Sapientia 19

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Impiis autem usque in novissimum sine misericordia ira supervenit. Præsciebat enim et futura illorum :	1 But the godless were assailed by merciless anger to the very end, for he knew beforehand what theywould do,
2 quoniam cum ipsi permisissent ut se educerent, et cum magna sollicitudine præmisissent illos, consequebantur illos, pœnitentia acti.	2 how, after letting his people leave and hastening their departure, they would change their minds andgive chase.
3 Adhuc enim inter manus habentes luctum, et deplorantes ad monumenta mortuorum, aliam sibi assumpserunt cogitationem inscientiæ, et quos rogantes projecerant, hos tamquam fugitivos persequebantur.	3 They were actual y stil conducting their mourning rites and lamenting at the tombs of their dead, whenanother mad scheme came into their heads and they set out to pursue, as though runaways, the people whomthey had expel ed and begged to go.
4 Ducebat enim illos ad hunc finem digna necessitas ; et horum quæ acciderant commemorationem amittebant, ut quæ deerant tormentis repleret punitio :	4 A wel -deserved fate urged them to this extreme and made them forget what had already happened,so that they would add to their torments the one punishment outstanding
5 et populus quidem tuus mirabiliter transiret, illi autem novam mortem invenirent.	5 and, while your people were experiencing a journey contrary to al expectations, would themselvesmeet an extraordinary death.
6 Omnis enim creatura ad suum genus ab initio refigurabatur, deserviens tuis præceptis, ut pueri tui custodirentur illæsi.	6 For the whole creation, submissive to your commands, had its very nature re-created, so that yourchildren should be preserved from harm.
7 Nam nubes castra eorum obumbrabat, et ex aqua quæ ante erat, terra arida apparuit, et in mari Rubro via sine impedimento, et campus germinans de profundo nimio :	7 Overshadowing the camp there was the cloud; where there had been water, dry land was seen to rise;the Red Sea became an unimpeded way, the tempestuous waves, a green plain;
8 per quem omnis natio transivit quæ tegebatur tua manu, videntes tua mirabilia et monstra.	8 sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across, gazing at these amazing prodigies.
9 Tamquam enim equi depaverunt escam, et tamquam agni exsultaverunt, magnificantes te, Domine, qui liberasti illos.	9 They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.
10 Memores enim erant adhuc eorum quæ in incolatu illorum facta fuerant : quemadmodum pro natione animalium eduxit terra muscas, et pro piscibus eructavit fluvius multitudinem ranarum.	10 For they stil remembered the events of their exile, how the land had bred mosquitoes instead ofanimals and the River had disgorged mil ions of frogs instead of fish.
11 Novissime autem viderunt novam creaturam avium, cum, adducti concupiscentia, postulaverunt escas epulationis.	11 Later they were to see a new way for birds to come into being, when, goaded by greed, theydemanded something tasty,
12 In allocutione enim desiderii ascendit illis de mari ortygometra : et vexationes peccatoribus supervenerunt, non sine illis quæ ante facta erant argumentis per vim fulminum : juste enim patiebantur secundum suas nequitias.	12 and quails came up out of the sea to satisfy them.
13 Etenim detestabiliorem inhospitalitatem instituerunt : alii quidem ignotos non recipiebant advenas ; alii autem bonos hospites in servitutem redigebant.	13 On the sinners, however, punishments rained down not without violent thunder as early warning; andthey suffered what their own crimes had justly deserved since they had shown such bitter hatred to foreigners.
14 Et non solum hæc, sed et alius quidam respectus illorum erat, quoniam inviti recipiebant extraneos.	14 Others, indeed, had failed to welcome strangers who came to them, but the Egyptians had enslavedtheir own guests and benefactors.
15 Qui autem cum lætitia receperunt hos qui eisdem usi erant justitiis, sævissimis afflixerunt doloribus.	15 The sinners, moreover, will certainly be punished for it, since they gave the foreigners a hostilewelcome;
16 Percussi sunt autem cæcitate : sicut illi in foribus justi, cum subitaneis cooperti essent tenebris, unusquisque transitum ostii sui quærebat.	16 but the latter, having given a festive reception to people who already shared the same rights asthemselves, later overwhelmed them with terrible labours.
17 In se enim elementa dum convertuntur, sicut in organo qualitatis sonus immutatur, et omnia suum sonum custodiunt : unde æstimari ex ipso visu certo potest.	17 Hence they were struck with blindness, like the sinners at the gate of the upright, when, yawningdarkness all around them, each had to grope his way through his own door.
18 Agrestia enim in aquatica convertebantur, et quæcumque erant natantia, in terram transibant.	18 A new attuning of the elements occurred, as on a harp the notes may change their rhythm, though althe while preserving the same tone; and this is just what happened:
19 Ignis in aqua valebat supra suam virtutem, et aqua extinguentis naturæ obliviscebatur.	19 land animals became aquatic, swimming ones took to the land,
20 Flammæ e contrario corruptibilium animalium non vexaverunt carnes coambulantium, nec dissolvebant illam, quæ facile dissolvebatur sicut glacies, bonam escam. In omnibus enim magnificasti populum tuum, Domine, et honorasti, et non despexisti, in omni tempore et in omni loco assistens eis.	20 fire reinforced its strength in water, and water forgot the power of extinguishing it;
	21 flames, on the other hand, did not char the flesh of delicate animals that ventured into them; nor didthey melt the heavenly food resembling ice and as easily melted.
	22 Yes, Lord, in every way you have made your people great and glorious; you have never failed to helpthem at any time or place.