Wisdom 16

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Therefore they were fittingly punished by similar creatures, and were tormented by a swarm of insects.	1 For these things, and by the like things to these, they were worthily punished, and were destroyed by a multitude of beasts.
2 Instead of this punishment, you benefited your people with a novel dish, the delight they craved, by providing quail for their food;	2 Instead of which punishment, dealing well with thy people, thou gavest them their desire of delicious food, of a new taste, preparing for them quails for their meat:
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.	3 To the end that they indeed desiring food, by means of those things that were shewn and sent among them, might loathe even that which was necessary to satisfy their desire. But these, after suffering want for a short time, tasted a new meat.
4 For upon those oppressors, inexorable want had to come; but these needed only be shown how their enemies were being tormented.	4 For it was requisite that inevitable destruction should come upon them that exercised tyranny: but to these it should only be shewn how their enemies were destroyed.
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.	5 For when the fierce rage of beasts came upon these, they were destroyed with the bitings of crooked serpents.
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.	6 But thy wrath endured not for ever, but they were troubled for a short time for their correction, having a sign of salvation to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law.
7 For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw, but by you, the savior of all.	7 For he that turned to it, was not healed by that which he saw, but by thee the Saviour of all.
8 And by this also you convinced our foes that you are he who delivers from all evil.	8 And in this thou didst shew to our enemies, that thou art he who deliverest from all evil.
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;	9 For the bitings of locusts, and of flies killed them, and there was found no remedy for their life: because they were worthy to be destroyed by such things.
10 But not even the fangs of poisonous reptiles overcame your sons, for your mercy brought the antidote to heal them.	10 But not even the teeth of venomous serpents overcame thy children: for thy mercy came and healed them.
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.	11 For they were examined for the remembrance of thy words, and were quickly healed, lest falling into deep forgetfulness, they might not be able to use thy help.
12 For indeed, neither herb nor application cured them, but your all-healing word, O LORD!	12 For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster that healed them, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things.
13 For you have dominion over life and death; you lead down to the gates of the nether world, and lead back.	13 For it is thou, O Lord, that hast power of life and death, and leadest down to the gates of death, and bringest back 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.	14 A man indeed killeth through malice, and when the spirit is gone forth, it shall not return, neither shall he call back the soul that is received:
15 But your hand none can escape.	15 But it is impossible to escape thy hand.
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.	16 For the wicked that denied to know thee, were scourged by the strength of thy arm, being persecuted by strange waters, and hail, and rain, and consumed by fire.
17 For against all expectation, in water which quenches anything, the fire grew more active; For the universe fights on behalf of the just.	17 And which was wonderful, in water, which extinguisheth all things, the fire had more force: for the world fighteth for the just.
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;	18 For at one time, the fire was mitigated, that the beasts which were sent against the wicked might not be burned, but that they might see and perceive that they were persecuted by the judgment of God.
19 And again, even in the water, fire blazed beyond its strength so as to consume the produce of the wicked land.	19 And at another time the fire, above its own power, burned in the midst of water, to destroy the fruits of a wicked land.
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.	20 Instead of which things thou didst feed thy people with the food of angels, and gavest them bread from heaven prepared without labour; having in it all that is delicious, and the sweetness of every taste.
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.	21 For thy sustenance shewed thy sweetness to thy children, and serving every man's will, it was turned to what every man liked.
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.	22 But snow and ice endured the force of fire, and melted not: that they might know that fire burning in the hail and flashing in the rain destroyed the fruits of the enemies.
23 But this fire, again, that the just might be nourished, forgot even its proper strength;	23 But this same again, that the just might be nourished, did even forget its own strength.
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.	24 For the creature serving thee the Creator, is made fierce against the unjust for their punishment; and abateth its strength for the benefit of them that trust in thee.
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;	25 Therefore even then it was transformed into all things, and was obedient to thy grace that nourisheth all, according to the will of them that desired it of 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!	26 That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovedst, might know that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth men, but thy word preseveth them that believe in thee:
27 For what was not destroyed by fire, when merely warmed by a momentary sunbeam, melted;	27 For that which could not be destroyed by fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam presently melted away:
28 So that men might know that one must give you thanks before the sunrise, and turn to you at daybreak.	28 That it might be known to all, that we ought to prevent the sun to bless thee, and adore thee at the dawning of the light.
29 For the hope of the ingrate melts like a wintry frost and runs off like useless water.	29 For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter's ice, and shall run off as unprofitable water.