Sapienza 18

BIBBIA RICCIOTTI	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Ma i tuoi santi godevano di vivissima luce; e [gli Egiziani] udivano la loro voce, senza vederne le fattezze e li stimavano felici, nonostante le pene già sofferte,	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 rigraziavano perchè non si vendicavano, pur essendo stati offesi per primi, e chiedevano venia delle ostilità passate.	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 Perciò ebbero una fiammeggiante colonna di fuoco a guida dell'ignota via, e un sole tu largisti, innocuo al loro glorioso pellegrinaggio.	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 Ma quelli ben meritavano d’esser privati di luce e restar imprigionati nelle tenebre, essi che tenevan rinchiusi i tuoi figliuoli, per cui l’incorruttibile luce della legge stava per essere data 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 E avendo essi deliberato d’uccidere i bambini [de, santi], esposto che fu uno di questi figliuoli e salvato, in pena [di tal crudeltà] li privasti della moltitudine de, loro figli, e tutti insieme li facesti perire nelle acque violente.	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 era già conosciuta per l'innanzi da nostri padri, affinché sapendo con certezza a quali giuramenti avevano prestato fede, stessero di miglior 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 E fu attesa dal tuo popolo la salvezza de'giusti e lo sterminio degl'iniqui [nemici].	7 Yet your people received not only the salvation of the just, but also the destruction of the unjust.
8 Come invero punisti gli avversari, cosi, chiamandoci [a te], ci glorificasti.	8 For just as you wounded our adversaries, so also did you greatly esteem calling us forth.
9 Di nascosto sacrificavano i pii figliuoli de’ buoni, e d’accordo stabilivano la legge divina, che agli stessi beni e pericoli avessero i giusti a partecipare del pari, e cantavan già le laudi de' 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 [A queste] facevan eco le discordanti grida de' nemici, e un flebile lamento s'udiva sui pianti fanciulli.	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 fu punito lo schiavo e il padrone, e il popolano soffri le stesse cose che il re.	11 But the same punishment afflicted the servant with the master, and the common man endured the same as the king.
12 Tutti ugualmente, per lo stesso genere di morte, avevano morti innumerevoli, e i vivi non bastavan neppure a seppellirli, perchè in un istante la progenie loro più nobile fu distrutta.	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 Quei che a nulla credevan per via degl’incantesimi, allo sterminio de' primogeniti confessarono che quel 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 tranquillo silenzio avvolgeva ogni cosa, e la notte nel suo [celere] corso era giunta a mezzo,	14 For, when a quiet silence surrounded all things, and when the course of the night was passing the middle of its journey,
15 l'onnipotente tua parola dal cielo, dal trono regale, si slanciò [come] fiero guerriero nel mezzo della terra di sterminio,	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 portando [qual] spada affilata il tuo irrevocabile decreto, e ritta in piedi riempì ogni cosa di morte, e toccava il cielo [pur] poggiando 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 a un tratto fantasmi di terribili sogni gli spaventarono, e gl'incalzarono inaspettati terrori.	17 Then, incessant visions of nightmares disturbed them, and unexpected fears overcame them.
18 E gettati chi qua chi là mezzo morti, rivelavano il motivo per cui morivano.	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 Che que' sogni che gli avevan turbati avevan ciò presagito, affinchè non perissero senza sapere il perchè soffrivano.	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 Anche i giusti sfiorò un tempo la prova della morte, e ci fu nel deserto strage della moltitudine; ma non durò a lungo l'ira sua.	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 Perchè un uomo irreprensibile s'affrettò a combattere [per il popolo], apportando le armi del proprio ministero, la preghiera e l’incenso espiatorio; e, resistette all'ira [divina] e pose fine alla calamità, mostrando ch’egli era il tuo servo.	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 Vinse lo sdegno non con la forza del corpo, nè con la potenza delle armi; ma con la parola domò il punitore ricordando i giuramenti e il patto fatto con i 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 già a mucchi eran caduti i morti, gli uni sugli altri, si pose in mezzo e troncò l'ira, e tagliò [ad essa] la strada 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 talare invero era [rappresentato] tutto il mondo, e le glorie de' padri erano incise sulle quattro fila di pietre [preziose], e la tua magnificenza era scolpita sul diadema del suo capo.	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 A queste [insegne] cedette lo sterminatore, queste temette: bastava infatti il solo saggio dell'ira.	25 Yet he who was exterminating yielded even to those he frightened. For one trial of wrath was sufficient.