1 Better it is to have no children, and to have virtue: For the memorial thereof is immortal: Because it is known with God, and with men. 2 When it is present, men take example at it; And when it is gone, they desire it: It weareth a crown, and triumpheth forever, Having gotten the victory, striving for undefiled rewards. 3 But the multiplying brood of the ungodly shall not thrive, Nor take deep rooting from bastard slips, Nor lay any fast foundation. 4 For though they flourish in branches for a time; Yet standing not fast, they shall be shaken with the wind, And through the force of winds they shall be rooted out. 5 The imperfect branches shall be broken off, Their fruit unprofitable, not ripe to eat, Yea, meet for nothing. 6 For children begotten of unlawful beds Are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial. 7 But though the righteous be prevented with death, Yet shall he be in rest. 8 For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, Nor that is measured by number of years. 9 But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, And an unspotted life is old age. 10 He pleased God, and was beloved of him: So that living among sinners he was translated. 11 Yea, speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, Or deceit beguile his soul. 12 For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are honest; And the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind. 13 He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: 14 For his soul pleased the Lord; Therefore hastened he [to take him away] from among the wicked. 15 This the people saw, and understood not, Neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, And that he hath respect unto his chosen. 16 Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living; And youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous. 17 For they shall see the end of the wise, And shall not understand what God in his counsel hath decreed of him, And to what end the Lord hath set him in safety. 18 They shall see him, and despise him; But God shall laugh them to scorn; And they shall hereafter be a vile carcass, And a reproach among the dead for evermore. 19 For he shall rend them, and cast them down headlong, that they shall be speechless; And he shall shake them from the foundation; And they shall be utterly laid waste, And be in sorrow; And their memorial shall perish. 20 And when they cast up the account of their sins, they shall come with fear: And their own iniquities shall convince them to their face.
Wisdom of Solomon · Updated Brenton English Septuagint
Wisdom of Solomon 4 Updated Brenton English Septuagint
Notes on this text (1)
- Same Septuagint text as Brenton, with modernised spelling.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Of whom it was said before in Wisdom, "Their own iniquities shall convince them to their face." Without doubt they will see that they are justly condemned for their sins and wickednesses; yet it will be as though He said to them, "It is not in consequence of this that ye think, but because I was hungry, and ye gave …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
What if "he was taken away, lest wickedness should alter his understanding." But he was a sinner, thou sayest, and therefore I wished him to live, that he might be corrected.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
Now God grants them the approach of a healthy shame, if they despise not the medicine of confession: but if they will not now be ashamed, then they shall be ashamed, when "their iniquities shall convince them to their face." How shall they be ashamed?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)