Wisdom 19

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 But the wicked, merciless wrath assailed until the end. For he knew beforehand what they were yet to do:	1 But the impious, all the way to the very end, were overcome by anger without mercy. Indeed, he knew beforehand even their future.
2 That though they themselves had agreed to the departure and had anxiously sent them on their way, they would regret it and pursue them.	2 Yet, seeing that they might have repented, so that they would be led by him and be sent forth with great concern, the just sought the impious, while regretting their deeds.
3 For while they were still engaged in funeral rites and were mourning at the burials of the dead, They adopted another senseless plan; and those whom they had sent away with entreaty, they pursued as fugitives.	3 For, while the just were still holding grief in their hands and weeping at the tombs of the dead, these others took upon themselves another senseless thought, and they cast out the legislators and pursued them as if they were fugitives.
4 For a compulsion suited to this ending drew them on, and made them forgetful of what had befallen them, That they might fill out the torments of their punishment,	4 For a fitting necessity was leading them to this end, and they were losing the remembrance of those things which had happened, so that what was lacking in the sufferings of the conflict might be completed by the punishment,
5 and your people might experience a glorious journey while those others met an extraordinary death.	5 and so that your people, indeed, might wonderfully pass through, but these others might find a new death.
6 For all creation, in its several kinds, was being made over anew, serving its natural laws, that your children might be preserved unharmed.	6 For every creature according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, diligently serving your teachings, so that your children would be preserved unharmed.
7 The cloud overshadowed their camp; and out of what had before been water, dry land was seen emerging: Out of the Red Sea an unimpeded road, and a grassy plain out of the mighty flood.	7 For a cloud overshadowed their camp, and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea, a way without hindrance, and out of the great deep, a level field sprung up,
8 Over this crossed the whole nation sheltered by your hand, after they beheld stupendous wonders.	8 through which the whole nation passed, protected by your hand, seeing your miracles and wonders.
9 For they ranged about like horses, and bounded about like lambs, praising you, O LORD! their deliverer.	9 For they consumed food like horses, and they leapt about like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who had freed them.
10 For they were still mindful of what had happened in their sojourn: how instead of the young of animals the land brought forth gnats, and instead of fishes the river swarmed with countless frogs.	10 For they were still mindful of those things which had happened during the time of their sojourn, how, instead cattle, the earth brought forth flies, and instead of fish, the river cast up a multitude of frogs.
11 And later they saw also a new kind of bird when, prompted by desire, they asked for pleasant foods;	11 And, lastly, they saw a new kind of bird, when, being led by their desire, they demanded a feast of meat.
12 For to appease them quail came to them from the sea.	12 For, to console their loss, the quail came up to them from the sea, and yet troubles overcame the sinners, though they were not without the evidence of what had happened before by the power of lightning, for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness.
13 And the punishments came upon the sinners only after forewarnings from the violence of the thunderbolts. For they justly suffered for their own misdeeds, since indeed they treated their guests with the more grievous hatred.	13 And indeed, they set up a more detestable inhospitality. Certainly, some have refused to receive unknown foreigners, but these others were drafting good guests into servitude,
14 For those others did not receive unfamiliar visitors, but these were enslaving beneficent guests.	14 and not only foreigners, but also those who had been under their care, because they were reluctantly sheltering the outsiders.
15 And not that only; but what punishment was to be theirs since they received strangers unwillingly!	15 Yet whoever had sheltered them with gladness, by making use of the very same justice, they afflicted with the most severe sorrow.
16 Yet these, after welcoming them with festivities, oppressed with awful toils those who now shared with them the same rights.	16 Yet they were struck with blindness, like someone brought before the gates of justice, so that they were suddenly covered with darkness, and each one was left searching for the threshold of his front door.
17 And they were struck with blindness, as those others had been at the portals of the just- When, surrounded by yawning darkness, each sought the entrance of his own gate.	17 For the elements in themselves are in the process of being changed, just as when the sound of a musical instrument is being altered in quality, yet each one keeps its own sound, from where it is considered to be and according to its fixed appearance.
18 For the elements, in variable harmony among themselves, like strings of the harp, produce new melody, while the flow of music steadily persists. And this can be perceived exactly from a review of what took place.	18 For the countryside was transformed by water, and things which were swimming, crossed over the land.
19 For land creatures were changed into water creatures, and those that swam went over on to the land.	19 Fire prevailed in the midst of water, beyond its own power, and the water forgot its quenching nature.
20 Fire in water maintained its own strength, and water forgot its quenching nature;	20 On the other hand, the flames did not trouble the bodies of the mortal animals walking around, nor did they melt that good food, which is as easily melted as ice. For in all things, O Lord, you magnified your people, and honored them, and did not despise them, but at every time and in every place, you assisted them.
21 Flames, by contrast, neither consumed the flesh of the perishable animals that went about in them, nor melted the icelike, quick-melting kind of ambrosial food.
22 For every way, O LORD! you magnified and glorified your people; unfailing, you stood by them in every time and circumstance.