Sapientia 12

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 O quam bonus et suavis est, Domine, spiritus tuus in omnibus !	1 For your imperishable spirit is in everything!
2 Ideoque eos qui exerrant partibus corripis, et de quibus peccant admones et alloqueris, ut relicta malitia credant in te, Domine.	2 And thus, gradual y, you correct those who offend; you admonish and remind them of how they havesinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord.
3 Illos enim antiquos inhabitatores terræ sanctæ tuæ, quos exhorruisti,	3 The ancient inhabitants of your holy land
4 quoniam odibilia opera tibi faciebant per medicamina et sacrificia injusta,	4 you hated for their loathsome practices, their acts of sorcery, and unholy rites.
5 et filiorum suorum necatores sine misericordia, et comestores viscerum hominum, et devoratores sanguinis a medio sacramento tuo,	5 Those ruthless murderers of children, those eaters of entrails at feasts of human flesh and of blood,those initiates of secret brotherhoods,
6 et auctores parentes animarum inauxiliatarum, perdere voluisti per manus parentum nostrorum :	6 those murderous parents of defenceless beings, you determined to destroy at our ancestors' hands,
7 ut dignam perciperent peregrinationem puerorum Dei, quæ tibi omnium carior est terra.	7 so that this land, dearer to you than any other, might receive a worthy colony of God's children.
8 Sed et his tamquam hominibus pepercisti, et misisti antecessores exercitus tui vespas, ut illos paulatim exterminarent.	8 Even so, since these were human, you treated them leniently, sending hornets as forerunners of yourarmy, to exterminate them little by little.
9 Non quia impotens eras in bello subjicere impios justis, aut bestiis sævis, aut verbo duro simul exterminare :	9 Not that you were unable to hand the godless over to the upright in pitched battle or destroy them atonce by savage beasts or one harsh word;
10 sed partibus judicans, dabas locum pœnitentiæ, non ignorans quoniam nequam est natio eorum, et naturalis malitia ipsorum, et quoniam non poterat mutari cogitatio illorum in perpetuum.	10 but, by carrying out your sentences gradual y, you gave them a chance to repent, although you knewthat they were inherently evil, innately wicked,
11 Semen enim erat maledictum ab initio ; nec timens aliquem, veniam dabas peccatis illorum.	11 and fixed in their cast of mind; for they were a race accursed from the beginning. Nor was it from aweof anyone that you let their sins go unpunished.
12 Quis enim dicet tibi : Quid fecisti ? aut quis stabit contra judicium tuum ? aut quis in conspectu tuo veniet vindex iniquorum hominum ? aut quis tibi imputabit, si perierint nationes quas tu fecisti ?	12 For who is there to ask, 'What have you done?' Or who is there to disagree with your sentence? Whoto arraign you for destroying nations which you have created? Who to confront you by championing the wicked?
13 Non enim est alius deus quam tu, cui cura est de omnibus, ut ostendas quoniam non injuste judicas judicium.	13 For there is no god, other than you, who cares for every one, to whom you have to prove that yoursentences have been just.
14 Neque rex, neque tyrannus in conspectu tuo inquirent de his quos perdidisti.	14 No more could any king or despot chal enge you over those whom you have punished.
15 Cum ergo sis justus, juste omnia disponis ; ipsum quoque qui non debet puniri, condemnare, exterum æstimas a tua virtute.	15 For, being upright yourself, you rule the universe uprightly, and hold it as incompatible with yourpower to condemn anyone who has not deserved to be punished.
16 Virtus enim tua justitiæ initium est, et ob hoc quod Dominus es, omnibus te parcere facis.	16 For your strength is the basis of your saving justice, and your sovereignty over al makes you lenientto al .
17 Virtutem enim ostendis tu, qui non crederis esse in virtute consummatus, et horum qui te nesciunt audaciam traducis.	17 You show your strength when people will not believe in your absolute power, and you confound anyinsolence in those who do know it.
18 Tu autem dominator virtutis, cum tranquillitate judicas, et cum magna reverentia disponis nos : subest enim tibi, cum volueris posse.	18 But you, control ing your strength, are mild in judgement, and govern us with great lenience, for youhave only to wil , and your power is there.
19 Docuisti autem populum tuum per talia opera, quoniam oportet justum esse et humanum ; et bonæ spei fecisti filios tuos, quoniam judicans das locum in peccatis pœnitentiæ.	19 By acting thus, you have taught your people that the upright must be kindly to his fel ows, and youhave given your children the good hope that after sins you wil grant repentance.
20 Si enim inimicos servorum tuorum, et debitos morti, cum tanta cruciasti attentione, dans tempus et locum per quæ possent mutari a malitia :	20 For, if with such care and indulgence you have punished your children's enemies, though doomed todeath, and have given them time and place to be rid of their wickedness,
21 cum quanta diligentia judicasti filios tuos, quorum parentibus juramenta et conventiones dedisti bonarum promissionum !	21 with what exact attention have you not judged your children, to whose ancestors, by oaths andcovenants, you made such generous promises?
22 Cum ergo das nobis disciplinam, inimicos nostros multipliciter flagellas, ut bonitatem tuam cogitemus judicantes, et cum de nobis judicatur, speremus misericordiam tuam.	22 Thus, you instruct us, when you punish our enemies in moderation, that we should reflect on yourkindness when we judge, and, when we are judged, we should look for mercy.
23 Unde et illis qui in vita sua insensate et injuste vixerunt, per hæc quæ coluerunt dedisti summa tormenta.	23 And this is why people leading foolish and wicked lives were tortured by you with their ownabominations;
24 Etenim in erroris via diutius erraverunt, deos æstimantes hæc quæ in animalibus sunt supervacua, infantium insensatorum more viventes.	24 for they had strayed too far on the paths of error by taking the vilest and most despicable of animalsfor gods, being deluded like sil y little children.
25 Propter hoc tamquam pueris insensatis judicium in derisum dedisti.	25 So, as to children with no sense, you gave them a sentence making fools of them.
26 Qui autem ludibriis et increpationibus non sunt correcti, dignum Dei judicium experti sunt.	26 Those, however, who would not take warning from a mocking reproof were soon to endure asentence worthy of God.
27 In quibus enim patientes indignabantur per hæc quos putabant deos, in ipsis cum exterminarentur videntes, illum quem olim negabant se nosse, verum Deum agnoverunt ; propter quod et finis condemnationis eorum venit super illos.	27 The creatures that made them suffer and against which they protested, those very creatures that theyhad taken for gods and by which they were punished they saw in their true light; and he whom hitherto they hadrefused to know, they realised was true God. And this is why the final condemnation fell on them.