Wisdom 12

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	VULGATA
1 For thy immortal spirit is in all things.	1 O quam bonus et suavis est, Domine, spiritus tuus in omnibus !
2 Therefore thou dost correct little by little those who trespass, and dost remind and warn them of the things wherein they sin, that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in thee, O Lord.	2 Ideoque eos qui exerrant partibus corripis, et de quibus peccant admones et alloqueris, ut relicta malitia credant in te, Domine.
3 Those who dwelt of old in thy holy land	3 Illos enim antiquos inhabitatores terræ sanctæ tuæ, quos exhorruisti,
4 thou didst hate for their detestable practices, their works of sorcery and unholy rites,	4 quoniam odibilia opera tibi faciebant per medicamina et sacrificia injusta,
5 their merciless slaughter of children, and their sacrificial feasting on human flesh and blood. These initiates from the midst of a heathen cult,	5 et filiorum suorum necatores sine misericordia, et comestores viscerum hominum, et devoratores sanguinis a medio sacramento tuo,
6 these parents who murder helpless lives, thou didst will to destroy by the hands of our fathers,	6 et auctores parentes animarum inauxiliatarum, perdere voluisti per manus parentum nostrorum :
7 that the land most precious of all to thee might receive a worthy colony of the servants of God.	7 ut dignam perciperent peregrinationem puerorum Dei, quæ tibi omnium carior est terra.
8 But even these thou didst spare, since they were but men, and didst send wasps as forerunners of thy army, to destroy them little by little,	8 Sed et his tamquam hominibus pepercisti, et misisti antecessores exercitus tui vespas, ut illos paulatim exterminarent.
9 though thou wast not unable to give the ungodly into the hands of the righteous in battle, or to destroy them at one blow by dread wild beasts or thy stern word.	9 Non quia impotens eras in bello subjicere impios justis, aut bestiis sævis, aut verbo duro simul exterminare :
10 But judging them little by little thou gavest them a chance to repent, though thou wast not unaware that their origin was evil and their wickedness inborn, and that their way of thinking would never change.	10 sed partibus judicans, dabas locum pœnitentiæ, non ignorans quoniam nequam est natio eorum, et naturalis malitia ipsorum, et quoniam non poterat mutari cogitatio illorum in perpetuum.
11 For they were an accursed race from the beginning, and it was not through fear of any one that thou didst leave them unpunished for their sins.	11 Semen enim erat maledictum ab initio ; nec timens aliquem, veniam dabas peccatis illorum.
12 For who will say, "What hast thou done?" Or will resist thy judgment? Who will accuse thee for the destruction of nations which thou didst make? Or who will come before thee to plead as an advocate for unrighteous men?	12 Quis enim dicet tibi : Quid fecisti ? aut quis stabit contra judicium tuum ? aut quis in conspectu tuo veniet vindex iniquorum hominum ? aut quis tibi imputabit, si perierint nationes quas tu fecisti ?
13 For neither is there any god besides thee, whose care is for all men, to whom thou shouldst prove that thou hast not judged unjustly;	13 Non enim est alius deus quam tu, cui cura est de omnibus, ut ostendas quoniam non injuste judicas judicium.
14 nor can any king or monarch confront thee about those whom thou hast punished.	14 Neque rex, neque tyrannus in conspectu tuo inquirent de his quos perdidisti.
15 Thou art righteous and rulest all things righteously, deeming it alien to thy power to condemn him who does not deserve to be punished.	15 Cum ergo sis justus, juste omnia disponis ; ipsum quoque qui non debet puniri, condemnare, exterum æstimas a tua virtute.
16 For thy strength is the source of righteousness, and thy sovereignty over all causes thee to spare all.	16 Virtus enim tua justitiæ initium est, et ob hoc quod Dominus es, omnibus te parcere facis.
17 For thou dost show thy strength when men doubt the completeness of thy power, and dost rebuke any insolence among those who know it.	17 Virtutem enim ostendis tu, qui non crederis esse in virtute consummatus, et horum qui te nesciunt audaciam traducis.
18 Thou who art sovereign in strength dost judge with mildness, and with great forbearance thou dost govern us; for thou hast power to act whenever thou dost choose.	18 Tu autem dominator virtutis, cum tranquillitate judicas, et cum magna reverentia disponis nos : subest enim tibi, cum volueris posse.
19 Through such works thou has taught thy people that the righteous man must be kind, and thou hast filled thy sons with good hope, because thou givest repentance for sins.	19 Docuisti autem populum tuum per talia opera, quoniam oportet justum esse et humanum ; et bonæ spei fecisti filios tuos, quoniam judicans das locum in peccatis pœnitentiæ.
20 For if thou didst punish with such great care and indulgence the enemies of thy servants and those deserving of death, granting them time and opportunity to give up their wickedness,	20 Si enim inimicos servorum tuorum, et debitos morti, cum tanta cruciasti attentione, dans tempus et locum per quæ possent mutari a malitia :
21 with what strictness thou hast judged thy sons, to whose fathers thou gavest oaths and covenants full of good promises!	21 cum quanta diligentia judicasti filios tuos, quorum parentibus juramenta et conventiones dedisti bonarum promissionum !
22 So while chastening us thou scourgest our enemies ten thousand times more, so that we may meditate upon thy goodness when we judge, and when we are judged we may expect mercy.	22 Cum ergo das nobis disciplinam, inimicos nostros multipliciter flagellas, ut bonitatem tuam cogitemus judicantes, et cum de nobis judicatur, speremus misericordiam tuam.
23 Therefore those who in folly of life lived unrighteously thou didst torment through their own abominations.	23 Unde et illis qui in vita sua insensate et injuste vixerunt, per hæc quæ coluerunt dedisti summa tormenta.
24 For they went far astray on the paths of error, accepting as gods those animals which even their enemies despised; they were deceived like foolish babes.	24 Etenim in erroris via diutius erraverunt, deos æstimantes hæc quæ in animalibus sunt supervacua, infantium insensatorum more viventes.
25 Therefore, as to thoughtless children, thou didst send thy judgment to mock them.	25 Propter hoc tamquam pueris insensatis judicium in derisum dedisti.
26 But those who have not heeded the warning of light rebukes will experience the deserved judgment of God.	26 Qui autem ludibriis et increpationibus non sunt correcti, dignum Dei judicium experti sunt.
27 For when in their suffering they became incensed at those creatures which they had thought to be gods, being punished by means of them, they saw and recognized as the true God him whom they had before refused to know. Therefore the utmost condemnation came upon them.	27 In quibus enim patientes indignabantur per hæc quos putabant deos, in ipsis cum exterminarentur videntes, illum quem olim negabant se nosse, verum Deum agnoverunt ; propter quod et finis condemnationis eorum venit super illos.