Sapienza 18

BIBBIA CEI 1974	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Per i tuoi santi risplendeva una luce vivissima; essi invece, sentendone le voci, senza vederne l'aspetto. li proclamavan beati, ché non avevan come loro sofferto	1 But your saints were your greatest light, and they heard your voice, but did not see your form. And because they themselves did not also suffer the same things, they praised you greatly.
2 ed erano loro grati perché, offesi per primi, non facevano loro del male e imploravano perdono d'essere stati loro nemici.	2 And those who were wounded before, gave thanks, because they were no longer being wounded, and because they had petitioned for this gift, that there would be this difference.
3 Invece delle tenebre desti loro una colonna di fuoco, come guida in un viaggio sconosciuto e come un sole innocuo per il glorioso emigrare.	3 Because of this, they had a burning column of fire as a guide on the unknown way, and you displayed a harmless sun of a good hospitality.
4 Eran degni di essere privati della luce e di essere imprigionati nelle tenebre quelli che avevano tenuto chiusi in carcere i tuoi figli, per mezzo dei quali la luce incorruttibile della legge doveva esser concessa al mondo.	4 The others, indeed, deserved to be deprived of the light and to endure a prison of darkness, who watched for an opportunity to imprison your sons, by whom the incorruptible light of the law was beginning to be given to future generations.
5 Poiché essi avevan deciso di uccidere i neonati dei santi - e un solo bambino fu esposto e salvato - per castigo eliminasti una moltitudine di loro figli e li facesti perire tutti insieme nell'acqua impetuosa.	5 When they thought to kill the babes of the just, one son having been exposed and set free, to their disgrace, you took away a multitude of their sons and destroyed them all together in a mighty water.
6 Quella notte fu preannunziata ai nostri padri, perché sapendo a quali promesse avevano creduto, stessero di buon animo.	6 For that night was known beforehand by our fathers, so that, knowing the truth of the oaths in which they had trusted, they might be more peaceful in their souls.
7 Il tuo popolo si attendeva la salvezza dei giusti come lo sterminio dei nemici.	7 Yet your people received not only the salvation of the just, but also the destruction of the unjust.
8 Difatti come punisti gli avversari, così ci rendesti gloriosi, chiamandoci a te.	8 For just as you wounded our adversaries, so also did you greatly esteem calling us forth.
9 I figli santi dei giusti offrivano sacrifici in segreto e si imposero, concordi, questa legge divina: i santi avrebbero partecipato ugualmente ai beni e ai pericoli, intonando prima i canti di lode dei padri.	9 For the just children of goodness were secretly offering sacrifice, and in agreement they administered the law of justice, so that both good and bad would be able to receive justice, and so that you might now approve of their chanting to the father.
10 Faceva eco il grido confuso dei nemici e si diffondeva il lamento di quanti piangevano i figli.	10 On the other hand, a dissimilar voice was resounding from the enemies, and a lamentable wailing was heard for the children who were being cried over.
11 Con la stessa pena lo schiavo era punito insieme con il padrone, il popolano soffriva le stesse pene del re.	11 But the same punishment afflicted the servant with the master, and the common man endured the same as the king.
12 Tutti insieme, nello stesso modo, ebbero innumerevoli morti, e i vivi non bastavano a seppellirli perché in un istante perì la loro più nobile prole.	12 Therefore, all were the same, with one name for death, and the dead were innumerable. For neither were the living sufficient to bury the dead, because, with a single effort, their most illustrious nation was exterminated.
13 Quelli rimasti increduli a tutto per via delle loro magie, alla morte dei primogeniti confessarono che questo popolo è figlio di Dio.	13 For they would not believe anything because of the drugs; then truly, at the beginning, when the extermination of the firstborn happened, they pledged the people to belong to God.
14 Mentre un profondo silenzio avvolgeva tutte le cose, e la notte era a metà del suo corso,	14 For, when a quiet silence surrounded all things, and when the course of the night was passing the middle of its journey,
15 la tua parola onnipotente dal cielo, dal tuo trono regale, guerriero implacabile, si lanciò in mezzo a quella terra di sterminio, portando, come spada affilata, il tuo ordine inesorabile.	15 your almighty word from heaven leapt down from your royal throne, as a fierce warrior in the midst of the land of extermination,
16 Fermatasi, riempì tutto di morte; toccava il cielo e camminava sulla terra.	16 as a sharp sword carrying your unfeigned authority, and standing, filled all things with death, and, standing on the earth, reached all the way up to touch heaven.
17 Allora improvvisi fantasmi di sogni terribili li atterrivano; timori impensabili piombarono su di loro.	17 Then, incessant visions of nightmares disturbed them, and unexpected fears overcame them.
18 Cadendo mezzi morti qua e là, ognuno mostrava la causa della morte.	18 And another was thrown down elsewhere half-alive; and so, by means of that which was dying, the cause of death was revealed.
19 I loro sogni terrificanti li avevano preavvisati, perché non morissero ignorando il motivo delle loro sofferenze.	19 For the visions that disturbed them had forewarned of these things, lest they should perish and not know why they suffered these evils.
20 La prova della morte colpì anche i giusti e nel deserto ci fu strage di molti; ma l'ira non durò a lungo,	20 Yet, at that time, the trial of death touched even the just, and there was a disturbance of the multitude in the wilderness, but your wrath did not continue for long.
21 perché un uomo incensurabile si affrettò a difenderli: prese le armi del suo ministero, la preghiera e il sacrificio espiatorio dell'incenso; si oppose alla collera e mise fine alla sciagura, mostrando che era tuo servitore.	21 For a blameless man, prospering, is to be entreated for your people, bringing forth the shield of your service, through prayer and incense, making prayerful supplication, he withstands anger, and so establishes an end to the necessary difficulty, revealing that he is your servant.
22 Egli superò l'ira divina non con la forza del corpo, né con l'efficacia delle armi; ma con la parola placò colui che castigava, ricordandogli i giuramenti e le alleanze dei padri.	22 Yet he outlasted the disturbance, not by virtue of the body, nor by force of arms, but, with a word, he subdued those who were troubling him, commemorating the oaths and covenant of the parents.
23 I morti eran caduti a mucchi gli uni sugli altri, quando egli, ergendosi lì in mezzo, arrestò l'ira e le tagliò la strada che conduceva verso i viventi.	23 For when they were now fallen down dead by heaps one upon another, he stood between them and cut off their attack, and he divided those who controlled the path to the living.
24 Sulla sua veste lunga fino ai piedi vi era tutto il mondo, i nomi gloriosi dei padri intagliati sui quattro ordini di pietre preziose e la tua maestà sulla corona della sua testa.	24 For, within the garment of shame which he held, the world was all together, and the great deeds of the parents were engraved on four orders of stones, and your majesty was engraved on the crown of his head.
25 Di fronte a questo lo sterminatore indietreggiò, ebbe paura, poiché un solo saggio della collera bastava.	25 Yet he who was exterminating yielded even to those he frightened. For one trial of wrath was sufficient.