1 [Dixerunt enim cogitantes apud se non recte: Exiguum et cum tædio est tempus vitæ nostræ, et non est refrigerium in fine hominis, et non est qui agnitus sit reversus ab inferis. 2 Quia ex nihilo nati sumus, et post hoc erimus tamquam non fuerimus. Quoniam fumus flatus est in naribus nostris, et sermo scintilla ad commovendum cor nostrum: 3 qua extincta, cinis erit corpus nostrum, et spiritus diffundetur tamquam mollis aër; et transibit vita nostra tamquam vestigium nubis, et sicut nebula dissolvetur quæ fugata est a radiis solis, et a calore illius aggravata. 4 Et nomen nostrum oblivionem accipiet per tempus, et nemo memoriam habebit operum nostrorum. 5 Umbræ enim transitus est tempus nostrum, et non est reversio finis nostri: quoniam consignata est, et nemo revertitur. 6 Venite ergo, et fruamur bonis quæ sunt, et utamur creatura tamquam in juventute celeriter. 7 Vino pretioso et unguentis nos impleamus, et non prætereat nos flos temporis. 8 Coronemus nos rosis antequam marcescant; nullum pratum sit quod non pertranseat luxuria nostra: 9 nemo nostrum exsors sit luxuriæ nostræ. Ubique relinquamus signa lætitiæ, quoniam hæc est pars nostra, et hæc est sors. 10 Opprimamus pauperem justum, et non parcamus viduæ, nec veterani revereamur canos multi temporis: 11 sit autem fortitudo nostra lex justitiæ; quod enim infirmum est, inutile invenitur. 12 Circumveniamus ergo justum, quoniam inutilis est nobis, et contrarius est operibus nostris, et improperat nobis peccata legis, et diffamat in nos peccata disciplinæ nostræ. 13 Promittit se scientiam Dei habere, et filium Dei se nominat. 14 Factus est nobis in traductionem cogitationum nostrarum. 15 Gravis est nobis etiam ad videndum, quoniam dissimilis est aliis vita illius, et immutatæ sunt viæ ejus. 16 Tamquam nugaces æstimati sumus ab illo, et abstinet se a viis nostris tamquam ab immunditiis, et præfert novissima justorum, et gloriatur patrem se habere Deum. 17 Videamus ergo si sermones illius veri sint, et tentemus quæ ventura sunt illi, et sciemus quæ erunt novissima illius. 18 Si enim est verus filius Dei, suscipiet illum, et liberabit eum de manibus contrariorum. 19 Contumelia et tormento interrogemus eum, ut sciamus reverentiam ejus, et probemus patientiam illius. 20 Morte turpissima condemnemus eum; erit enim ei respectus ex sermonibus illius. 21 Hæc cogitaverunt, et erraverunt: excæcavit enim illos malitia eorum. 22 Et nescierunt sacramenta Dei: neque mercedem speraverunt justitiæ, nec judicaverunt honorem animarum sanctarum. 23 Quoniam Deus creavit hominem inexterminabilem, et ad imaginem similitudinis suæ fecit illum. 24 Invidia autem diaboli mors introivit in orbem terrarum: 25 imitantur autem illum qui sunt ex parte illius.]
Wisdom of Solomon · Clementine Vulgate
Wisdom of Solomon 2 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).
… is become blind in His faith, neither walks in the ordinances of His appointment, nor acts a part becoming a Christian, but walks after his own wicked lusts, resuming the practice of an unrighteous and ungodly envy, by which death itself entered into the world. Chapter IV — Many evils have already flowed from this source in ancient times For …
For he says, what it was foretold in the book of Wisdom that he should say, "He is grievous unto us, even to behold; for his life is not like other men's." Therefore he "seeks to slay him." What?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
"Let us condemn Him with a most shameful death, for by His own sayings He shall be respected;" for if he is indeed the Son of God, He will deliver Him from the hands of His adversaries: He will not suffer His Son to die, if He is truly His Son.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… saith, "Behold there cometh the Prince of the world," being an acute observer of all sins; "Behold," He saith, "there cometh the Prince of this world," with death afflicting sinners, presiding over death: for, "By the malice of the devil death came into the world." "Behold," He saith, "there cometh the Prince of the world:"--He said these words close upon …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)