Wisdom 16:5-14

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

⁵ For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon thy people^[a]
and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents,
thy wrath did not continue to the end;
⁶ they were troubled for a little while as a warning,
and received a token of deliverance to remind them of thy law’s command.
⁷ For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw,
but by thee, the Savior of all.
⁸ And by this also thou didst convince our enemies
that it is thou who deliverest from every evil.
⁹ For they were killed by the bites of locusts and flies,
and no healing was found for them,
because they deserved to be punished by such things;
¹⁰ but thy sons were not conquered even by the teeth of venomous serpents,
for thy mercy came to their help and healed them.
¹¹ To remind them of thy oracles they were bitten,
and then were quickly delivered,
lest they should fall into deep forgetfulness
and become unresponsive^[b] to thy kindness.
¹² For neither herb nor poultice cured them,
but it was thy word, O Lord, which heals all men.
¹³ For thou hast power over life and death;
thou dost lead men down to the gates of Hades and back again.
¹⁴ A man in his wickedness kills another,
but he cannot bring back the departed spirit,
nor set free the imprisoned soul.