Wisdom 19

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 But the godless were assailed by merciless anger to the very end, for he knew beforehand what theywould do,	1 But the impious, all the way to the very end, were overcome by anger without mercy. Indeed, he knew beforehand even their future.
2 how, after letting his people leave and hastening their departure, they would change their minds andgive chase.	2 Yet, seeing that they might have repented, so that they would be led by him and be sent forth with great concern, the just sought the impious, while regretting their deeds.
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, while the just were still holding grief in their hands and weeping at the tombs of the dead, these others took upon themselves another senseless thought, and they cast out the legislators and pursued them as if they were fugitives.
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 fitting necessity was leading them to this end, and they were losing the remembrance of those things which had happened, so that what was lacking in the sufferings of the conflict might be completed by the punishment,
5 and, while your people were experiencing a journey contrary to al expectations, would themselvesmeet an extraordinary death.	5 and so that your people, indeed, might wonderfully pass through, but these others 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, diligently serving your teachings, so that your children would be preserved unharmed.
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 hindrance, and out of the great deep, a level field sprung up,
8 sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across, gazing at these amazing prodigies.	8 through which the whole nation passed, protected by your hand, seeing your miracles and wonders.
9 They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.	9 For they consumed food like horses, and they leapt about like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who had freed 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 still mindful of those things which had happened during the time of their sojourn, how, instead cattle, the earth brought forth flies, and instead of fish, the river cast up a multitude of frogs.
11 Later they were to see a new way for birds to come into being, when, goaded by greed, theydemanded something tasty,	11 And, lastly, they saw a new kind of bird, when, being led by their desire, they demanded a feast of meat.
12 and quails came up out of the sea to satisfy them.	12 For, to console their loss, the quail came up to them from the sea, and yet troubles overcame the sinners, though they were not without the evidence of what had happened before by the power of lightning, 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 And indeed, they set up a more detestable inhospitality. Certainly, some have refused to receive unknown foreigners, but these others were drafting good guests into servitude,
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 foreigners, but also those who had been under their care, because they were reluctantly sheltering the outsiders.
15 The sinners, moreover, will certainly be punished for it, since they gave the foreigners a hostilewelcome;	15 Yet whoever had sheltered them with gladness, by making use of the very same justice, they afflicted with the most severe sorrow.
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 Yet they were struck with blindness, like someone brought before the gates of justice, so that they were suddenly covered with darkness, and each one was left searching for the threshold of his front 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 the elements in themselves are in the process of being changed, just as when the sound of a musical instrument is being altered in quality, yet each one keeps its own sound, from where it is considered to be and according to its fixed appearance.
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 countryside was transformed by water, and things which were swimming, crossed over the land.
19 land animals became aquatic, swimming ones took to the land,	19 Fire prevailed in the midst of water, beyond its own power, 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 hand, the flames did not trouble the bodies of the mortal animals walking around, nor did they melt that good food, which is as easily melted as ice. For in all things, O Lord, you magnified your people, and honored them, and did not despise them, but at every time and in every place, you assisted them.
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.