Wisdom 11

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 She made their actions successful, by means of a holy prophet.	1 She prospered their works in the hands of the holy prophet.
2 They journeyed through an unpeopled desert and pitched their tents in inaccessible places.	2 They went through wildernesses that were not inhabited, and in desert places they pitched their tents.
3 They stood firm against their enemies, fought off their foes.	3 They stood against their enemies, and revenged themselves of their adversaries.
4 On you they cal ed when they were thirsty, and from the rocky cliff water was given them, from hardstone a remedy for their thirst.	4 They were thirsty, and they called upon thee, and water was given them out of the high rock, and a refreshment of their thirst out of the hard stone.
5 Thus, what had served to punish their enemies became a benefit for them in their difficulties.	5 For by what things their enemies were punished, when their drink failed them, while the children of Israel abounded therewith and rejoiced:
6 Whereas their enemies had only the ever-flowing source of a river fouled with mingled blood and mud,	6 By the same things they in their need were benefited.
7 to punish them for their decree of infanticide, you gave your people, against al hope, water inabundance,	7 For instead of a fountain of an ever running river, thou gavest human blood to the unjust.
8 once you had shown by the thirst that they were experiencing how severely you were punishing theirenemies.	8 And whilst they were diminished for a manifest reproof of their murdering the infants, thou gavest to thine abundant water unlooked for:
9 From their own ordeals, which were only loving correction, they realised how an angry sentence wastormenting the godless;	9 Shewing by the thirst that was then, how thou didst exalt thine, and didst kill their adversaries.
10 for you had tested your own as a father admonishes, but the others you had punished as a pitilessking condemns,	10 For when they were tried, and chastised with mercy, they knew how the wicked were judged with wrath and tormented.
11 and, whether far or near, they were equal y afflicted.	11 For thou didst admonish and try them as a father: but the others, as a severe king, thou didst examine and condemn.
12 For a double sorrow seized on them, and a groaning at the memory of the past;	12 For whether absent or present, they were tormented alike.
13 when they learned that the punishments they were receiving were beneficial to the others, theyrealised it was the Lord,	13 For a double affliction came upon them, and a groaning for the remembrance of things past.
14 while for the man whom long before they had exposed and later mockingly rebuffed, they felt onlyadmiration when al was done, having suffered a thirst so different from that of the upright.	14 For when they heard that by their punishments the others were benefited, they remembered the Lord, wondering at the end of what was come to pass.
15 For their foolish and wicked notions which led them astray into worshipping mindless reptiles andcontemptible beetles, you sent a horde of mindless animals to punish them	15 For whom they scorned before, when he was thrown out at the time of his being wickedly exposed to perish, him they admired in the end, when they saw the event: their thirsting being unlike to that of the just.
16 and to teach them that the agent of sin is the agent of punishment.	16 But for the foolish devices of their iniquity, because some being deceived worshipped dumb serpents and worthless beasts, thou didst send upon them a multitude of dumb beasts for vengeance.
17 And indeed your al -powerful hand which created the world from formless matter, did not lack meansto unleash a horde of bears or savage lions on them	17 That they might know that by what things a man sinneth, by the same also he is tormented.
18 or unknown beasts, newly created, ful of rage, breathing out fire, or puffing out stinking smoke, orflashing fearful sparks from their eyes,	18 For thy almighty hand, which made the world of matter without form, was not unable to send upon them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions,
19 beasts able not only to destroy them, being so savage, but even to strike them dead by their terrifyingappearance.	19 Or unknown beasts of a new kind, full of rage: either breathing out a fiery vapour, or sending forth a stinking smoke, or shooting horrible sparks out of their eyes:
20 However, without these, one breath could have blown them over, pursued by Justice, whirled awayby the breath of your power. You, however, ordered all things by measure, number and weight.	20 Whereof not only the hurt might be able to destroy them, but also the very sight might kill them through fear.
21 For your great power is always at your service, and who can withstand the might of your arm?	21 Yea and without these, they might have been slain with one blast, persecuted by their own deeds, and scattered by the breath of thy power: but thou hast ordered all things in measure, and number, and weight.
22 The whole world, for you, can no more than tip a balance, like a drop of morning dew falling on theground.	22 For great power always belonged to thee alone: and who shall resist the strength of thy arm?
23 Yet you are merciful to al , because you are almighty, you overlook people's sins, so that they canrepent.	23 For the whole world before thee is as the least grain of the balance, and as a drop of the morning dew, that falleth down upon the earth:
24 Yes, you love everything that exists, and nothing that you have made disgusts you, since, if you hadhated something, you would not have made it.	24 But thou hast mercy upon all, because thou canst do all things, and overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance.
25 And how could a thing subsist, had you not wil ed it? Or how be preserved, if not cal ed forth by you?	25 For thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things which thou hast made: for thou didst not appoint, or make any thing hating it.
26 No, you spare al , since al is yours, Lord, lover of life!	26 And how could any thing endure, if thou wouldst not? or be preserved, if not called by thee.
	27 But thou sparest all: because they are thine, O Lord, who lovest souls.