Wisdom 16

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Thus they were appropriately punished by similar creatures and tormented by swarms of vermin.	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 In contrast to this punishment, you did your people a kindness and, to satisfy their sharp appetite,provided quails -- a luscious rarity -- for them to eat.	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 Thus the Egyptians, at the repulsive sight of the creatures sent against them, were to find that, thoughthey longed for food, they had lost their natural appetite; whereas your own people, after a short privation, wereto have a rare relish for their portion.	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 Inevitable that relentless want should seize on the former oppressors; enough for your people to beshown how their enemies were being tortured.	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 Even when the fearful rage of wild animals overtook them and they were perishing from the bites ofwrithing snakes, your retribution did not continue to the end.	5 And so, when fierce beasts overcame them in anger, they were exterminated by the bites of perverse snakes.
6 Affliction struck them briefly, by way of warning, and they had a saving token to remind them of thecommandment 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 whoever turned to it was saved, not by what he looked at, but by you, the Saviour 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 such means you proved to our enemies that you are the one who delivers from every evil;	8 Yet in this you revealed to our enemies that you are he who delivers from all evil.
9 for them, the bites of locusts and flies proved fatal and no remedy could be found to save their lives,since they deserved to be punished by such creatures.	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 your children, not even the fangs of poisonous snakes could bring them down; for your mercycame to their help and cured them.	10 But not even the teeth of venomous serpents conquered your sons, for your mercy came to them and healed them.
11 One sting -- how quickly healed!-to remind them of your pronouncements rather than that, by sinkinginto deep forgetfulness, they should be cut off from your kindness.	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 No herb, no poultice cured them, but your al -healing word, Lord.	12 And, indeed, neither an herb, nor a poultice, healed them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all.
13 Yes, you are the one with power over life and death, bringing to the gates of Hades and back again.	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 A human being out of malice may put to death, but cannot bring the departed spirit back or free thesoul that Hades has once received.	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 It is not possible to escape your hand.	15 But it is impossible to escape your hand.
16 The godless who refused to acknowledge you were scourged by the strength of your arm, pursued byno ordinary rains, hail and unrelenting 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 Even more wonderful, in the water -- which quenches al -- the fire raged fiercer than ever; for theelements fight for the upright.	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 At one moment, the fire would die down, to avoid consuming the animals sent against the godlessand to make clear to them by that sight, that the sentence of God was pursuing them;	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 at another, in the very heart of the water, it would burn more fiercely than fire to ruin the produce of awicked 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 How differently with your people! You gave them the food of angels, from heaven untiringly providingthem bread already prepared, containing every delight, to satisfy 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 And the substance you gave showed your sweetness towards your children, for, conforming to thetaste of whoever ate it, it transformed itself into what each eater 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 Snow and ice endured the fire, without melting; this was to show them that, to destroy the harvests oftheir enemies, fire would burn even in hail and flare in fal ing 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 whereas, on the other hand, it would even forget its own strength in the service of feeding the upright.	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 the creation, being at the service of you, its Creator, tautens to punish the wicked and slackensfor the benefit of 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 And this is why, by changing into al things, it obediently served your all-nourishing bounty,conforming to the wishes of those who were in need;	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 so that your beloved children, Lord, might learn that the various crops are not what providenourishment, but your word which preserves al who believe in 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 that which fire could not destroy melted in the heat of a single fleeting sunbeam,	27 For that which could not be destroyed by fire, was immediately melted when warmed by a few rays of the sun,
28 to show that, to give you thanks, we must rise before the sun and meet you at the dawning of theday;	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 whereas the hope of the ungrateful melts like winter frost and flows away like water running to waste.	29 For the hope of the ungrateful will melt away like the winter’s ice and will disperse like overflowing water.