Wisdom 16

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Therefore they were fittingly punished by similar creatures, and were tormented by a swarm of insects.	1 Because of this, and by means of things similar to these, they were allowed to endure fitting torments, and they were exterminated 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 these torments, you administered your people kindly, giving them a desire for a new taste from your delights, and preparing quails for their food,
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 so that, even those desiring food, because of those things which were sent and revealed to them, were now turned away from a necessary desire. Yet these, after a brief time, having become weak, tasted a new food.
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 necessary, though they are without excuse, for them to unexpectedly come upon the ruin of exercising tyranny, yet this was as if to show them how their enemies were being exterminated.
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 And so, when fierce beasts overcame them in anger, they were exterminated by the bites of perverse snakes.
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 your anger did not continue forever, though they were troubled for a short time for their correction, they have a sign of salvation as a remembrance of the commandment of your 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 who turned to it was not healed by what he saw, but by you, the Savior of all.
8 And by this also you convinced our foes that you are he who delivers from all evil.	8 Yet in this you revealed to our enemies that you are he who delivers 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 they were killed by the biting of locusts and flies, and there was found no remedy for their life, because they deserved 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 conquered your sons, for your mercy came to them 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, in remembrance of your words, they were examined and were quickly saved, for forgetfulness is not engraved into your altar so that they would be unable to obtain your help.
12 For indeed, neither herb nor application cured them, but your all-healing word, O LORD!	12 And, indeed, neither an herb, nor a poultice, healed them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all.
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 you, O Lord, who holds the power of life and death; you both lead to the threshold of death and you restore.
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 Yet man, indeed, kills his own soul through malice, and when his spirit goes forth, it will not be returned, nor will he call back his soul when it has been received.
15 But your hand none can escape.	15 But it is impossible to escape your 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 impious, having refused to know you, have been scourged by the strength of your arm, enduring persecution by unusual waters, and by hailstorms, and by rain storms, and being 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 For there was something extraordinary in water, which extinguishes all things; it has prevailed more than fire; for the world is the defender of 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 Indeed, at a certain time, the fire was subdued, so as not to burn away the animals, which were sent against the impious; and so that, in seeing this, they might know that they are suffering persecution 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, fire burned, beyond its own power, in the midst of water, and it flared up from all around, so as to destroy the nations of an unjust 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 these things, you nourished your people with the food of angels, and, having prepared bread from heaven, you served them without labor that which holds within itself every delight and the sweetness of every flavor.
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 your nature showed your sweetness, which you hold within your sons, and serving the will of each one, it was converted to what each one preferred.
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 held back the strength of fire, and did not melt, so 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 Yet it was also the case, so that the just might be nourished, that fire had even been deprived of its own power.
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 you, the Creator, grows red hot in the midst of the conflict against the unjust, and yet it subsides for the benefit of those who trust in you.
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 Because of this, and at that time, having been transfigured in all things, your grace was diligently serving as the nursemaid of all things, according to the will of those who long for you,
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 so that your sons, whom you loved, O Lord, might know that it is not the fruits of nature which feed men, but your word, which preserves those who believe in you.
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, was immediately melted when warmed by a few rays of the sun,
28 So that men might know that one must give you thanks before the sunrise, and turn to you at daybreak.	28 so that it might be clear to all that it is right to come before the sun to bless you, and to adore you 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 ungrateful will melt away like the winter’s ice and will disperse like overflowing water.