Wisdom 5

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Then shall the just one with great assurance confront his oppressors who set at nought his labors.	1 Then the just will stand with great steadfastness against those who have oppressed them and have taken away their labors.
2 Seeing this, they shall be shaken with dreadful fear, and amazed at the unlooked-for salvation.	2 Seeing this, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and they will be amazed at the suddenness of unexpected salvation.
3 They shall say among themselves, rueful and groaning through anguish of spirit: "This is he whom once we held as a laughingstock and as a type for mockery,	3 Driven toward regret, and through the anguish of their groaning spirit, they will say within themselves: “These are the ones whom we held for some time in derision and in mocking reproach.
4 fools that we were! His life we accounted madness, and his death dishonored.	4 We foolish considered their life to be madness, and their end to be without honor.
5 See how he is accounted among the sons of God; how his lot is with the saints!	5 How is it that they are counted among the sons of God, and their place is among the holy?
6 We, then, have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of justice did not shine for us, and the sun did not rise for us.	6 Therefore, we have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of justice has not shined on us, and the sun of understanding has not risen on us.
7 We had our fill of the ways of mischief and of ruin; we journeyed through impassable deserts, but the way of the LORD we knew not.	7 We exhausted ourselves in the way of iniquity and perdition, and have walked a difficult way, while ignoring the way of the Lord.
8 What did our pride avail us? What have wealth and its boastfulness afforded us?	8 How has arrogance benefited us? Or what has exalting in riches brought us?
9 All of them passed like a shadow and like a fleeting rumor;	9 All those things have passed away like a shadow, and like a messenger traveling quickly by;
10 Like a ship traversing the heaving water, of which, when it has passed, no trace can be found, no path of its keel in the waves.	10 and like a ship passing over the waves of water, when it has gone by, its trace cannot be found, nor can the pathway of its keel in the waves;
11 Or like a bird flying through the air; no evidence of its course is to be found- But the fluid air, lashed by the beat of pinions, and cleft by the rushing force Of speeding wings, is traversed: and afterward no mark of passage can be found in it.	11 or, like a bird flying through the air, there is no evidence of her journey to be found, but there is hardly a sound as the beating of her wings lifts up the air and, by the force of her journey, divides the air she has flown across, which was disturbed by her wings, and afterwards there is no sign of her journey to be found;
12 Or as, when an arrow has been shot at a mark, the parted air straightway flows together again so that none discerns the way it went through-	12 or, like an arrow shot at a selected mark, the air continues to be divided and to be brought together again, so that its passing is unknown.
13 Even so we, once born, abruptly came to nought and held no sign of virtue to display, but were consumed in our wickedness."	13 And in like manner we, having been born, continuously cease to exist, and indeed, we depart with no sign of virtue to show, but we are consumed in our malice.”
14 Yes, the hope of the wicked is like thistledown borne on the wind, and like fine, tempest-driven foam; Like smoke scattered by the wind, and like the passing memory of the nomad camping for a single day.	14 Such things those who sinned said in hell.
15 But the just live forever, and in the LORD is their recompense, and the thought of them is with the Most High.	15 For the hope of the impious is like feathers, which are blown away by the wind, and like a thin foam, which is dispersed by a storm, and like smoke, which is scattered by the wind, and like the memory of a guest who passes by one day.
16 Therefore shall they receive the splendid crown, the beauteous diadem, from the hand of the LORD- For he shall shelter them with his right hand, and protect them with his arm.	16 But the just will live forever, and their reward is with the Lord, and the thought of them is with the Most High.
17 He shall take his zeal for armor and he shall arm creation to requite the enemy;	17 Therefore, they will receive a beautiful kingdom and a crown of splendor from the hand of the Lord, for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.
18 He shall don justice for a breastplate and shall wear sure judgment for a helmet;	18 And his zeal will take up arms, and he will equip his servants for retribution on their enemies.
19 He shall take invincible rectitude as a shield	19 He will put on justice as a breastplate, and he will grasp sure judgment as a helmet.
20 and whet his sudden anger for a sword, And the universe shall war with him against the foolhardy.	20 He will select fairness as an invincible shield.
21 Well-aimed shafts of lightnings shall go forth and from the clouds as from a well-drawn bow shall leap to the mark;	21 Yet he will sharpen his severe wrath into a spear, and he will fight with those of the world against the irrational.
22 and as from his sling, wrathful hailstones shall be hurled. The water of the sea shall be enraged against them and the streams shall abruptly overflow;	22 Shafts of lightning will hurl forth accurately, and, as if from a well-curved bow of clouds, they will be expelled and will fly to the determined mark.
23 A mighty wind shall confront them and a tempest winnow them out; Thus lawlessness shall lay the whole earth waste and evildoing overturn the thrones of potentates.	23 And hail will be cast like stones full of anger, and the water of the sea will rise up against them, and the rivers will charge forth harshly.
	24 The spirit of virtue will stand firm against them and like a whirlwind will divide them, and he will lead all the world of iniquity into a wasteland, and malice will overthrow the seats of power.