Wisdom 19

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 But the godless were assailed by merciless anger to the very end, for he knew beforehand what theywould do,	1 But as to the wicked, even to the end there came upon them wrath without mercy. For he knew before also what they would do:
2 how, after letting his people leave and hastening their departure, they would change their minds andgive chase.	2 For when they had given them leave to depart, and had sent them away with great care, they repented, and pursued after them.
3 They were actual y stil conducting their mourning rites and lamenting at the tombs of their dead, whenanother mad scheme came into their heads and they set out to pursue, as though runaways, the people whomthey had expel ed and begged to go.	3 For whilst they were yet mourning, and lamenting at the graves of the dead, they took up another foolish device: and pursued them as fugitives whom they had pressed to be gone:
4 A wel -deserved fate urged them to this extreme and made them forget what had already happened,so that they would add to their torments the one punishment outstanding	4 For a necessity, of which they were worthy, brought them to this end: and they lost the remembrance of those things which had happened, that their punishment might fill up what was wanting to their torments:
5 and, while your people were experiencing a journey contrary to al expectations, would themselvesmeet an extraordinary death.	5 And that thy people might wonderfully pass through, but they might find a new death.
6 For the whole creation, submissive to your commands, had its very nature re-created, so that yourchildren should be preserved from harm.	6 For every creature according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying thy commandments, that thy children might be kept without hurt.
7 Overshadowing the camp there was the cloud; where there had been water, dry land was seen to rise;the Red Sea became an unimpeded way, the tempestuous waves, a green plain;	7 For a cloud overshadowed their camp, and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea a way without hinderance, and out of the great deep a springing field:
8 sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across, gazing at these amazing prodigies.	8 Through which all the nation passed which was protected with thy hand, seeing thy miracles and wonders.
9 They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.	9 For they fed on their food like horses, and they skipped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who hadst delivered them.
10 For they stil remembered the events of their exile, how the land had bred mosquitoes instead ofanimals and the River had disgorged mil ions of frogs instead of fish.	10 For they were yet mindful of those things which had been done in the time of their sojourning, how the ground brought forth flies instead of cattle, and how the river cast up a multitude of frogs instead of fishes.
11 Later they were to see a new way for birds to come into being, when, goaded by greed, theydemanded something tasty,	11 And at length they saw a new generation of birds, when being led by their appetite they asked for delicate meats.
12 and quails came up out of the sea to satisfy them.	12 For to satisfy their desire, the quail came up to them from the sea: and punishments came upon the sinners, not without foregoing signs by the force of thunders: for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness.
13 On the sinners, however, punishments rained down not without violent thunder as early warning; andthey suffered what their own crimes had justly deserved since they had shown such bitter hatred to foreigners.	13 For they exercised a more detestable inhospitality than any: others indeed received not strangers unknown to them, but these brought their guests into bondage that had deserved well of them.
14 Others, indeed, had failed to welcome strangers who came to them, but the Egyptians had enslavedtheir own guests and benefactors.	14 And not only so, but in another respect also they were worse: for the others against their will received the strangers.
15 The sinners, moreover, will certainly be punished for it, since they gave the foreigners a hostilewelcome;	15 But these grievously afflicted them whom they had received with joy, and who lived under the same laws.
16 but the latter, having given a festive reception to people who already shared the same rights asthemselves, later overwhelmed them with terrible labours.	16 But they were struck with blindness: as those others were at the doors of the just man, when they were covered with sudden darkness, and every one sought the passage of his own door.
17 Hence they were struck with blindness, like the sinners at the gate of the upright, when, yawningdarkness all around them, each had to grope his way through his own door.	17 For while the elements are changed in themselves, as in an instrument the sound of the quality is changed, yet all keep their sound: which may clearly be perceived by the very sight.
18 A new attuning of the elements occurred, as on a harp the notes may change their rhythm, though althe while preserving the same tone; and this is just what happened:	18 For the things of the land were turned into things of the water: and the things before swam in the water passed upon the land.
19 land animals became aquatic, swimming ones took to the land,	19 The fire had power in water above its own virtue, and the water forgot its quenching nature.
20 fire reinforced its strength in water, and water forgot the power of extinguishing it;	20 On the other side, the flames wasted not the flesh of corruptible animals walking therein, neither did they melt that good food, which was apt to melt as ice. For in all things thou didst magnify thy people, O Lord, and didst honour them, and didst not despise them, but didst assist them at all times, and in every place.
21 flames, on the other hand, did not char the flesh of delicate animals that ventured into them; nor didthey melt the heavenly food resembling ice and as easily melted.
22 Yes, Lord, in every way you have made your people great and glorious; you have never failed to helpthem at any time or place.