Wisdom 16
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
16 For these things, and by the like things to these, they were worthily punished, and were destroyed by a multitude of beasts.
2 Instead of which punishment, dealing well with thy people, thou gavest them their desire of delicious food, of a new taste, preparing for them quails for their meat:
3 To the end that they indeed desiring food, by means of those things that were shewn and sent among them, might loathe even that which was necessary to satisfy their desire. But these, after suffering want for a short time, tasted a new meat.
4 For it was requisite that inevitable destruction should come upon them that exercised tyranny: but to these it should only be shewn how their enemies were destroyed.
5 For when the fierce rage of beasts came upon these, they were destroyed with the bitings of crooked serpents.
6 But thy wrath endured not for ever, but they were troubled for a short time for their correction, having a sign of salvation to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law.
7 For he that turned to it, was not healed by that which he saw, but by thee the Saviour of all.
8 And in this thou didst shew to our enemies, that thou art he who deliverest from all evil.
9 For the bitings of locusts, and of flies killed them, and there was found no remedy for their life: because they were worthy to be destroyed by such things.
10 But not even the teeth of venomous serpents overcame thy children: for thy mercy came and healed them.
11 For they were examined for the remembrance of thy words, and were quickly healed, lest falling into deep forgetfulness, they might not be able to use thy help.
12 For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster that healed them, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things.
13 For it is thou, O Lord, that hast power of life and death, and leadest down to the gates of death, and bringest back again:
14 A man indeed killeth through malice, and when the spirit is gone forth, it shall not return, neither shall he call back the soul that is received:
15 But it is impossible to escape thy hand.
16 For the wicked that denied to know thee, were scourged by the strength of thy arm, being persecuted by strange waters, and hail, and rain, and consumed by fire.
17 And which was wonderful, in water, which extinguisheth all things, the fire had more force: for the world fighteth for the just.
18 For at one time, the fire was mitigated, that the beasts which were sent against the wicked might not be burned, but that they might see and perceive that they were persecuted by the judgment of God.
19 And at another time the fire, above its own power, burned in the midst of water, to destroy the fruits of a wicked land.
20 Instead of which things thou didst feed thy people with the food of angels, and gavest them bread from heaven prepared without labour; having in it all that is delicious, and the sweetness of every taste.
21 For thy sustenance shewed thy sweetness to thy children, and serving every man's will, it was turned to what every man liked.
22 But snow and ice endured the force of fire, and melted not: that they might know that fire burning in the hail and flashing in the rain destroyed the fruits of the enemies.
23 But this same again, that the just might be nourished, did even forget its own strength.
24 For the creature serving thee the Creator, is made fierce against the unjust for their punishment; and abateth its strength for the benefit of them that trust in thee.
25 Therefore even then it was transformed into all things, and was obedient to thy grace that nourisheth all, according to the will of them that desired it of thee.
26 That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovedst, might know that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth men, but thy word preserveth them that believe in thee:
27 For that which could not be destroyed by fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam presently melted away:
28 That it might be known to all, that we ought to prevent the sun to bless thee, and adore thee at the dawning of the light.
29 For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter's ice, and shall run off as unprofitable water.
Wisdom 16
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
16 Therefore those men were deservedly punished through such creatures,
and were tormented by a multitude of animals.
2 Instead of this punishment thou didst show kindness to thy people,
and thou didst prepare quails to eat,
a delicacy to satisfy the desire of appetite;
3 in order that those men, when they desired food,
might lose the least remnant of appetite[a]
because of the odious creatures sent to them,
while thy people,[b] after suffering want a short time,
might partake of delicacies.
4 For it was necessary that upon those oppressors inexorable want should come,
while to these it was merely shown how their enemies were being tormented.
5 For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon thy people[c]
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[d] 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.
Disastrous Storms Strike Egypt
15 To escape from thy hand is impossible;
16 for the ungodly, refusing to know thee,
were scourged by the strength of thy arm,
pursued by unusual rains and hail and relentless storms,
and utterly consumed by fire.
17 For—most incredible of all—in the water, which quenches all things,
the fire had still greater effect,
for the universe defends the righteous.
18 At one time the flame was restrained,
so that it might not consume the creatures sent against the ungodly,
but that seeing this they might know
that they were being pursued by the judgment of God;
19 and at another time even in the midst of water it burned more intensely than fire,
to destroy the crops of the unrighteous land.
The Israelites Receive Manna
20 Instead of these things thou didst give thy people food of angels,
and without their toil thou didst supply them from heaven with bread ready to eat,
providing every pleasure and suited to every taste.
21 For thy sustenance manifested thy sweetness toward thy children;
and the bread, ministering[e] to the desire of the one who took it,
was changed to suit every one’s liking.
22 Snow and ice withstood fire without melting,
so that they might know that the crops of their enemies
were being destroyed by the fire that blazed in the hail
and flashed in the showers of rain;
23 whereas the fire,[f] in order that the righteous might be fed,
even forgot its native power.
24 For creation, serving thee who hast made it,
exerts itself to punish the unrighteous,
and in kindness relaxes on behalf of those who trust in thee.
25 Therefore at that time also, changed into all forms,
it served thy all-nourishing bounty,
according to the desire of those who had need,[g]
26 so that thy sons, whom thou didst love, O Lord, might learn
that it is not the production of crops that feeds man,
but that thy word preserves those who trust in thee.
27 For what was not destroyed by fire
was melted when simply warmed by a fleeting ray of the sun,
28 to make it known that one must rise before the sun to give thee thanks,
and must pray to thee at the dawning of the light;
29 for the hope of an ungrateful man will melt like wintry frost,
and flow away like waste water.
Footnotes
- Wisdom 16:3 Gk loathe the necessary appetite
- Wisdom 16:3 Gk they
- Wisdom 16:5 Gk them
- Wisdom 16:11 The meaning of the Greek is obscure
- Wisdom 16:21 Gk and it, ministering
- Wisdom 16:23 Gk this
- Wisdom 16:25 Or who made supplication
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The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.