Wisdom of Solomon · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Wisdom of Solomon 18 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 But for thy holy ones there was great light; And [the Egyptians, ] hearing their voice but seeing not their form, Counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered,
1 But for your holy ones there was great light. Their enemies, hearing their voice but not seeing their form, counted it a happy thing that they had not suffered,
2 Yet for that they do not hurt them [now, ] though wronged [by them ] before, they are thankful; And because they had been at variance [with them, ] they made supplication [to them. ]
2 yet for that they do not hurt them, though wronged by them before, they are thankful; and because they had been at variance with them, they begged for pardon.
3 Whereas thou didst provide [for thy people ] a burning pillar of fire, To be a guide for [their ] unknown journey, And withal a kindly sun for [their ] proud exile.
3 Therefore you provided a burning pillar of fire, to be a guide for your people’s unknown journey, and a harmless sun for their glorious exile.
4 For well did the Egyptians deserve to be deprived of light and imprisoned by darkness, They who had kept in close ward thy sons, Through whom the incorruptible light of the law was to be given to the race of men.
4 For the Egyptians well deserved to be deprived of light and imprisoned by darkness, they who had imprisoned your children, through whom the incorruptible light of the law was to be given to the race of men.
5 After they had taken counsel to slay the babes of the holy ones, And when a single child had been cast forth and saved to convict [them of their sin, ] Thou tookest away from them their multitude of children, And destroyedst all [their host ] together in a mighty flood.
5 After they had taken counsel to kill the babes of the holy ones, and when a single child had been abandoned and saved to convict them of their sin, you took away from them their multitude of children, and destroyed all their army together in a mighty flood.
6 Of that night were our fathers made aware beforehand, That, having sure knowledge, they might be cheered by the oaths which they had trusted:
6 Our fathers were made aware of that night beforehand, that, having sure knowledge, they might be cheered by the oaths which they had trusted.
7 [So ] by thy people was expected salvation of the righteous and destruction of the enemies;
7 Salvation of the righteous and destruction of the enemies was expected by your people.
8 For as thou didst take vengeance on the adversaries, By the same means, calling us unto thyself, thou didst glorify us.
8 For as you took vengeance on the adversaries, by the same means, calling us to yourself, you glorified us.
9 For holy children of good men offered sacrifice in secret, And with one consent they took upon themselves the covenant of the divine law, That they would partake alike in the same good things and the same perils; The fathers already leading the sacred songs of praise.
9 For holy children of good men offered sacrifice in secret, and with one consent they agreed to the covenant of the divine law, that they would partake alike in the same good things and the same perils, the fathers already leading the sacred songs of praise.
10 But there sounded back in discord the cry of the enemies, And a piteous voice of lamentation for children was borne abroad.
10 But the discordant cry of the enemies echoed back, and a pitiful voice of lamentation for children was spread abroad.
11 And servant along with master punished with a like just doom, And commoner suffering the same as king,
11 Both servant and master were punished with the same just doom, and the commoner suffering the same as king;
12 Yea, all [the people ] together, under one form of death, Had [with them ] corpses without number; For the living were not sufficient even to bury them, Since at a single stroke their nobler offspring was consumed.
12 Yes, they all together, under one form of death, had corpses without number. For the living were not sufficient even to bury them, Since at a single stroke, their most cherished offspring was consumed.
13 For while they were disbelieving all things by reason of the enchantments, Upon the destruction of the firstborn they confessed the people to be God’s son.
13 For while they were disbelieving all things by reason of the enchantments, upon the destruction of the firstborn they confessed the people to be God’s children.
14 For while peaceful silence enwrapped all things, And night in her own swiftness was in mid course,
14 For while peaceful silence wrapped all things, and night in her own swiftness was half spent,
15 Thine all-powerful word leaped from heaven out of [the ] royal throne, A stern warrior, into the midst of the doomed land,
15 your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, a stern warrior, into the midst of the doomed land,
16 Bearing as a sharp sword thine unfeigned commandment; And standing it filled all things with death; And while it touched the heaven it trode upon the earth.
16 bearing as a sharp sword your authentic commandment, and standing, it filled all things with death, and while it touched the sky it stood upon the earth.
17 Then forthwith apparitions in dreams terribly troubled them, And fears came upon them unlooked for.
17 Then immediately apparitions in dreams terribly troubled them, and unexpected fears came upon them.
18 And [each, ] one thrown here half dead, another there, Made manifest wherefore he was dying:
18 And each, one thrown here half dead, another there, made known why he was dying;
19 For the dreams, perturbing them, did foreshew this, That they might not perish without knowing why they were afflicted.
19 for the dreams, disturbing them, forewarned them of this, that they might not perish without knowing why they were afflicted.
20 But it befell the righteous also to make trial of death, And a multitude were stricken in the wilderness: Howbeit the wrath endured not for long.
20 The experience of death also touched the righteous, and a multitude were destroyed in the wilderness, but the wrath didn’t last long.
21 For a blameless man hasted to be their champion: Bringing the weapon of his own ministry, [Even ] prayer and the propitiation of incense, He withstood the indignation, and set an end to the calamity, Shewing that he was thy servant.
21 For a blameless man hurried to be their champion, bringing the weapon of his own ministry, prayer, and the atoning sacrifice of incense. He withstood the indignation and set an end to the calamity, showing that he was your servant.
22 And he overcame the anger, Not by strength of body, not by efficacy of weapons; But by word did he subdue the minister of punishment, By bringing to remembrance oaths and covenants made with the fathers.
22 And he overcame the anger, not by strength of body, not by force of weapons, but by his word, he subdued the avenger by bringing to remembrance oaths and covenants made with the fathers.
23 For when the dead were already fallen in heaps one upon another, Standing between he stopped the [advancing ] wrath, And cut off the way to the living.
23 For when the dead had already fallen in heaps one upon another, he intervened and stopped the wrath, and cut off its way to the living.
24 For upon [his ] long [high-priestly ] robe was the whole world, And the glories of the fathers [were ] upon the graving of the four rows of precious stones, And thy majesty [was ] upon the diadem of his head.
24 For the whole world was pictured on his long robe, and the glories of the fathers were upon the engraving of the four rows of precious stones, and your majesty was upon the diadem on his head.
25 To these the destroyer gave place, and these [the people ] feared; For it was enough only to make trial of the wrath.
25 The destroyer yielded to these, and they feared; for it was enough only to test the wrath.
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 consider what a thing it is to hear, how on the one side God from Heaven, arising "out of the royal thrones, leaped down " unto the earth, and even unto hell itself, and stood in the battle array; and how the devil on the other hand set himself in array against Him; or rather not against God unveiled, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)