Wisdom 17

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	GREEK BIBLE
1 For your judgments, O Lord, are great, and your words are indescribable. Therefore, undisciplined souls have wandered astray.	1 μεγάλαι γάρ σου αἱ κρίσεις καὶ δυσδιήγητοι διὰ τοῦτο ἀπαίδευτοι ψυχαὶ ἐπλανήθησαν
2 For, while they managed to convince the unjust, so as to obtain dominion over the holy nation, they themselves were fettered with chains of darkness and of endless night, enclosed in their houses, fugitives of everlasting providence, lying in ruins.	2 ὑπειληφότες γὰρ καταδυναστεύειν ἔθνος ἅγιον ἄνομοι δέσμιοι σκότους καὶ μακρᾶς πεδῆται νυκτὸς κατακλεισθέντες ὀρόφοις φυγάδες τῆς αἰωνίου προνοίας ἔκειντο
3 And, while they thought to escape notice in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of oblivion, being horribly afraid, and having been disturbed with great astonishment.	3 λανθάνειν γὰρ νομίζοντες ἐπὶ κρυφαίοις ἁμαρτήμασιν ἀφεγγεῖ λήθης παρακαλύμματι ἐσκορπίσθησαν θαμβούμενοι δεινῶς καὶ ἰνδάλμασιν ἐκταρασσόμενοι
4 For neither did the cave which enclosed them preserve them from fear, because descending noises disturbed them, and the sorrowful persons appearing to them intensified their fear.	4 οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ κατέχων αὐτοὺς μυχὸς ἀφόβους διεφύλαττεν ἦχοι δ’ ἐκταράσσοντες αὐτοὺς περιεκόμπουν καὶ φάσματα ἀμειδήτοις κατηφῆ προσώποις ἐνεφανίζετο
5 And, indeed, even fire had no strength to provide them light, nor could the clear flames of the stars illuminate that horrible night.	5 καὶ πυρὸς μὲν οὐδεμία βία κατίσχυεν φωτίζειν οὔτε ἄστρων ἔκλαμπροι φλόγες καταυγάζειν ὑπέμενον τὴν στυγνὴν ἐκείνην νύκτα
6 Yet there appeared to them a sudden fire, filled with fear; and, having been struck with the fear of that face which is unseen, they considered those things which they did see to be worse,	6 διεφαίνετο δ’ αὐτοῖς μόνον αὐτομάτη πυρὰ φόβου πλήρης ἐκδειματούμενοι δὲ τῆς μὴ θεωρουμένης ἐκείνης ὄψεως ἡγοῦντο χείρω τὰ βλεπόμενα
7 and, having been ridiculed, the illusions were removed from their arts along with their contemptuous rebuke of glorious wisdom.	7 μαγικῆς δὲ ἐμπαίγματα κατέκειτο τέχνης καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ φρονήσει ἀλαζονείας ἔλεγχος ἐφύβριστος
8 Indeed, those who promised to drive away fears and disturbances from a languishing soul, though they were filled with derision, were themselves languishing in fear.	8 οἱ γὰρ ὑπισχνούμενοι δείματα καὶ ταραχὰς ἀπελαύνειν ψυχῆς νοσούσης οὗτοι καταγέλαστον εὐλάβειαν ἐνόσουν 9καὶ γὰρ εἰ μηδὲν αὐτοὺς ταραχῶδες ἐφόβει κνωδάλων παρόδοις καὶ ἑρπετῶν συριγμοῖς ἐκσεσοβημένοι διώλλυντο ἔντρομοι καὶ τὸν μηδαμόθεν φευκτὸν ἀέρα προσιδεῖν ἀρνούμενοι
9 And, even if nothing unnatural disturbed them, yet being agitated by the passing of animals and the hissing of snakes, they died of fear, denying what they themselves saw even in the air, which no one thinks to be able to escape.	9 -
10 For, while there may be apprehension with wickedness, it gives testimony to condemnation, for a troubled conscience always forecasts harshness.	10 δειλὸν γὰρ ἰδίῳ πονηρία μάρτυρι καταδικαζομένη ἀεὶ δὲ προσείληφεν τὰ χαλεπὰ συνεχομένη τῇ συνειδήσει
11 For fear is nothing else but unfaithfulness to thinking helpful things.	11 οὐθὲν γάρ ἐστιν φόβος εἰ μὴ προδοσία τῶν ἀπὸ λογισμοῦ βοηθημάτων
12 And, while expectation is driven from within, the cause of this is supposing that one is great in knowledge, and as a result, conflict excels.	12 ἔνδοθεν δὲ οὖσα ἥττων ἡ προσδοκία πλείονα λογίζεται τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῆς παρεχούσης τὴν βάσανον αἰτίας
13 Yet those who were truly powerless that night, being overcome by both the vilest and the deepest hell, were sleeping the same sleep,	13 οἱ δὲ τὴν ἀδύνατον ὄντως νύκτα καὶ ἐξ ἀδυνάτου ᾅδου μυχῶν ἐπελθοῦσαν τὸν αὐτὸν ὕπνον κοιμώμενοι
14 sometimes stirred up by the fear of unnatural things, other times sinking down in disgrace of soul, for a sudden and unexpected fear overcame them.	14 τὰ μὲν τέρασιν ἠλαύνοντο φαντασμάτων τὰ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς παρελύοντο προδοσίᾳ αἰφνίδιος γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀπροσδόκητος φόβος ἐπεχύθη
15 Then, if any among them had fallen away, he was kept in a prison without bars which had been left open.	15 εἶθ’ οὕτως ὃς δή ποτ’ οὖν ἦν ἐκεῖ καταπίπτων ἐφρουρεῖτο εἰς τὴν ἀσίδηρον εἱρκτὴν κατακλεισθείς
16 For if a farmer, or a shepherd, or a worker in a field of labor were suddenly overcome, he endured an inescapable necessity.	16 εἴ τε γὰρ γεωργὸς ἦν τις ἢ ποιμὴν ἢ τῶν κατ’ ἐρημίαν ἐργάτης μόχθων προλημφθεὶς τὴν δυσάλυκτον ἔμενεν ἀνάγκην μιᾷ γὰρ ἁλύσει σκότους πάντες ἐδέθησαν
17 For they were all bound together with one chain of darkness. Or if there were a whistling wind, or the sweet sound of birds among the thick tree branches, or the force of water rushing excessively,	17 εἴ τε πνεῦμα συρίζον ἢ περὶ ἀμφιλαφεῖς κλάδους ὀρνέων ἦχος εὐμελὴς ἢ ῥυθμὸς ὕδατος πορευομένου βίᾳ ἢ κτύπος ἀπηνὴς καταρριπτομένων πετρῶν
18 or the strong noise of rocks crashing down, or the scattering of playful animals having been seen, or the strong voice of bellowing beasts, or the resounding of the highest mountain echo, these things made them sink down because of fear.	18 ἢ σκιρτώντων ζῴων δρόμος ἀθεώρητος ἢ ὠρυομένων ἀπηνεστάτων θηρίων φωνὴ ἢ ἀντανακλωμένη ἐκ κοιλότητος ὀρέων ἠχώ παρέλυεν αὐτοὺς ἐκφοβοῦντα
19 For the whole world was enlightened with a clear light, and none were being hindered in their labors.	19 ὅλος γὰρ ὁ κόσμος λαμπρῷ κατελάμπετο φωτὶ καὶ ἀνεμποδίστοις συνείχετο ἔργοις
20 But then, the heavy night was placed over the sun for them, an image of that darkness which was about to overcome them. Yet they were more grievous to themselves than was the darkness.	20 μόνοις δὲ ἐκείνοις ἐπετέτατο βαρεῖα νὺξ εἰκὼν τοῦ μέλλοντος αὐτοὺς διαδέχεσθαι σκότους ἑαυτοῖς δὲ ἦσαν βαρύτεροι σκότους
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	22 ελεημοσυνη ανδρος ως σφραγις μετ' αυτου και χαριν ανθρωπου ως κορην συντηρησει
	23 μετα ταυτα εξαναστησεται και ανταποδωσει αυτοις και το ανταποδομα αυτων εις κεφαλην αυτων αποδωσει
	24 πλην μετανοουσιν εδωκεν επανοδον και παρεκαλεσεν εκλειποντας υπομονην
	25 επιστρεφε επι κυριον και απολειπε αμαρτιας δεηθητι κατα προσωπον και σμικρυνον προσκομμα
	26 επαναγε επι υψιστον και αποστρεφε απο αδικιας και σφοδρα μισησον βδελυγμα
	27 υψιστω τις αινεσει εν αδου αντι ζωντων και διδοντων ανθομολογησιν
	28 απο νεκρου ως μηδε οντος απολλυται εξομολογησις ζων και υγιης αινεσει τον κυριον
	29 ως μεγαλη η ελεημοσυνη του κυριου και εξιλασμος τοις επιστρεφουσιν επ' αυτον
	30 ου γαρ δυναται παντα ειναι εν ανθρωποις οτι ουκ αθανατος υιος ανθρωπου
	31 τι φωτεινοτερον ηλιου και τουτο εκλειπει και πονηρον ενθυμηθησεται σαρξ και αιμα
	32 δυναμιν υψους ουρανου αυτος επισκεπτεται και ανθρωποι παντες γη και σποδος