Sapienza 19

BIBBIA RICCIOTTI	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 - Ma sugli empi, sino alla fine, s’avventò spietato furore; perchè [Dio] sapeva in anticipo anche il loro futuro,	1 But the impious, all the way to the very end, were overcome by anger without mercy. Indeed, he knew beforehand even their future.
2 come [cioè], dopo d’aver permesso [agli Ebrei] di partire, e averli con gran premura licenziati, lì avrebbero poi, pentitisi, inseguiti.	2 Yet, seeing that they might have repented, so that they would be led by him and be sent forth with great concern, the just sought the impious, while regretting their deeds.
3 Mentre infatti avevano ancor tra mano il lutto e si lamentavano sulle tombe de’ morti, ad altro stolto consiglio s’appigliarono; e quelli che con suppliche avevan mandati via, quegli stessi come fuggiaschi [ora] inseguivano.	3 For, while the just were still holding grief in their hands and weeping at the tombs of the dead, these others took upon themselves another senseless thought, and they cast out the legislators and pursued them as if they were fugitives.
4 Li spingeva a tal estremo il meritato fato, che ad essi di quant’era avvenuto fece perder la memoria; affinchè la punizione compisse quanto mancava ai [loro] tormenti:	4 For a fitting necessity was leading them to this end, and they were losing the remembrance of those things which had happened, so that what was lacking in the sufferings of the conflict might be completed by the punishment,
5 e mentre il tuo popolo farebbe un miracoloso passaggio, quelli incontrassero una morte strana.	5 and so that your people, indeed, might wonderfully pass through, but these others might find a new death.
6 Tutta la creazione invero era daccapo riformata nella sua natura, servendo ai tuoi ordini, perchè illesi fossero conservati i tuoi figliuoli.	6 For every creature according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, diligently serving your teachings, so that your children would be preserved unharmed.
7 Così la nuvola faceva ombra al loro accampamento, e dove prima era l’acqua apparve la terra asciutta, e una via senza intoppi [s’aprì] per mezzo al mar Rosso, e un verdeggiante prato [sorse] su dalla immensa profondità.	7 For a cloud overshadowed their camp, and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea, a way without hindrance, and out of the great deep, a level field sprung up,
8 per cui tutto il popolo passò, protetto dalla tua mano, spettatori di meraviglie e di portenti.	8 through which the whole nation passed, protected by your hand, seeing your miracles and wonders.
9 Come cavalli essi pascolarono, e come agnelli saltellarono, celebrando te, o Signore, loro liberatore.	9 For they consumed food like horses, and they leapt about like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who had freed them.
10 Chè si ricordavano ancor le cose accadute nel loro esìlio, come, invece della generazione d’[altri] animali, la terra produsse zanzare, e in luogo dì pesci 11 fiume diè fuori una moltitudine di ranocchi.	10 For they were still mindful of those things which had happened during the time of their sojourn, how, instead cattle, the earth brought forth flies, and instead of fish, the river cast up a multitude of frogs.
11 Più tardi videro anche una nuova progenie d’uccelli, quando spinti da bramosia domandarono cibi squisiti:	11 And, lastly, they saw a new kind of bird, when, being led by their desire, they demanded a feast of meat.
12 a soddisfare invero il loro desiderio si levaron per essi dal mare le quaglie. E i castighi piombarono sui peccatori, non senza precedenti indizi per mezzo della violenza de’ fulmini. E giustamente soffriron per le loro malvagità,	12 For, to console their loss, the quail came up to them from the sea, and yet troubles overcame the sinners, though they were not without the evidence of what had happened before by the power of lightning, for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness.
13 chè più detestabile inospitalità avevan dimostrato [che non i Sodomiti]. Quelli invero non vollero ricevere sconosciuti forestieri: ma questi fecero schiavi ospiti benemeriti.	13 And indeed, they set up a more detestable inhospitality. Certainly, some have refused to receive unknown foreigners, but these others were drafting good guests into servitude,
14 E non solo, ma un’altra considerazione c’era [in favore] di quelli, che [cioè] ricevevan di mala voglia gli stranieri;	14 and not only foreigners, but also those who had been under their care, because they were reluctantly sheltering the outsiders.
15 gli altri invece, dopo averli accolti con festa, messili già a parte degli stessi diritti, li maltrattarono con crudeli strapazzi.	15 Yet whoever had sheltered them with gladness, by making use of the very same justice, they afflicted with the most severe sorrow.
16 Pertanto furon colpiti di cecità, come [già] quelli alla porta del giusto; avvolti da improvvise [e profonde] tenebre, ognuno cercava l'ingresso della sua porta.	16 Yet they were struck with blindness, like someone brought before the gates of justice, so that they were suddenly covered with darkness, and each one was left searching for the threshold of his front door.
17 Gli elementi invero si scambiavano tra loro, come in un’arpa si muta la modulazione, [pur] conservando tutte [le corde] il loro suono: e ciò ben può giudicarsi alla vista [di ciò che allora avvenne].	17 For the elements in themselves are in the process of being changed, just as when the sound of a musical instrument is being altered in quality, yet each one keeps its own sound, from where it is considered to be and according to its fixed appearance.
18 Perchè gli [animali] terrestri si trasformavano in acquatici, e quelli fatti per il nuoto passavan sulla terra;	18 For the countryside was transformed by water, and things which were swimming, crossed over the land.
19 il fuoco ingagliardiva nell'acqua oltre la propria forza, e l'acqua dimenticava la sua virtù di spengere;	19 Fire prevailed in the midst of water, beyond its own power, and the water forgot its quenching nature.
20 viceversa, le fiamme non divoraron le carni delle fragili bestiole che [dentro] vi camminavano, nè struggevano il buon alimento [celeste], facile a struggere, simile a ghiaccio. In ogni cosa, o Signore, tu magnificasti il tuo popolo e lo glorificasti, nè lo sprezzasti [mai], assistendolo in ogni tempo e in ogni luogo.	20 On the other hand, the flames did not trouble the bodies of the mortal animals walking around, nor did they melt that good food, which is as easily melted as ice. For in all things, O Lord, you magnified your people, and honored them, and did not despise them, but at every time and in every place, you assisted them.