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Giovedi, 2 maggio 2024 - Sant´ Atanasio ( Letture di oggi)

Wisdom 11


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NEW AMERICAN BIBLEKING JAMES BIBLE
1 She made their affairs prosper through the holy prophet.1 She prospered their works in the hand of the holy prophet.
2 They journeyed through the uninhabited desert, and in solitudes they pitched their tents;2 They went through the wilderness that was not inhabited, and pitched tents in places where there lay no way.
3 they withstood enemies and took vengeance on their foes.3 They stood against their enemies, and were avenged of their adversaries.
4 When they thirsted, they called upon you, and water was given them from the sheer rock, assuagement for their thirst from the hard stone.4 When they were thirsty, they called upon thee, and water was given them out of the flinty rock, and their thirst was quenched out of the hard stone.
5 For by the things through which their foes were punished they in their need were benefited.5 For by what things their enemies were punished, by the same they in their need were benefited.
6 Instead of a spring, when the perennial river was troubled with impure blood6 For instead of of a perpetual running river troubled with foul blood,
7 as a rebuke to the decree for the slaying of infants, You gave them abundant water in an unhoped-for way,7 For a manifest reproof of that commandment, whereby the infants were slain, thou gavest unto them abundance of water by a means which they hoped not for:
8 once you had shown by the thirst they then had how you punished their adversaries.8 Declaring by that thirst then how thou hadst punished their adversaries.
9 For when they had been tried, though only mildly chastised, they recognized how the wicked, condemned in anger, were being tormented.9 For when they were tried albeit but in mercy chastised, they knew how the ungodly were judged in wrath and tormented, thirsting in another manner than the just.
10 the latter you tested, admonishing them as a father; the former as a stern king you probed and condemned.10 For these thou didst admonish and try, as a father: but the other, as a severe king, thou didst condemn and punish.
11 Both those afar off and those close by were afflicted:11 Whether they were absent or present, they were vexed alike.
12 For a twofold grief took hold of them and a groaning at the remembrance of the ones who had departed.12 For a double grief came upon them, and a groaning for the remembrance of things past.
13 For when they heard that the cause of their own torments was a benefit to these others, they recognized the Lord.13 For when they heard by their own punishments the other to be benefited, they had some feeling of the Lord.
14 Him who of old had been cast out in exposure they indeed mockingly rejected; but in the end of events, they marveled at him, since their thirst proved unlike that of the just.14 For whom they respected with scorn, when he was long before thrown out at the casting forth of the infants, him in the end, when they saw what came to pass, they admired.
15 And in return for their senseless, wicked thoughts, which misled them into worshiping dumb serpents and worthless insects, You sent upon them swarms of dumb creatures for vengeance;15 But for the foolish devices of their wickedness, wherewith being deceived they worshipped serpents void of reason, and vile beasts, thou didst send a multitude of unreasonable beasts upon them for vengeance;
16 that they might recognize that a man is punished by the very things through which he sins.16 That they might know, that wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished.
17 For not without means was your almighty hand, that had fashioned the universe from formless matter, to send upon them a drove of bears or fierce lions,17 For thy Almighty hand, that made the world of matter without form, wanted not means to send among them a multitude of bears or fierce lions,
18 Or new-created, wrathful, unknown beasts to breathe forth fiery breath, Or pour out roaring smoke, or flash terrible sparks from their eyes.18 Or unknown wild beasts, full of rage, newly created, breathing out either a fiery vapour, or filthy scents of scattered smoke, or shooting horrible sparkles out of their eyes:
19 Not only could these attack and completely destroy them; even their frightful appearance itself could slay.19 Whereof not only the harm might dispatch them at once, but also the terrible sight utterly destroy them.
20 Even without these, they could have been killed at a single blast, pursued by retribution and winnowed out by your mighty spirit; But you have disposed all things by measure and number and weight.20 Yea, and without these might they have fallen down with one blast, being persecuted of vengeance, and scattered abroad through the breath of thy power: but thou hast ordered all things in measure and number and weight.
21 For with you great strength abides always; who can resist the might of your arm?21 For thou canst shew thy great strength at all times when thou wilt; and who may withstand the power of thine arm?
22 Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.22 For the whole world before thee is as a little grain of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down upon the earth.
23 But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent.23 But thou hast mercy upon all; for thou canst do all things, and winkest at the sins of men, because they should amend.
24 For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.24 For thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made: for never wouldest thou have made any thing, if thou hadst hated it.
25 And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?25 And how could any thing have endured, if it had not been thy will? or been preserved, if not called by thee?
26 But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls,26 But thou sparest all: for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls.