Wisdom 4

NEW JERUSALEM	VULGATA
1 Better to have no children yet to have virtue, since immortality perpetuates its memory; for God andhuman beings both recognise it.	1 O quam pulchra est casta generatio, cum claritate ! immortalis est enim memoria illius, quoniam et apud Deum nota est, et apud homines.
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 Cum præsens est, imitantur illam, et desiderant eam cum se eduxerit ; et in perpetuum coronata triumphat, incoinquinatorum certaminum præmium vincens.
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 Multigena autem impiorum multitudo non erit utilis, et spuria vitulamina non dabunt radices altas, nec stabile firmamentum collocabunt.
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 Etsi in ramis in tempore germinaverint, infirmiter posita, a vento commovebuntur, et a nimietate ventorum eradicabuntur.
5 their branches, yet unformed, wil be snapped off, their fruit be useless, too unripe to eat, fit for nothing.	5 Confringentur enim rami inconsummati ; et fructus illorum inutiles et acerbi ad manducandum, et ad nihilum apti.
6 For children begotten of unlawful bed witness, when put on trial, to their parents' wickedness.	6 Ex iniquis enim somnis filii qui nascuntur, testes sunt nequitiæ adversus parentes in interrogatione sua.
7 The upright, though he die before his time, will find rest.	7 Justus autem si morte præoccupatus fuerit, in refrigerio erit ;
8 Length of days is not what makes age honourable, nor number of years the true measure of life;	8 senectus enim venerabilis est non diuturna, neque annorum numero computata : cani autem sunt sensus hominis,
9 understanding, this is grey hairs, untarnished life, this is ripe old age.	9 et ætas senectutis vita immaculata.
10 Having won God's favour, he has been loved and, as he was living among sinners, has been takenaway.	10 Placens Deo factus est dilectus, et vivens inter peccatores translatus est.
11 He has been carried off so that evil may not warp his understanding or deceitfulness seduce his soul;	11 Raptus est, ne malitia mutaret intellectum ejus, aut ne fictio deciperet animam illius.
12 for the fascination of evil throws good things into the shade, and the whirlwind of desire corrupts asimple heart.	12 Fascinatio enim nugacitatis obscurat bona, et inconstantia concupiscentiæ transvertit sensum sine malitia.
13 Having come to perfection so soon, he has lived long;	13 Consummatus in brevi, explevit tempora multa ;
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 placita enim erat Deo anima illius : propter hoc properavit educere illum de medio iniquitatum. Populi autem videntes, et non intelligentes, nec ponentes in præcordiis talia,
15 that grace and mercy await his chosen ones and that he intervenes on behalf of his holy ones.	15 quoniam gratia Dei et misericordia est in sanctos ejus, et respectus in electos illius.
16 The upright who dies condemns the godless who survive, and youth quickly perfected condemns thelengthy old age of the wicked.	16 Condemnat autem justus mortuus vivos impios, et juventus celerius consummata longam vitam injusti.
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 Videbunt enim finem sapientis, et non intelligent quid cogitaverit de illo Deus, et quare munierit illum Dominus.
18 they look on and sneer, but the Lord wil laugh at them.	18 Videbunt, et contemnent eum ; illos autem Dominus irridebit.
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 Et erunt post hæc decidentes sine honore, et in contumelia inter mortuos in perpetuum : quoniam disrumpet illos inflatos sine voce, et commovebit illos a fundamentis, et usque ad supremum desolabuntur, et erunt gementes, et memoria illorum peribit.
20 When the count of their sins has been drawn up, in terror they wil come, and their crimes, confrontingthem, wil accuse them.	20 Venient in cogitatione peccatorum suorum timidi, et traducent illos ex adverso iniquitates ipsorum.