Wisdom 18

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	LA SACRA BIBBIA
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.	1 Per i tuoi santi, invece, c'era una grandissima luce: gli Egiziani, udendo la loro voce senza vederne la persona, li proclamavano beati, perché non soffrivano quelle pene;
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.	2 e rendevano grazie perché, pur offesi per primi, non infierivano, e chiedevano grazia delle passate ostilità.
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.	3 Invece di quelle cose, desti loro una colonna fiammeggiante, come guida nell'ignoto cammino, e come sole innocuo nel magnifico pellegrinaggio.
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.	4 Veramente quelli meritavano di essere privati della luce e di essere prigionieri delle tenebre, essi che avevano custodito chiusi i tuoi figli, per mezzo dei quali stavi per dare al mondo l'incorruttibile luce della legge.
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.	5 Poiché essi avevano deliberato di uccidere i figli dei santi e poiché un solo figlio è stato esposto e salvato, per castigo togliesti la moltitudine dei loro figli e insieme li facesti perire nell'acqua impetuosa.
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.	6 Quella notte fu conosciuta in anticipo dai nostri padri perché, sapendo con certezza a quali giuramenti avevano creduto, stessero di buon animo.
7 Yet your people received not only the salvation of the just, but also the destruction of the unjust.	7 Fu attesa dal tuo popolo la salvezza dei giusti e la rovina dei nemici.
8 For just as you wounded our adversaries, so also did you greatly esteem calling us forth.	8 Perché come punisti gli avversari, così glorificasti noi, chiamandoci a te.
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.	9 I santi figli dei buoni di nascosto offrivano il sacrificio e di comune accordo s'imposero la legge divina: che i santi sarebbero diventati ugualmente partecipi dei loro beni e pericoli, cantando prima le lodi dei padri.
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.	10 Faceva eco il grido discorde dei nemici e si diffondeva il lamento di quanti piangevano i figli.
11 But the same punishment afflicted the servant with the master, and the common man endured the same as the king.	11 Con lo stesso giudizio era colpito insieme il servo con il padrone e l'uomo del popolo soffriva le stesse cose del re.
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.	12 Tutti ugualmente, in un solo genere di morte, avevano innumerevoli morti; i vivi infatti non erano sufficienti per seppellire perché in un istante la loro generazione più nobile fu distrutta.
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.	13 Quanti erano rimasti increduli a tutto per la magia, alla morte dei primogeniti confessarono che il popolo è figlio di Dio.
14 For, when a quiet silence surrounded all things, and when the course of the night was passing the middle of its journey,	14 Mentre un quieto silenzio avvolgeva tutte le cose e la notte era a metà del suo corso,
15 your almighty word from heaven leapt down from your royal throne, as a fierce warrior in the midst of the land of extermination,	15 la tua parola onnipotente dal cielo, dai troni regali, come inflessibile guerriero si slanciò in mezzo alla terra votata alla morte,
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.	16 portando, come spada acuta, l'irrevocabile tuo decreto. Fermatasi, riempì l'universo di morte; toccava il cielo e camminava sulla terra.
17 Then, incessant visions of nightmares disturbed them, and unexpected fears overcame them.	17 Allora li sconvolsero improvvise apparizioni di terribili sogni, sopraggiunsero timori inaspettati
18 And another was thrown down elsewhere half-alive; and so, by means of that which was dying, the cause of death was revealed.	18 e, gettati semimorti chi qua e chi là, manifestavano la causa per cui morivano:
19 For the visions that disturbed them had forewarned of these things, lest they should perish and not know why they suffered these evils.	19 i sogni terrificanti di questo li preavvisarono, perché non perissero ignorando la ragione per cui soffrivano malamente.
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.	20 La prova della morte raggiunse anche i giusti e nel deserto ci fu una strage di molti, ma l'ira divina non durò a lungo:
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.	21 perché un uomo irreprensibile s'affrettò a combattere; portando le armi del suo ministero, preghiera e incenso espiatorio, si oppose alla collera divina e mise fine alla calamità, mostrando di essere tuo servo.
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.	22 Egli vinse la collera divina non con la forza del corpo, né con l'attività delle armi, ma con la parola sottomise colui che prova, ricordandogli i giuramenti fatti ai padri e l'alleanza.
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.	23 Già i morti si ammassavano gli uni sugli altri, quando egli, stando in mezzo, arrestò l'ira e le tagliò la strada verso i viventi.
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.	24 Sulla sua lunga tunica vi era tutto il mondo, nell'intaglio dei quattro ordini di pietre le glorie dei padri e sul diadema del suo capo la tua maestà.
25 Yet he who was exterminating yielded even to those he frightened. For one trial of wrath was sufficient.	25 Dinanzi a queste cose lo sterminatore indietreggiò e ne ebbe timore, poiché era sufficiente una sola dimostrazione dell'ira divina.