Wisdom 16

¹Because of this, and by means of things similar to these, they were allowed to endure fitting torments, and they were exterminated by a multitude of beasts.

²Instead of these torments, you administered your people kindly, giving them a desire for a new taste from your delights, and preparing quails for their food,

³so that, even those desiring food, because of those things which were sent and revealed to them, were now turned away from a necessary desire. Yet these, after a brief time, having become weak, tasted a new food.

⁴For it was necessary, though they are without excuse, for them to unexpectedly come upon the ruin of exercising tyranny, yet this was as if to show them how their enemies were being exterminated.

⁵And so, when fierce beasts overcame them in anger, they were exterminated by the bites of perverse snakes.

⁶But your anger did not continue forever, though they were troubled for a short time for their correction, they have a sign of salvation as a remembrance of the commandment of your law.

⁷For he who turned to it was not healed by what he saw, but by you, the Savior of all.

⁸Yet in this you revealed to our enemies that you are he who delivers from all evil.

⁹For they were killed by the biting of locusts and flies, and there was found no remedy for their life, because they deserved to be destroyed by such things.

¹⁰But not even the teeth of venomous serpents conquered your sons, for your mercy came to them and healed them.

¹¹For, in remembrance of your words, they were examined and were quickly saved, for forgetfulness is not engraved into your altar so that they would be unable to obtain your help.

¹²And, indeed, neither an herb, nor a poultice, healed them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all.

¹³For it is you, O Lord, who holds the power of life and death; you both lead to the threshold of death and you restore.

¹⁴Yet man, indeed, kills his own soul through malice, and when his spirit goes forth, it will not be returned, nor will he call back his soul when it has been received.

¹⁵But it is impossible to escape your hand.

¹⁶For the impious, having refused to know you, have been scourged by the strength of your arm, enduring persecution by unusual waters, and by hailstorms, and by rain storms, and being consumed by fire.

¹⁷For there was something extraordinary in water, which extinguishes all things; it has prevailed more than fire; for the world is the defender of the just.

¹⁸Indeed, at a certain time, the fire was subdued, so as not to burn away the animals, which were sent against the impious; and so that, in seeing this, they might know that they are suffering persecution by the judgment of God.

¹⁹And, at another time, fire burned, beyond its own power, in the midst of water, and it flared up from all around, so as to destroy the nations of an unjust land.

²⁰Instead of these things, you nourished your people with the food of angels, and, having prepared bread from heaven, you served them without labor that which holds within itself every delight and the sweetness of every flavor.

²¹For your nature showed your sweetness, which you hold within your sons, and serving the will of each one, it was converted to what each one preferred.

²²But snow and ice held back the strength of fire, and did not melt, so that they might know that fire, burning in the hail and flashing in the rain, destroyed the fruits of the enemies.

²³Yet it was also the case, so that the just might be nourished, that fire had even been deprived of its own power.

²⁴For the creature serving you, the Creator, grows red hot in the midst of the conflict against the unjust, and yet it subsides for the benefit of those who trust in you.

²⁵Because of this, and at that time, having been transfigured in all things, your grace was diligently serving as the nursemaid of all things, according to the will of those who long for you,

²⁶so that your sons, whom you loved, O Lord, might know that it is not the fruits of nature which feed men, but your word, which preserves those who believe in you.

²⁷For that which could not be destroyed by fire, was immediately melted when warmed by a few rays of the sun,

²⁸so that it might be clear to all that it is right to come before the sun to bless you, and to adore you at the dawning of the light.

²⁹For the hope of the ungrateful will melt away like the winter’s ice and will disperse like overflowing water.

Wisdom 16

¹Therefore by the like were they punished worthily, and by the multitude of beasts tormented.

²Instead of which punishment, dealing graciously with thine own people, thou preparedst for them meat of a strange taste, even quails to stir up their appetite:

³To the end that they, desiring food, might for the ugly sight of the beasts sent among them lothe even that, which they must needs desire; but these, suffering penury for a short space, might be made partakers of a strange taste.

⁴For it was requisite, that upon them exercising tyranny should come penury, which they could not avoid: but to these it should only be shewed how their enemies were tormented.

⁵For when the horrible fierceness of beasts came upon these, and they perished with the stings of crooked serpents, thy wrath endured not for ever:

⁶But they were troubled for a small season, that they might be admonished, having a sign of salvation, to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law.

⁷For he that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw, but by thee, that art the Saviour of all.

⁸And in this thou madest thine enemies confess, that it is thou who deliverest from all evil:

⁹For them the bitings of grasshoppers and flies killed, neither was there found any remedy for their life: for they were worthy to be punished by such.

¹⁰But thy sons not the very teeth of venomous dragons overcame: for thy mercy was ever by them, and healed them.

¹¹For they were pricked, that they should remember thy words; and were quickly saved, that not falling into deep forgetfulness, they might be continually mindful of thy goodness.

¹²For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaister, that restored them to health: but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things.

¹³For thou hast power of life and death: thou leadest to the gates of hell, and bringest up again.

¹⁴A man indeed killeth through his malice: and the spirit, when it is gone forth, returneth not; neither the soul received up cometh again.

¹⁵But it is not possible to escape thine hand.

¹⁶For the ungodly, that denied to know thee, were scourged by the strength of thine arm: with strange rains, hails, and showers, were they persecuted, that they could not avoid, and through fire were they consumed.

¹⁷For, which is most to be wondered at, the fire had more force in the water, that quencheth all things: for the world fighteth for the righteous.

¹⁸For sometime the flame was mitigated, that it might not burn up the beasts that were sent against the ungodly; but themselves might see and perceive that they were persecuted with the judgment of God.

¹⁹And at another time it burneth even in the midst of water above the power of fire, that it might destroy the fruits of an unjust land.

²⁰Instead whereof thou feddest thine own people with angels’ food, and didst send them from heaven bread prepared without their labour, able to content every man’s delight, and agreeing to every taste.

²¹For thy sustenance declared thy sweetness unto thy children, and serving to the appetite of the eater, tempered itself to every man’s liking.

²²But snow and ice endured the fire, and melted not, that they might know that fire burning in the hail, and sparkling in the rain, did destroy the fruits of the enemies.

²³But this again did even forget his own strength, that the righteous might be nourished.

²⁴For the creature that serveth thee, who art the Maker increaseth his strength against the unrighteous for their punishment, and abateth his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in thee.

²⁵Therefore even then was it altered into all fashions, and was obedient to thy grace, that nourisheth all things, according to the desire of them that had need:

²⁶That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovest, might know, that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth man: but that it is thy word, which preserveth them that put their trust in thee.

²⁷For that which was not destroyed of the fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam, soon melted away:

²⁸That it might be known, that we must prevent the sun to give thee thanks, and at the dayspring pray unto thee.

²⁹For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter’s hoar frost, and shall run away as unprofitable water.