Wisdom of Solomon · Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Wisdom of Solomon 16 Brenton's Greek Septuagint
Notes on this text (1)
- Ezra and Nehemiah form one book (2 Esdras) in this edition; the reader shows them as Ezra 1–10 and Nehemiah 1–13.
1 Διὰ τοῦτο διʼ ὁμοίων ἐκολάσθησαν ἀξίως, καὶ διὰ πλήθους κνωδάλον ἐβασανίσθησαν.
1 For this cause, they were deservedly punished through creatures like those which they worship, and tormented through a multitude of vermin.
2 Ἀνθʼ ἧς κολάσεως εὐεργετήσας τὸν λαόν σου, εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν ὀρέξεως ξένην γεῦσιν, τροφὴν ἡτοίμασας ὀρτυγομήτραν,
2 Instead of this punishment, you, giving benefits to your people, prepared quails for food, a delicacy to satisfy the desire of their appetite,
3 ἵνα ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἐπιθυμοῦντες τροφὴν, διὰ τὴν εἰδέχθειαν τῶν ἐπαπεσταλμένων καὶ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ὄρεξιν ἀποστρέφωνται, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐπʼ ὀλίγον ἐνδεεῖς γενόμενοι καὶ ξένης μετάσχωσι γεύσεως.
3 to the end that your enemies, desiring food, might for the hideousness of the creatures sent among them, loathe even the necessary appetite; but these, your people, having for a short time suffered lack, might even partake of delicacies.
4 Ἔδει γὰρ ἐκείνοις μὲν ἀπαραίτητον ἔνδειαν ἐπελθεῖν τυραννοῦσι, τούτοις δὲ μόνον δειχθῆναι πῶς οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν ἐβασανίζοντο.
4 For it was necessary that inescapable lack should come upon those oppressors, but that to these it should only be showed how their enemies were tormented.
5 Καὶ γὰρ ὅτε αὐτοῖς δεινὸς ἐπῆλθε θηρίων θυμὸς, δήγμασί τε σκολιῶν διεφθείροντο ὄφεων, οὐ μέχρι τέλους ἔμεινεν ἡ ὀργή σου.
5 For even when terrible raging of wild beasts came upon your people, and they were perishing by the bites of crooked serpents, your wrath didn’t continue to the uttermost;
6 Εἰς νουθεσίαν δὲ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐταράχθησαν, σύμβολον ἔχοντες σωτηρίας, εἰς ἀνάμνησιν ἐντολῆς νόμου σου.
6 but for admonition were they troubled for a short time, having a token of salvation to put them in remembrance of the commandment of your law;
7 Ὁ γὰρ ἐπιστραφεὶς οὐ διὰ τὸ θεωρούμενον ἐσώζετο, ἀλλὰ διὰ σὲ τὸν πάντων σωτῆρα.
7 for he who turned toward it was not saved because of that which was seen, but because of you, the Savior of all.
8 Καὶ ἐν τούτῳ δὲ ἔπεισας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ῥυόμενος ἐκ παντὸς κακοῦ.
8 Yes, and in this you persuaded our enemies that you are he who delivers out of every evil.
9 Οὓς μὲν γὰρ ἀκρίδων καὶ μυιῶν ἀπέκτεινε δήγματα, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ἴαμα τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἄξιοι ησαν ὑπὸ τοιούτων κολασθῆναι.
9 For the bites of locusts and flies truly killed them. No healing for their life was found, because they were worthy to be punished by such things.
10 Τοὺς δὲ υἱούς σου οὐδὲ ἰοβόλων δρακόντων ἐνίκησαν ὀδόντες, τὸ ἔλεος γάρ σου ἀντιπαρῆλθε καὶ ἰάσατο αὐτούς.
10 But your children weren’t overcome by the very fangs of venomous dragons, for your mercy passed by where they were and healed them.
11 Εἰς γὰρ ὑπόμνησιν τῶν λογίων σου ἐνεκεντρίζοντο, καὶ ὀξέως διεσώζοντο, ἵνα μὴ εἰς βαθεῖαν ἐμπεσόντες λήθην, ἀπερίσπαστοι γένωνται τῆς σῆς εὐεργεσίας.
11 For they were bitten to put them in remembrance of your oracles, and were quickly saved, lest, falling into deep forgetfulness, they should become unable to respond to your kindness.
12 Καὶ γὰρ οὔτε βοτάνη οὔτε μάλαγμα ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ ὁ σός Κύριε λόγος ὁ πάντα ἰώμενος.
12 For truly it was neither herb nor poultice that cured them, but your word, O Lord, which heals all people.
13 Σὺ γὰρ ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις, καὶ κατάγεις εἰς πύλας ᾅδου καὶ ἀνάγεις.
13 For you have authority over life and death, and you lead down to the gates of Hades, and lead up again.
14 Ἄνθρωπος δὲ ἀποκτέννει μὲν τῇ κακίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ἐξελθὸν δὲ πνεῦμα οὐκ ἀναστρέφει, οὐδὲ ἀναλύει ψυχὴν παραληφθεῖσαν.
14 But though a man kills by his wickedness, he can’t retrieve the spirit that has departed or release the imprisoned soul.
15 Τὴν δὲ σὴν χεῖρα φυγεῖν ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν.
15 But it is not possible to escape your hand;
16 Ἀρνούμενοι γάρ σε εἰδέναι ἀσεβεῖς, ἐν ἰσχύϊ βραχίονός σου ἐμαστιγώθησαν, ξένοις ὑετοῖς καὶ χαλάζαις καὶ ὄμβροις διωκόμενοι ἀπαραιτήτοις, καὶ πυρὶ καταναλισκόμενοι.
16 for ungodly men, refusing to know you, were scourged in the strength of your arm, pursued with strange rains and hails and relentless storms, and utterly consumed with fire.
17 Τὸ γὰρ παραδοξότατον, ἐν τῷ πάντα σβεννῦντι ὕδατι πλεῖον ἐνήργει τὸ πῦρ· ὑπέρμαχος γὰρ ὁ κόσμος ἐστὶ δικαίων.
17 For, what was most marvelous, in the water which quenches all things, the fire burned hotter; for the world fights for the righteous.
18 Ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ ἡμεροῦτο φλὸξ, ἵνα μὴ καταφλέξῃ τὰ ἐπʼ ἀσεβεῖς ἀπεσταλμένα ζῶα, ἀλλʼ αὐτοὶ βλέποντες ἴδωσιν, ὅτι Θεοῦ κρίσει ἐλαύνονται.
18 For at one time the flame was restrained, that it might not burn up the creatures sent against the ungodly, but that these themselves as they looked might see that they were chased by the judgment of God.
19 Ποτὲ δὲ καὶ μεταξὺ ὕδατος ὑπὲρ τὴν πυρὸς δυναμιν φλέγει, ἵνα ἀδίκου γῆς γεννήματα διαφθείρῃ.
19 At another time even in the midst of water it burns more intensely than fire, that it may destroy the produce of an unrighteous land.
20 Ἀνθʼ ὧν ἀγγέλων τροφὴν ἐψώμισας τὸ λαόν σου, καὶ ἕτοιμον ἄρτον αὐτοῖς ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ ἔπεμψας ἀκοπιάτως, πᾶσαν ἡδονὴν ἰσχύοντα καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ἁρμόνιον γεῦσιν.
20 Instead of these things, you gave your people angels’ food to eat, and you provided ready-to-eat bread for them from heaven without toil, having the virtue of every pleasant flavor, and agreeable to every taste.
21 Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὑπόστασίς σου τὴν σὴν γλυκύτητα πρὸς τέκνα ἐνεφάνισε, τῇ δὲ τοῦ προσφερομένου ἐπιθυμίᾳ ὑπηρετῶν, πρὸς ὅ τις ἐβούλετο μετεκιρνᾶτο.
21 For your nature showed your sweetness toward your children, while that bread, serving the desire of the eater, changed itself according to every man’s choice.
22 Χιὼν δὲ καὶ κρύσταλλος ὑπέμεινε πῦρ, καὶ οὐκ ἐτήκετο, ἵνα γνῶσιν ὅτι τοὺς τῶν ἐχθρῶν καρποὺς κατέφθειρε πῦρ φλεγομένον, ἐν τῇ χαλάζῃ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὑετοῖς διαστράπτον.
22 But snow and ice endured fire, and didn’t melt, that people might know that fire was destroying the fruits of the enemies, burning in the hail and flashing in the rains;
23 Τοῦτο πάλιν δʼ ἵνα τραφῶσι δίκαιοι, καὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλελῆσθαι δυνάμεως.
23 and that this fire, again, in order that righteous people may be nourished, has even forgotten its own power.
24 Ἡ γὰρ κτίσις σοι τῷ ποιήσαντι ὑπηρετοῦσα, ἐπιτείνεται εἰς κόλασιν κατὰ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ ἀνίεται εἰς εὐεργεσίαν ὑπὲρ τῶν εἰς σὲ πεποιθότων.
24 For the creation, ministering to you, its maker, strains its force against the unrighteous for punishment and in kindness, slackens it on behalf of those who trust in you.
25 Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τότε εἰς πάντα μεταλλευομένη, τῇ παντοτρόφῳ σου δωρεᾷ ὑπηρετεῖ, πρὸς τὴν τῶν δεομένων θέλησιν·
25 Therefore at that time also, converting itself into all forms, it ministered to your all-nourishing bounty, according to the desire of those who had need,
26 ἵνα μάθωσιν οἱ υἱοί σου, οὓς ἠγάπησας, Κύριε, ὅτι οὐχ αἱ γενέσεις τῶν καρπῶν τρέφουσιν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου τούς σοι πιστεύοντας διατηρεῖ.
26 that your children, whom you loved, O Lord, might learn that it is not the growth of crops that nourishes a man, but that your word preserves those who trust you.
27 Τὸ γὰρ ὑπὸ πυρὸς μὴ φθειρόμενον, ἁπλῶς ὑπὸ βραχείας ἀκτῖνος ἡλίου θερμαινόμενον ἐτήκετο·
27 For that which was not destroyed by fire, melted away when it was simply warmed by a faint sunbeam,
28 ὅπως γνωστὸν ᾖ, ὅτι δεῖ φθάνειν τὸν ἥλιον ἐπʼ εὐχαριστίαν σου, καὶ πρὸς ἀνατολὴν φωτὸς ἐντυγχάνειν σοι.
28 that it might be known that we must rise before the sun to give you thanks, and must pray to you at the dawning of the light;
29 Ἀχαρίστου γὰρ ἐλπὶς ὡς χειμέριος πάχνη τακήσεται, καὶ ῥυήσεται ὡς ὕδωρ ἄχρηστον.
29 for the hope of the unthankful will melt as the winter’s hoar frost, and will flow away as water that has no use.
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).
"For the hope of the unthankful," saith one, "is like the winter's hoar frost;" it benumbs and deadens the soul, as that doth our bodies.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)