Wisdom 11

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 She directed their works in the hands of the holy prophet.	1 She made their affairs prosper through the holy prophet.
2 They made a path through desolate areas, which were uninhabited, and set up their homes in remote places.	2 They journeyed through the uninhabited desert, and in solitudes they pitched their tents;
3 They stood firm against the enemy, and vindicated themselves from their adversaries.	3 they withstood enemies and took vengeance on their foes.
4 They thirsted, and they called upon you, and water was given them out of the deepest rock, and respite from thirst out of the hard stone.	4 When they thirsted, they called upon you, and water was given them from the sheer rock, assuagement for their thirst from the hard stone.
5 For through water, their enemies had been punished, by the corruption of their drinking water; and so, among them, when the sons of Israel lacked the abundance they would have had, their enemies rejoiced;	5 For by the things through which their foes were punished they in their need were benefited.
6 yet though water, when they were in need, it turned out well for them.	6 Instead of a spring, when the perennial river was troubled with impure blood
7 For instead of a fountain, even everlasting in flow, you gave human blood to the unjust,	7 as a rebuke to the decree for the slaying of infants, You gave them abundant water in an unhoped-for way,
8 and while they would be crushed into disgrace because of the murdering of infants, you unexpectedly gave your own abundant water,	8 once you had shown by the thirst they then had how you punished their adversaries.
9 revealing through the thirst, which occurred at that time, how you would exalt your own and would kill their adversaries.	9 For when they had been tried, though only mildly chastised, they recognized how the wicked, condemned in anger, were being tormented.
10 For when they were being tested, and even when receiving merciful correction, they knew in what way, when your wrath judged the impious, they would suffer torments.	10 the latter you tested, admonishing them as a father; the former as a stern king you probed and condemned.
11 For these, advising like a father, you approved; but the others, interrogating like a severe king, you condemned.	11 Both those afar off and those close by were afflicted:
12 For whether absent or present, they were tortured alike.	12 For a twofold grief took hold of them and a groaning at the remembrance of the ones who had departed.
13 For they had received double: weariness and groaning in the remembrance of things past.	13 For when they heard that the cause of their own torments was a benefit to these others, they recognized the Lord.
14 For when they paid attention to their punishments, to attend to their own benefit, they called to mind the Lord, admiring the end result.	14 Him who of old had been cast out in exposure they indeed mockingly rejected; but in the end of events, they marveled at him, since their thirst proved unlike that of the just.
15 For though they showed scorn by throwing out distorted statements, in the end they were amazed at the result, but this is not the same as thirsting for justice.	15 And in return for their senseless, wicked thoughts, which misled them into worshiping dumb serpents and worthless insects, You sent upon them swarms of dumb creatures for vengeance;
16 For according to the thinking of their irrational iniquity, because some, going astray, were worshiping mute serpents and worthless beasts, you sent upon them a multitude of mute beasts for vengeance,	16 that they might recognize that a man is punished by the very things through which he sins.
17 so that they might know that by whatever things a man sins, by the same also is he tormented.	17 For not without means was your almighty hand, that had fashioned the universe from formless matter, to send upon them a drove of bears or fierce lions,
18 For it was not impossible for your all-powerful hand, which created the world from unknown material, to send forth upon them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions,	18 Or new-created, wrathful, unknown beasts to breathe forth fiery breath, Or pour out roaring smoke, or flash terrible sparks from their eyes.
19 or, in anger, beasts of a new kind, massive and strange, either breathing out a fiery vapor, or sending forth an odorous smoke, or shooting horrible sparks from their eyes;	19 Not only could these attack and completely destroy them; even their frightful appearance itself could slay.
20 whereby, not only wounds would be able to destroy them, but also the very sight would kill them through fear.	20 Even without these, they could have been killed at a single blast, pursued by retribution and winnowed out by your mighty spirit; But you have disposed all things by measure and number and weight.
21 Yet, even without these, they could have been killed with one breath, suffering persecution of their own making and being scattered by your spirit of virtue; but you have ordered all things in size and number and weight.	21 For with you great strength abides always; who can resist the might of your arm?
22 Though many are strong, you alone always overcome. And who will withstand the strength of your arm?	22 Indeed, before you the whole universe is as a grain from a balance, or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.
23 For, like a tiny grain on a scale, just so is the world before you, and like a drop dew before dawn, which descends upon the earth.	23 But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things; and you overlook the sins of men that they may repent.
24 But you are merciful to all, because you can do all, and you dismiss the sins of man because of repentance.	24 For you love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
25 For you love all things that are, and you hate nothing of the things you have made; for you would not have created or established anything that you hated.	25 And how could a thing remain, unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?
26 For how could anything endure, except by your will? Or what, having been called by you not to exist, would be preserved?	26 But you spare all things, because they are yours, O LORD and lover of souls,
27 Yet you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord, who loves souls.