Wisdom 4

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Better to have no children yet to have virtue, since immortality perpetuates its memory; for God andhuman beings both recognise it.	1 O how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory: for the memory thereof is immortal: because it is known both with God and with men.
2 Present, we imitate it, absent, we long for it; crowned, it holds triumph through eternity, having strivenfor untainted prizes and emerged the victor.	2 When it is present, they imitate it: and they desire it when it hath withdrawn itself, and it triumpheth crowned for ever, winning the reward of undefiled conflicts.
3 But the offspring of the godless come to nothing, however prolific, sprung from a bastard stock, they willnever strike deep roots, never put down firm foundations.	3 But the multiplied brood of the wicked shall not thrive, and bastard slips shall not take deep root, nor any fast foundation.
4 They may branch out for a time, but, on unsteady foundations, they will be rocked by the wind anduprooted by the force of the storm;	4 And if they flourish in branches for a time, yet standing not fast, they shall be shaken with the wind, and through the force of winds they shall be rooted out.
5 their branches, yet unformed, wil be snapped off, their fruit be useless, too unripe to eat, fit for nothing.	5 For the branches not being perfect, shall be broken, and their fruits shall be unprofitable, and sour to eat, and fit for nothing.
6 For children begotten of unlawful bed witness, when put on trial, to their parents' wickedness.	6 For the children that are born of unlawful beds, are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial.
7 The upright, though he die before his time, will find rest.	7 But the just man, if he be prevented with death, shall be in rest.
8 Length of days is not what makes age honourable, nor number of years the true measure of life;	8 For venerable old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years: but the understanding of a man is grey hairs.
9 understanding, this is grey hairs, untarnished life, this is ripe old age.	9 And a spotless life is old age.
10 Having won God's favour, he has been loved and, as he was living among sinners, has been takenaway.	10 He pleased God and was beloved, and living among sinners he was translated.
11 He has been carried off so that evil may not warp his understanding or deceitfulness seduce his soul;	11 He was taken away lest wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.
12 for the fascination of evil throws good things into the shade, and the whirlwind of desire corrupts asimple heart.	12 For the bewitching of vanity obscureth good things, and the wandering of concupiscence overturneth the innocent mind.
13 Having come to perfection so soon, he has lived long;	13 Being made perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time:
14 his soul being pleasing to the Lord, he has hurried away from the wickedness around him. Yet peoplelook on, uncomprehending; and it does not enter their heads	14 For his soul pleased God: therefore he hastened to bring him out of the midst of iniquities: but the people see this, and understand not, nor lay up such things in their hearts:
15 that grace and mercy await his chosen ones and that he intervenes on behalf of his holy ones.	15 That the grace of God, and his mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect to his chosen.
16 The upright who dies condemns the godless who survive, and youth quickly perfected condemns thelengthy old age of the wicked.	16 But the just that is dead, condemneth the wicked that are living, and youth soon ended, the long life of the unjust.
17 These people see the end of the wise without understanding what the Lord has in store or why he hastaken such a one to safety;	17 For they shall see the end of the wise man, and shall not understand what God hath designed for him, and why the Lord hath set him in safety.
18 they look on and sneer, but the Lord wil laugh at them.	18 They shall see him, and shall despise him: but the Lord shall laugh them to scorn.
19 Soon they wil be corpses without honour, objects of horror among the dead for ever. For he wilshatter them and fling them headlong and dumbfounded. He wil shake them from their foundations; they wil beutterly laid waste, a prey to grief, and their memory wil perish.	19 And they shall fall after this without honour, and be a reproach among the dead for ever: for he shall burst them puffed up and speechless, and shall shake them from the foundations, and they shall be utterly laid waste: they shall be in sorrow, and their memory shall perish.
20 When the count of their sins has been drawn up, in terror they wil come, and their crimes, confrontingthem, wil accuse them.	20 They shall come with fear at the thought of their sins, and their iniquities shall stand against them to convict them.