Wisdom 16

NEW JERUSALEM	VULGATA
1 Thus they were appropriately punished by similar creatures and tormented by swarms of vermin.	1 Propter hæc et per his similia passi sunt digne tormenta, et per multitudinem bestiarum exterminati sunt.
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 Pro quibus tormentis bene disposuisti populum tuum, quibus dedisti concupiscentiam delectamenti sui novum saporem, escam parans eis ortygometram :
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 ut illi quidem, concupiscentes escam propter ea quæ illis ostensa et missa sunt, etiam a necessaria concupiscentia averterentur. Hi autem in brevi inopes facti, novam gustaverunt escam.
4 Inevitable that relentless want should seize on the former oppressors; enough for your people to beshown how their enemies were being tortured.	4 Oportebat enim illis sine excusatione quidem supervenire interitum exercentibus tyrannidem ; his autem tantum ostendere quemadmodum inimici eorum exterminabantur.
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 Etenim cum illis supervenit sæva bestiarum ira, morsibus perversorum colubrorum exterminabantur.
6 Affliction struck them briefly, by way of warning, and they had a saving token to remind them of thecommandment of your Law,	6 Sed non in perpetuum ira tua permansit, sed ad correptionem in brevi turbati sunt, signum habentes salutis ad commemorationem mandati legis tuæ.
7 for whoever turned to it was saved, not by what he looked at, but by you, the Saviour of all.	7 Qui enim conversus est, non per hoc quod videbat sanabatur, sed per te, omnium salvatorem.
8 And by such means you proved to our enemies that you are the one who delivers from every evil;	8 In hoc autem ostendisti inimicis nostris quia tu es qui liberas ab omni malo.
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 Illos enim locustarum et muscarum occiderunt morsus, et non est inventa sanitas animæ illorum, quia digni erant ab hujuscemodi exterminari.
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 Filios autem tuos nec draconum venenatorum vicerunt dentes : misericordia enim tua adveniens sanabat illos.
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 In memoria enim sermonum tuorum examinabantur, et velociter salvabantur : ne in altam incidentes oblivionem non possent tuo uti adjutorio.
12 No herb, no poultice cured them, but your al -healing word, Lord.	12 Etenim neque herba, neque malagma sanavit eos : sed tuus, Domine, sermo, qui sanat omnia.
13 Yes, you are the one with power over life and death, bringing to the gates of Hades and back again.	13 Tu es enim, Domine, qui vitæ et mortis habes potestatem, et deducis ad portas mortis, et reducis.
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 Homo autem occidit quidem per malitiam ; et cum exierit spiritus, non revertetur, nec revocabit animam quæ recepta est.
15 It is not possible to escape your hand.	15 Sed tuam manum effugere impossibile est.
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 Negantes enim te nosse impii, per fortitudinem brachii tui flagellati sunt : novis aquis, et grandinibus, et pluviis persecutionem passi, et per ignem consumpti.
17 Even more wonderful, in the water -- which quenches al -- the fire raged fiercer than ever; for theelements fight for the upright.	17 Quod enim mirabile erat, in aqua, quæ omnia extinguit, plus ignis valebat : vindex est enim orbis justorum.
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 Quodam enim tempore mansuetabatur ignis, ne comburerentur quæ ad impios missa erant animalia, sed ut ipsi videntes scirent quoniam Dei judicio patiuntur persecutionem.
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 Et quodam tempore in aqua supra virtutem ignis exardescebat undique, ut iniquæ terræ nationem exterminaret.
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 Pro quibus angelorum esca nutrivisti populum tuum, et paratum panem de cælo præstitisti illis sine labore, omne delectamentum in se habentem, et omnis saporis suavitatem.
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 Substantia enim tua dulcedinem tuam, quam in filios habes, ostendebat ; et deserviens uniuscujusque voluntati, ad quod quisque volebat convertebatur.
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 Nix autem et glacies sustinebant vim ignis, et non tabescebant : ut scirent quoniam fructus inimicorum exterminabat ignis ardens in grandine et pluvia coruscans ;
23 whereas, on the other hand, it would even forget its own strength in the service of feeding the upright.	23 hic autem iterum ut nutrirentur justi, etiam suæ virtutis oblitus est.
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 Creatura enim tibi factori deserviens, exardescit in tormentum adversus injustos, et lenior fit ad benefaciendum pro his qui in te confidunt.
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 Propter hoc et tunc in omnia transfigurata, omnium nutrici gratiæ tuæ deserviebat, ad voluntatem eorum qui a te desiderabant :
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 ut scirent filii tui quos dilexisti, Domine, quoniam non nativitatis fructus pascunt homines, sed sermo tuus hos qui in te crediderint conservat.
27 For that which fire could not destroy melted in the heat of a single fleeting sunbeam,	27 Quod enim ab igne non poterat exterminari, statim ab exiguo radio solis calefactum tabescebat :
28 to show that, to give you thanks, we must rise before the sun and meet you at the dawning of theday;	28 ut notum omnibus esset quoniam oportet prævenire solem ad benedictionem tuam, et ad ortum lucis te adorare.
29 whereas the hope of the ungrateful melts like winter frost and flows away like water running to waste.	29 Ingrati enim spes tamquam hibernalis glacies tabescet, et disperiet tamquam aqua supervacua.