Wisdom of Solomon · Catholic Public Domain Version
Wisdom of Solomon 11 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 She directed their works in the hands of the holy prophet.
1 Wisdom prospered their works in the hand of a holy prophet.
2 They made a path through desolate areas, which were uninhabited, and set up their homes in remote places.
2 They traveled through a desert without inhabitant, and they pitched their tents in trackless regions.
3 They stood firm against the enemy, and vindicated themselves from their adversaries.
3 They withstood enemies and repelled foes.
4 They thirsted, and they called upon you, and water was given them out of the deepest rock, and respite from thirst out of the hard stone.
4 They thirsted, and they called upon you, and water was given to them out of the flinty rock, and healing of their thirst out of the hard stone.
5 For through water, their enemies had been punished, by the corruption of their drinking water; and so, among them, when the sons of Israel lacked the abundance they would have had, their enemies rejoiced;
5 For by what things their foes were punished, by these they in their need were benefited.
6 yet through water, when they were in need, it turned out well for them.
6 When enemies were troubled with clotted blood instead of a river’s ever-flowing fountain,
7 For instead of a fountain, even everlasting in flow, you gave human blood to the unjust,
7 to rebuke the decree for the slaying of babies, you gave them abundant water beyond all hope,
8 and while they would be crushed into disgrace because of the murdering of infants, you unexpectedly gave your own abundant water,
8 having shown by the thirst which they had suffered how you punished the adversaries.
9 revealing through the thirst, which occurred at that time, how you would exalt your own and would kill their adversaries.
9 For when they were tried, although chastened in mercy, they learned how the ungodly were tormented, being judged with wrath.
10 For when they were being tested, and even when receiving merciful correction, they knew in what way, when your wrath judged the impious, they would suffer torments.
10 For you tested these as a father admonishing them; but you searched out those as a stern king condemning them.
11 For these, advising like a father, you approved; but the others, interrogating like a severe king, you condemned.
11 Yes and whether they were far off or near, they were equally distressed;
12 For whether absent or present, they were tortured alike.
12 for a double grief seized them, and a groaning at the memory of things past.
13 For they had received double: weariness and groaning in the remembrance of things past.
13 For when they heard that through their own punishments the others benefited, they recognized the Lord.
14 For when they paid attention to their punishments, to attend to their own benefit, they called to mind the Lord, admiring the end result.
14 For him who long before was thrown out and exposed they stopped mocking. In the end of what happened, they marveled, having thirsted in another manner than the righteous.
15 For though they showed scorn by throwing out distorted statements, in the end they were amazed at the result, but this is not the same as thirsting for justice.
15 But in return for the senseless imaginings of their unrighteousness, wherein they were led astray to worship irrational reptiles and wretched vermin, you sent upon them a multitude of irrational creatures to punish them,
16 For according to the thinking of their irrational iniquity, because some, going astray, were worshiping mute serpents and worthless beasts, you sent upon them a multitude of mute beasts for vengeance,
16 that they might learn that by what things a man sins, by these he is punished.
17 so that they might know that by whatever things a man sins, by the same also is he tormented.
17 For your all-powerful hand that created the world out of formless matter didn’t lack means to send upon them a multitude of bears, fierce lions,
18 For it was not impossible for your all-powerful hand, which created the world from unknown material, to send forth upon them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions,
18 or newly-created and unknown wild beasts, full of rage, either breathing out a blast of fiery breath, or belching out smoke, or flashing dreadful sparks from their eyes;
19 or, in anger, beasts of a new kind, massive and strange, either breathing out a fiery vapor, or sending forth an odorous smoke, or shooting horrible sparks from their eyes;
19 which had power not only to consume them by their violence, but to destroy them even by the terror of their sight.
20 whereby, not only wounds would be able to destroy them, but also the very sight would kill them through fear.
20 Yes and without these they might have fallen by a single breath, being pursued by Justice, and scattered abroad by the breath of your power; but you arranged all things by measure, number, and weight.
21 Yet, even without these, they could have been killed with one breath, suffering persecution of their own making and being scattered by your spirit of virtue; but you have ordered all things in size and number and weight.
21 For to be greatly strong is yours at all times. Who could withstand the might of your arm?
22 Though many are strong, you alone always overcome. And who will withstand the strength of your arm?
22 Because the whole world before you is as a grain in a balance, and as a drop of dew that comes down upon the earth in the morning.
23 For, like a tiny grain on a scale, just so is the world before you, and like a drop of dew before dawn, which descends upon the earth.
23 But you have mercy on all men, because you have power to do all things, and you overlook the sins of men to the end that they may repent.
24 But you are merciful to all, because you can do all, and you dismiss the sins of man because of repentance.
24 For you love all things that are, and abhor none of the things which you made; For you never would have formed anything if you hated it.
25 For you love all things that are, and you hate nothing of the things you have made; for you would not have created or established anything that you hated.
25 How would anything have endured unless you had willed it? Or that which was not called by you, how would it have been preserved?
26 For how could anything endure, except by your will? Or what, having been called by you not to exist, would be preserved?
26 But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Sovereign Lord, you who love the living.
27 Yet you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord, who loves souls.
27 Not in this translation
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).
… yet it is foolish to doubt but that he may verily be better than he who can measure the heavens, and number the stars, and weigh the elements, but is forgetful of Thee, "who hast set in order all things in number, weight, and measure." Chapter V — Of Manichæus Pertinaciously Teaching False Doctrines, and Proudly Arrogating…
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Neither has it been without reason numbered among God's praises, "Thou hast ordered all things in number, and measure, and weight." Chapter 31 — Of the Seventh Day, in Which Completeness and Repose are Celebrated But, on the seventh day (i.e., the same day repeated seven times, which number is also a perfect one, though for another reason), the rest …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… they have nothing to do with the knowledge of God; for Plato, their great authority, represents God as framing the world on numerical principles: and in our books also it is said to God, "Thou hast ordered all things in number, and measure, and weight." The prophet also says," Who bringeth out their host by number." And the Saviour says …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)