1 [Direxit opera eorum in manibus prophetæ sancti. 2 Iter fecerunt per deserta quæ non habitabantur, et in locis desertis fixerunt casas. 3 Steterunt contra hostes, et de inimicis se vindicaverunt. 4 Sitierunt, et invocaverunt te, et data est illis aqua de petra altissima, et requies sitis de lapide duro.] 5 [Per quæ enim pœnas passi sunt inimici illorum a defectione potus sui, et in eis cum abundarent filii Israël lætati sunt: 6 per hæc, cum illis deessent, bene cum illis actum est. 7 Nam pro fonte quidem sempiterni fluminis, humanum sanguinem dedisti injustis. 8 Qui cum minuerentur in traductione infantium occisorum, dedisti illis abundantem aquam insperate, 9 ostendens per sitim quæ tunc fuit, quemadmodum tuos exaltares, et adversarios illorum necares. 10 Cum enim tentati sunt, et quidem cum misericordia disciplinam accipientes, scierunt quemadmodum cum ira judicati impii tormenta paterentur. 11 Hos quidem tamquam pater monens probasti; illos autem tamquam durus rex interrogans condemnasti. 12 Absentes enim, et præsentes, similiter torquebantur. 13 Duplex enim illos acceperat tædium et gemitus, cum memoria præteritorum. 14 Cum enim audirent per sua tormenta bene secum agi, commemorati sunt Dominum, admirantes in finem exitus. 15 Quem enim in expositione prava projectum deriserunt, in finem eventus mirati sunt, non similiter justis sitientes. 16 Pro cogitationibus autem insensatis iniquitatis illorum, quod quidam errantes colebant mutos serpentes et bestias supervacuas, immisisti illis multitudinem mutorum animalium in vindictam; 17 ut scirent quia per quæ peccat quis, per hæc et torquetur. 18 Non enim impossibilis erat omnipotens manus tua, quæ creavit orbem terrarum ex materia invisa, immittere illis multitudinem ursorum, aut audaces leones, 19 aut novi generis ira plenas ignotas bestias, aut vaporem ignium spirantes, aut fumi odorem proferentes, aut horrendas ab oculis scintillas emittentes; 20 quarum non solum læsura poterat illos exterminare, sed et aspectus per timorem occidere. 21 Sed et sine his uno spiritu poterant occidi, persecutionem passi ab ipsis factis suis, et dispersi per spiritum virtutis tuæ: sed omnia in mensura, et numero et pondere disposuisti. 22 Multum enim valere, tibi soli supererat semper: et virtuti brachii tui quis resistet? 23 Quoniam tamquam momentum stateræ, sic est ante te orbis terrarum, et tamquam gutta roris antelucani quæ descendit in terram. 24 Sed misereris omnium, quia omnia potes; et dissimulas peccata hominum, propter pœnitentiam. 25 Diligis enim omnia quæ sunt, et nihil odisti eorum quæ fecisti; nec enim odiens aliquid constituisti aut fecisti. 26 Quomodo autem posset aliquid permanere, nisi tu voluisses? aut quod a te vocatum non esset conservaretur? 27 Parcis autem omnibus, quoniam tua sunt, Domine, qui amas animas.]
Wisdom of Solomon · Clementine Vulgate
Wisdom of Solomon 11 Clementine Vulgate
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)