Wisdom 5

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Then the just will stand with great steadfastness against those who have oppressed them and have taken away their labors.	1 Then the upright will stand up boldly to face those who had oppressed him and had thought so little of his sufferings.
2 Seeing this, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and they will be amazed at the suddenness of unexpected salvation.	2 And, seeing him, they wil be seized with terrible fear, amazed that he should have been sounexpectedly saved.
3 Driven toward regret, and through the anguish of their groaning spirit, they will say within themselves: “These are the ones whom we held for some time in derision and in mocking reproach.	3 Stricken with remorse, they wil say to one another with groans and labouring breath,
4 We foolish considered their life to be madness, and their end to be without honor.	4 'This is the one whom we used to mock, making him the butt of our insults, fools that we were! His lifewe regarded as madness, his ending as without honour.
5 How is it that they are counted among the sons of God, and their place is among the holy?	5 How has he come to be counted as one of the children of God and to have his lot among the holy ones?
6 Therefore, we have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of justice has not shined on us, and the sun of understanding has not risen on us.	6 Clearly we have strayed from the way of truth; the light of justice has not shone for us, the sun has notrisen for us.
7 We exhausted ourselves in the way of iniquity and perdition, and have walked a difficult way, while ignoring the way of the Lord.	7 We have left no path of lawlessness or ruin unexplored, we have crossed deserts where there was notrack, but the way of the Lord is one we have never known.
8 How has arrogance benefited us? Or what has exalting in riches brought us?	8 What good has arrogance been to us? What has been the purpose of our riches and boastfulness?
9 All those things have passed away like a shadow, and like a messenger traveling quickly by;	9 Al those things have passed like a shadow, passed like a fleeting rumour.
10 and like a ship passing over the waves of water, when it has gone by, its trace cannot be found, nor can the pathway of its keel in the waves;	10 Like a ship that cuts through heaving waves -- leaving no trace to show where it has passed, no wakefrom its keel in the waves.
11 or, like a bird flying through the air, there is no evidence of her journey to be found, but there is hardly a sound as the beating of her wings lifts up the air and, by the force of her journey, divides the air she has flown across, which was disturbed by her wings, and afterwards there is no sign of her journey to be found;	11 Or like a bird flying through the air -- leaving no proof of its passing; it whips the light air with the strokeof its pinions, tears it apart in its whirring rush, drives its way onward with sweeping wing, and afterwards no signis seen of its passage.
12 or, like an arrow shot at a selected mark, the air continues to be divided and to be brought together again, so that its passing is unknown.	12 Or like an arrow shot at a mark, the pierced air closing so quickly on itself, there is no knowing whichway the arrow has passed.
13 And in like manner we, having been born, continuously cease to exist, and indeed, we depart with no sign of virtue to show, but we are consumed in our malice.”	13 So with us: scarcely born, we disappear; of virtue not a trace have we to show, we have spentourselves in our own wickedness!'
14 Such things those who sinned said in hell.	14 For the hope of the godless is like chaff carried on the wind, like fine spray driven by the storm; itdisperses like smoke before the wind, goes away like the memory of a one-day guest.
15 For the hope of the impious is like feathers, which are blown away by the wind, and like a thin foam, which is dispersed by a storm, and like smoke, which is scattered by the wind, and like the memory of a guest who passes by one day.	15 But the upright live for ever, their recompense is with the Lord, and the Most High takes care of them.
16 But the just will live forever, and their reward is with the Lord, and the thought of them is with the Most High.	16 So they wil receive the glorious crown and the diadem of beauty from the Lord's hand; for he wilshelter them with his right hand and with his arm he wil shield them.
17 Therefore, they will receive a beautiful kingdom and a crown of splendor from the hand of the Lord, for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.	17 For armour he will take his jealous love, he wil arm creation to punish his enemies;
18 And his zeal will take up arms, and he will equip his servants for retribution on their enemies.	18 he wil put on justice as a breastplate, and for helmet wear his forthright judgement;
19 He will put on justice as a breastplate, and he will grasp sure judgment as a helmet.	19 he wil take up invincible holiness for shield,
20 He will select fairness as an invincible shield.	20 of his pitiless wrath he will forge a sword, and the universe wil march with him to fight the reckless.
21 Yet he will sharpen his severe wrath into a spear, and he will fight with those of the world against the irrational.	21 Bolts truly aimed, the shafts of lightning wil leap, and from the clouds, as from a ful -drawn bow, fly totheir mark;
22 Shafts of lightning will hurl forth accurately, and, as if from a well-curved bow of clouds, they will be expelled and will fly to the determined mark.	22 and the catapult wil hurl hailstones charged with fury. The waters of the sea wil rage against them,the rivers engulf them without pity,
23 And hail will be cast like stones full of anger, and the water of the sea will rise up against them, and the rivers will charge forth harshly.	23 a mighty gale wil rise against them and winnow them like a hurricane. Thus wickedness wil lay thewhole earth waste and evil-doing bring down the thrones of the mighty.
24 The spirit of virtue will stand firm against them and like a whirlwind will divide them, and he will lead all the world of iniquity into a wasteland, and malice will overthrow the seats of power.