Sapienza 18

BIBBIA TINTORI	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Ma i tuoi santi godevano gran­dissima luce; ed essi ne ascoltavan la voce senza vederne la faccia, e perchè non soffrivan le stesse cose ti magnificavano.	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 quelli avanti maltrattati ringraziavano di non esserlo più e chiedevano come grazia che tal differenza durasse.	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 Per questo ebbero una colonna di fuoco fiammante qual guida nell'ignoto cammino, e desti loro un sole innocuo nel bel 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 Ben si meritava­no gli altri d'esser privi di luce e di soffrire il carcere delle tenebre, avendo tenuti prigionieri i tuoi figli pei quali la luce immacolata della tua legge cominciava ad 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 Essi avevan deliberato di uc­cidere i bambini dei santi; ma tu, liberato uno dei bambini esposti, in punizione loro togliesti la mol­titudine dei figli, ed insieme li affogasti nelle onde impetuose.	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 fatta conoscere avanti ai nostri padri, affinchè sapendo bene a quali giuramenti avevan creduto, fossero più tran­quilli.	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 Quindi il tuo popolo già aspettava la salvezza dei giusti e lo sterminio degli empi.	7 Yet your people received not only the salvation of the just, but also the destruction of the unjust.
8 Come castigasti i nemici, così esaltasti noi, chiamandoci a te.	8 For just as you wounded our adversaries, so also did you greatly esteem calling us forth.
9 I pii figli dei buoni facevan sacrifizio in segreto, e concordi stabilirono questa legge di giustizia, che i giusti avrebbero ugualmente pre­so parte ai beni e ai mali, e già cantavano gli inni 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 Intanto echeggiava lo stonante grido dei nemici, e si sentiva il lu­gubre lamento per i pianti 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 Il servo e il padrone ebbero la medesima pena, l'uomo del volgo e il re soffrirono lo stesse cose.	11 But the same punishment afflicted the servant with the master, and the common man endured the same as the king.
12 Nello stesso tempo, col medesi­mo genere di morte, tutti avevan morti senza numero, nè i vivi ba­stavano a seppellire, perchè in un sol momento la loro più no­bile prole fu sterminata.	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 Mentre a tutto avevan ricusato di credere a causa delle magie, allo­ra per la prima volta, alla morte dei primogeniti, riconobbero che era il popolo 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 Infatti, mentre un profondo silenzio av­volgeva ogni cosa, e la notte era alla metà del suo 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 onnipotente parola, dal cielo, dal trono reale, balzò, inflessibile guerriero, in mezzo alla terra de­stinata allo 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 affilata spada e il tuo irrevocabile decreto; appena giunta riempì tutto di morte, e, stando sulla terra, arrivava fino al cielo.	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 quelli furon d'un tratto turbati da tetri sogni, e oppressi da inaspettate paure.	17 Then, incessant visions of nightmares disturbed them, and unexpected fears overcame them.
18 E, but­tati chi qua chi là, mezzi morti, mostravano 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 le visioni da cui erano stati agitati li avevano av­vertiti, affinchè non perissero senza sapere perchè soffrivano ta­li mali.	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 Certo anche i giusti furono alla prova della morte, e nel deserto fa fatta strage del popolo; ma non durò a lungo il tuo sdegno.	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 si affrettò a inter­cedere pel popolo, e, dato di ma­no allo scudo del suo ministero, offrendo preghiere, incenso e sup­pliche, si oppose allo sdegno, pose fine alla sciagura, mostrando di essere 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 Trionfò dei sediziosi non colle forze del corpo, nè col potere delle armi, ma colla parola vinse chi lo af­fliggeva, ricordando i giuramenti fatti ai padri e i patti.	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 i morti cadevano ammucchia­ti gli uni su gli altri, egli, postosi in mezzo, fiaccò la collera, e le tagliò la strada che la conduceva ai vivi.	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 Infatti nella veste ta­lare che portava v'era tutto il mondo, e le glorie dei padri, scolpite in quattro ordini di pietre, e la tua magnificenza era scolpi­ta sul 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 A queste cose cedette lo ster­minatore, le rispettò; perchè ba­stava la sola prova dell'ira.	25 Yet he who was exterminating yielded even to those he frightened. For one trial of wrath was sufficient.