Wisdom of Solomon · Clementine Vulgate
Wisdom of Solomon 10 Clementine Vulgate
1 [Hæc illum qui primus formatus est a Deo patre orbis terrarum, cum solus esset creatus, custodivit,
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 et eduxit illum a delicto suo, et dedit illi virtutem continendi omnia.
2 and gave him strength to rule over all things.
3 Ab hac ut recessit injustus in ira sua, per iram homicidii fraterni deperiit.
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 Propter quem cum aqua deleret terram, sanavit iterum sapientia, per contemptibile lignum justum gubernans.
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 Hæc et in consensu nequitiæ, cum se nationes contulissent, scivit justum, et conservavit sine querela Deo, et in filii misericordia fortem custodivit.
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 Hæc justum a pereuntibus impiis liberavit fugientem, descendente igne in Pentapolim:
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 quibus in testimonium nequitiæ fumigabunda constat deserta terra, et incerto tempore fructus habentes arbores: et incredibilis animæ memoria stans figmentum salis.
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 Sapientiam enim prætereuntes, non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt ut ignorarent bona, sed et insipientiæ suæ reliquerunt hominibus memoriam, ut in his quæ peccaverunt nec latere potuissent.
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 Sapientia autem hos qui se observant a doloribus liberavit.
9 but wisdom delivered those who waited on her out of troubles.
10 Hæc profugum iræ fratris justum deduxit per vias rectas, et ostendit illi regnum Dei, et dedit illi scientiam sanctorum; honestavit illum in laboribus, et complevit labores illius.
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 fraude circumvenientium illum affuit illi, et honestum fecit illum.
11 When in their covetousness men dealt harshly with him, she stood by him and made him rich.
12 Custodivit illum ab inimicis, et a seductoribus tutavit illum: et certamen forte dedit illi ut vinceret, et sciret quoniam omnium potentior est sapientia.
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 Hæc venditum justum non dereliquit, sed a peccatoribus liberavit eum; descenditque cum illo in foveam,
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 et in vinculis non dereliquit illum, donec afferret illi sceptrum regni, et potentiam adversus eos qui eum deprimebant: et mendaces ostendit qui maculaverunt illum, et dedit illi claritatem æternam.]
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 [Hæc populum justum et semen sine querela liberavit a nationibus quæ illum deprimebant.
15 Wisdom delivered a holy people and a blameless seed from a nation of oppressors.
16 Intravit in animam servi Dei, et stetit contra reges horrendos in portentis et signis.
16 She entered into the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood terrible kings in wonders and signs.
17 Et reddidit justis mercedem laborum suorum, et deduxit illos in via mirabili: et fuit illis in velamento diei, et in luce stellarum per noctem;
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 transtulit illos per mare Rubrum, et transvexit illos per aquam nimiam.
18 She brought them over the Red sea, and led them through much water;
19 Inimicos autem illorum demersit in mare, et ab altitudine inferorum eduxit illos. Ideo justi tulerunt spolia impiorum,
19 but she drowned their enemies, and she cast them up from the bottom of the deep.
20 et decantaverunt, Domine, nomen sanctum tuum, et victricem manum tuam laudaverunt pariter:
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 quoniam sapientia aperuit os mutorum, et linguas infantium fecit disertas.]
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)