Wisdom 16

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Therefore by the like were they punished worthily, and by the multitude of beasts tormented.	1 Therefore they were fittingly punished by similar creatures, and were tormented by a swarm of insects.
2 Instead of which punishment, dealing graciously with thine own people, thou preparedst for them meat of a strange taste, even quails to stir up their appetite:	2 Instead of this punishment, you benefited your people with a novel dish, the delight they craved, by providing quail for their food;
3 To the end that they, desiring food, might for the ugly sight of the beasts sent among them lothe even that, which they must needs desire; but these, suffering penury for a short space, might be made partakers of a strange taste.	3 That those others, when they desired food, since the creatures sent to plague them were so loathsome, should be turned from even the craving of necessities, While these, after a brief period of privation, partook of a novel dish.
4 For it was requisite, that upon them exercising tyranny should come penury, which they could not avoid: but to these it should only be shewed how their enemies were tormented.	4 For upon those oppressors, inexorable want had to come; but these needed only be shown how their enemies were being tormented.
5 For when the horrible fierceness of beasts came upon these, and they perished with the stings of crooked serpents, thy wrath endured not for ever:	5 For when the dire venom of beasts came upon them and they were dying from the bite of crooked serpents, your anger endured not to the end.
6 But they were troubled for a small season, that they might be admonished, having a sign of salvation, to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law.	6 But as a warning, for a short time they were terrorized, though they had a sign of salvation, to remind them of the precept of your law.
7 For he that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw, but by thee, that art the Saviour of all.	7 For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw, but by you, the savior of all.
8 And in this thou madest thine enemies confess, that it is thou who deliverest from all evil:	8 And by this also you convinced our foes that you are he who delivers from all evil.
9 For them the bitings of grasshoppers and flies killed, neither was there found any remedy for their life: for they were worthy to be punished by such.	9 For the bites of locusts and of flies slew them, and no remedy was found to save their lives because they deserved to be punished by such means;
10 But thy sons not the very teeth of venomous dragons overcame: for thy mercy was ever by them, and healed them.	10 But not even the fangs of poisonous reptiles overcame your sons, for your mercy brought the antidote to heal them.
11 For they were pricked, that they should remember thy words; and were quickly saved, that not falling into deep forgetfulness, they might be continually mindful of thy goodness.	11 For as a reminder of your injunctions, they were stung, and swiftly they were saved, Lest they should fall into deep forgetfulness and become unresponsive to your beneficence.
12 For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaister, that restored them to health: but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things.	12 For indeed, neither herb nor application cured them, but your all-healing word, O LORD!
13 For thou hast power of life and death: thou leadest to the gates of hell, and bringest up again.	13 For you have dominion over life and death; you lead down to the gates of the nether world, and lead back.
14 A man indeed killeth through his malice: and the spirit, when it is gone forth, returneth not; neither the soul received up cometh again.	14 Man, however, slays in his malice, but when the spirit has come away, it does not return, nor can he bring back the soul once it is confined.
15 But it is not possible to escape thine hand.	15 But your hand none can escape.
16 For the ungodly, that denied to know thee, were scourged by the strength of thine arm: with strange rains, hails, and showers, were they persecuted, that they could not avoid, and through fire were they consumed.	16 For the wicked who refused to know you were punished by the might of your arm, Pursued by unwonted rains and hailstorms and unremitting downpours, and consumed by fire.
17 For, which is most to be wondered at, the fire had more force in the water, that quencheth all things: for the world fighteth for the righteous.	17 For against all expectation, in water which quenches anything, the fire grew more active; For the universe fights on behalf of the just.
18 For sometime the flame was mitigated, that it might not burn up the beasts that were sent against the ungodly; but themselves might see and perceive that they were persecuted with the judgment of God.	18 For now the flame was tempered so that the beasts might not be burnt up that were sent upon the wicked, but that these might see and know they were struck by the judgment of God;
19 And at another time it burneth even in the midst of water above the power of fire, that it might destroy the fruits of an unjust land.	19 And again, even in the water, fire blazed beyond its strength so as to consume the produce of the wicked land.
20 Instead whereof thou feddest thine own people with angels' food, and didst send them from heaven bread prepared without their labour, able to content every man's delight, and agreeing to every taste.	20 Instead of this, you nourished your people with food of angels and furnished them bread from heaven, ready to hand, untoiled-for, endowed with all delights and conforming to every taste.
21 For thy sustenance declared thy sweetness unto thy children, and serving to the appetite of the eater, tempered itself to every man's liking.	21 For this substance of yours revealed your sweetness toward your children, and serving the desire of him who received it, was blended to whatever flavor each one wished.
22 But snow and ice endured the fire, and melted not, that they might know that fire burning in the hail, and sparkling in the rain, did destroy the fruits of the enemies.	22 Yet snow and ice withstood fire and were not melted, that they might know that their enemies' fruits Were consumed by a fire that blazed in the hail and flashed lightning in the rain.
23 But this again did even forget his own strength, that the righteous might be nourished.	23 But this fire, again, that the just might be nourished, forgot even its proper strength;
24 For the creature that serveth thee, who art the Maker increaseth his strength against the unrighteous for their punishment, and abateth his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in thee.	24 For your creation, serving you, its maker, grows tense for punishment against the wicked, but is relaxed in benefit for those who trust in you.
25 Therefore even then was it altered into all fashions, and was obedient to thy grace, that nourisheth all things, according to the desire of them that had need:	25 Therefore at that very time, transformed in all sorts of ways, it was serving your all-nourishing bounty according to what they needed and desired;
26 That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovest, might know, that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth man: but that it is thy word, which preserveth them that put their trust in thee.	26 That your sons whom you loved might learn, O LORD, that it is not the various kinds of fruits that nourish man, but it is your word that preserves those who believe you!
27 For that which was not destroyed of the fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam, soon melted away:	27 For what was not destroyed by fire, when merely warmed by a momentary sunbeam, melted;
28 That it might be known, that we must prevent the sun to give thee thanks, and at the dayspring pray unto thee.	28 So that men might know that one must give you thanks before the sunrise, and turn to you at daybreak.
29 For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter's hoar frost, and shall run away as unprofitable water.	29 For the hope of the ingrate melts like a wintry frost and runs off like useless water.