Sapienza 18

BIBBIA CEI 2008	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Per i tuoi santi invece c’era una luce grandissima; quegli altri, sentendone le voci, senza vederne l’aspetto, li proclamavano beati, perché non avevano sofferto come loro	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 e li ringraziavano perché non nuocevano loro, pur avendo subìto un torto, e imploravano perdono delle passate inimicizie.	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 desti loro una colonna di fuoco, come guida di un viaggio sconosciuto e sole inoffensivo per un glorioso migrare in terra straniera.	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 Meritavano di essere privati della luce e imprigionati nelle tenebre quelli che avevano tenuto chiusi in carcere i tuoi figli, per mezzo dei quali la luce incorruttibile della legge doveva essere 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 avevano deliberato di uccidere i neonati dei santi – e un solo bambino fu esposto e salvato –, tu per castigo hai tolto di mezzo la moltitudine dei loro figli, facendoli 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 preannunciata ai nostri padri, perché avessero coraggio, sapendo bene a quali giuramenti avevano prestato fedeltà.	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 infatti era in attesa della salvezza dei giusti, della rovina 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 glorificasti noi, 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: di condividere allo stesso modo successi e pericoli, intonando subito le sacre lodi 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 discorde 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 il servo era punito assieme al padrone, l’uomo comune 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 fu sterminata la loro prole più nobile.	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 Quanti erano rimasti increduli a tutto per via delle loro magie, allo sterminio dei primogeniti confessarono che questo popolo era 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 rapido 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 decreto irrevocabile	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 e, fermatasi, riempì tutto di morte; toccava il cielo e aveva i piedi 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 e timori inattesi piombarono su di loro.	17 Then, incessant visions of nightmares disturbed them, and unexpected fears overcame them.
18 Cadendo mezzi morti qua e là, mostravano quale fosse la causa della loro 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 Infatti 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 L’esperienza della morte colpì anche i giusti e nel deserto ci fu il massacro di una moltitudine, 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 irreprensibile si affrettò a difenderli, avendo portato le armi del suo ministero, la preghiera e l’incenso espiatorio; si oppose alla collera e mise fine alla sciagura, mostrando di essere il 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 vinse la collera divina non con la forza del corpo né con la potenza delle armi, ma con la parola placò colui che castigava, ricordando 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 Quando ormai i morti erano caduti a mucchi gli uni sugli altri, egli, ergendosi là 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 portava tutto il mondo, le glorie dei padri scolpite su quattro file di pietre preziose e la tua maestà sopra il diadema 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 queste insegne lo sterminatore indietreggiò, ebbe paura, perché bastava questa sola prova dell’ira divina.	25 Yet he who was exterminating yielded even to those he frightened. For one trial of wrath was sufficient.