be. God was putting them to the test and has proved them worthy to be with him;
5. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6. he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a perfect burnt offering.
6. like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
7. At their time of visitation, they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
7. In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble.
8. They will judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for ever.
8. They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them for ever.
9. Those who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await his holy ones, and he intervenes on behalf of his chosen.
9. Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.
10. But the godless will be duly punished for their reasoning, for having neglected the upright and deserted the Lord.
10. But the ungodly will be punished as their reasoning deserves, who disregarded the righteous man and rebelled against the Lord;
11. Yes, wretched are they who scorn wisdom and discipline: their hope is void, their toil unavailing, their achievements unprofitable;
11. for whoever despises wisdom and instruction is miserable. Their hope is vain, their labors are unprofitable, and their works are useless.
12. their wives are reckless, their children depraved, their descendants accursed.
12. Their wives are foolish, and their children evil;
13. Blessed the sterile woman if she be blameless, and has not known an unlawful bed, for she will have fruit at the visitation of souls.
13. their offspring are accursed. For blessed is the barren woman who is undefiled, who has not entered into a sinful union; she will have fruit when God examines souls.
14. Blessed, too, the eunuch whose hand commits no crime, and who harbours no resentment against the Lord: a special favour will be granted to him for his loyalty, a most desirable portion in the temple of the Lord.
14. Blessed also is the eunuch whose hands have done no lawless deed, and who has not devised wicked things against the Lord; for special favor will be shown him for his faithfulness, and a place of great delight in the temple of the Lord.
15. For the fruit of honest labours is glorious, and the root of understanding does not decay.
15. For the fruit of good labors is renowned, and the root of understanding does not fail.
16. But the children of adulterers will not reach maturity, the offspring of an unlawful bed will disappear.
16. But children of adulterers will not come to maturity, and the offspring of an unlawful union will perish.
17. Even if they live long, they will count for nothing, their old age will go unhonoured at the last;
17. Even if they live long they will be held of no account, and finally their old age will be without honor.
18. while if they die early, they have neither hope nor comfort on the day of judgement,
18. If they die young, they will have no hope and no consolation in the day of decision.
19. for the end of a race of evil-doers is harsh.
19. For the end of an unrighteous generation is grievous.
