Wisdom of Solomon · Catholic Public Domain Version
Wisdom of Solomon 10 Catholic Public Domain Version
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 This is he, who was formed first by God, the father of the world, who was alone when created; she preserved him,
1 Wisdom guarded to the end the first formed father of the world, who was created alone, and delivered him out of his own transgression,
2 and led him out of his offense, and gave him the power to maintain all things.
2 and gave him strength to rule over all things.
3 After this, when the unjust man withdrew from her in his anger, he perished through anger by the murder of his brother.
3 But when an unrighteous man fell away from her in his anger, he perished himself in the rage with which he killed his brother.
4 Because of this, when water destroyed the earth, wisdom healed it again, guiding the just by means of contemptible wood.
4 When for his cause the earth was drowning with a flood, wisdom again saved it, guiding the righteous man’s course by a paltry piece of wood.
5 Moreover, when the nations had conspired together to consent to wickedness, she knew the just, and preserved him without blame before God, and preserved his strength out of mercy for his sons.
5 Moreover, when nations consenting together in wickedness had been confounded, wisdom knew the righteous man, and preserved him blameless to God, and kept him strong when his heart yearned toward his child.
6 She freed this just man from the destruction of the impious, fleeing descending fire in the Five Cities,
6 While the ungodly were perishing, wisdom delivered a righteous man, when he fled from the fire that descended out of heaven on the five cities.
7 which, as a testimony to their wickedness, is a constantly smoking desolate land, and the trees bear fruit at uncertain times, and a figure of salt stands as a monument to an unbelieving soul.
7 To whose wickedness a smoking waste still witnesses, and plants bearing fair fruit that doesn’t ripen, a disbelieving soul has a memorial: a standing pillar of salt.
8 For, in disregarding wisdom, they are fallen, not so much in this, that they were ignorant of good, but that they bequeathed to men a memorial of their foolishness, so that, in the things in which they sinned, they were unable to escape notice.
8 For having passed wisdom by, not only were they disabled from recognising the things which are good, but they also left behind them for their life a monument of their folly, to the end that where they stumbled, they might fail even to be unseen;
9 Yet wisdom has freed from sorrow those who are self-observant.
9 but wisdom delivered those who waited on her out of troubles.
10 She led the just man, this fugitive of his brother’s wrath, by the right ways, and revealed to him the kingdom of God, and gave him the knowledge of holiness, honored him in his labors, and completed his labors.
10 When a righteous man was a fugitive from a brother’s wrath, wisdom guided him in straight paths. She showed him God’s kingdom, and gave him knowledge of holy things. She prospered him in his toils, and multiplied the fruits of his labor.
11 In the midst of encircling deceit, she flowed around him and made him honest.
11 When in their covetousness men dealt harshly with him, she stood by him and made him rich.
12 She guarded him from his enemies, and she defended him from seducers, and she gave him a strong conflict so that he might overcome and might know that the power of all things is wisdom.
12 She guarded him from enemies, and she kept him safe from those who lay in wait. Over his severe conflict, she watched as judge, that he might know that godliness is more powerful than every one.
13 She did not abandon the just man when he was sold, but freed him from sinners; she went down with him into the pit,
13 When a righteous man was sold, wisdom didn’t forsake him, but she delivered him from sin. She went down with him into a dungeon,
14 and she did not abandon him in chains, while she brought him the scepter of the kingdom and power against those who oppressed him, and revealed them to be liars who had dishonored him, and gave him everlasting glory.
14 and in bonds she didn’t depart from him, until she brought him the sceptre of a kingdom, and authority over those that dealt like a tyrant with him. She also showed those who had mockingly accused him to be false, and gave him eternal glory.
15 She freed this just people and the blameless offspring, from the nations that had oppressed them.
15 Wisdom delivered a holy people and a blameless seed from a nation of oppressors.
16 She entered the soul of the servant of God and stood against dreadful kings in the midst of portents and signs,
16 She entered into the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood terrible kings in wonders and signs.
17 and she rendered to the just the wages of their labors, and led them along a wondrous way; and she was to them, like a cover by day, and like the light of the stars by night.
17 She rendered to holy men a reward of their toils. She guided them along a marvelous way, and became to them a covering in the day-time, and a starry flame through the night.
18 She carried them through the Red Sea, and led them across a great water.
18 She brought them over the Red sea, and led them through much water;
19 But their enemies, she submerged in the sea, and from the furthest depths, she drew them up. Therefore, the just carried off the spoils of the impious.
19 but she drowned their enemies, and she cast them up from the bottom of the deep.
20 And they chanted to your holy name, Lord, and they together praised your victorious hand,
20 Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly, and they sang praise to your holy name, O Lord, and extolled with one accord your hand that fought for them,
21 because wisdom opened the mouth of the mute, and made the speech of infants eloquent.
21 because wisdom opened the mouth of the mute, and made the tongues of babes to speak clearly.
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).
… the Emperor Julian, there was a law made by which Christians were forbidden to teach grammar and oratory, and he, in obedience to this law, chose rather to abandon the wordy school than Thy word, by which Thou makest eloquent the tongues of the dumb, --he appeared to me not more brave than happy, in having thus discovered an opportunity …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… disdained not to listen to him, but even admitted his opinion, and was persuaded, and recorded it; and was not ashamed to hand down the circumstances to history; casting down [so] the pride of the many. Wherefore also he left this story to the world engraven as it were on a pillar, for he knew that it would be useful …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)