Wisdom of Solomon · Clementine Vulgate
Wisdom of Solomon 2 Clementine Vulgate
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.
1 For they said within themselves, with unsound reasoning, “Our life is short and sorrowful. There is no healing when a man comes to his end, and no one was ever known who was released from Hades.
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:
2 Because we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we will be as though we had never been, because the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our heart,
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.
3 which being extinguished, the body will be turned into ashes, and the spirit will be dispersed as thin air.
4 Et nomen nostrum oblivionem accipiet per tempus, et nemo memoriam habebit operum nostrorum.
4 Our name will be forgotten in time. No one will remember our works. Our life will pass away as the traces of a cloud, and will be scattered as is a mist, when it is chased by the rays of the sun, and overcome by its heat.
5 Umbræ enim transitus est tempus nostrum, et non est reversio finis nostri: quoniam consignata est, et nemo revertitur.
5 For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and our end doesn’t retreat, because it is securely sealed, and no one turns it back.
6 Venite ergo, et fruamur bonis quæ sunt, et utamur creatura tamquam in juventute celeriter.
6 “Come therefore and let’s enjoy the good things that exist. Let’s use the creation earnestly as in our youth.
7 Vino pretioso et unguentis nos impleamus, et non prætereat nos flos temporis.
7 Let’s fill ourselves with costly wine and perfumes, and let no spring flower pass us by.
8 Coronemus nos rosis antequam marcescant; nullum pratum sit quod non pertranseat luxuria nostra:
8 Let’s crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.
9 nemo nostrum exsors sit luxuriæ nostræ. Ubique relinquamus signa lætitiæ, quoniam hæc est pars nostra, et hæc est sors.
9 Let none of us go without his share in our proud revelry. Let’s leave tokens of mirth everywhere, because this is our portion, and this is our lot.
10 Opprimamus pauperem justum, et non parcamus viduæ, nec veterani revereamur canos multi temporis:
10 Let’s oppress the righteous poor. Let’s not spare the widow, nor regard the gray hair of the old man.
11 sit autem fortitudo nostra lex justitiæ; quod enim infirmum est, inutile invenitur.
11 But let our strength be a law of righteousness; for that which is weak is proven useless.
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.
12 But let’s lie in wait for the righteous man, because he annoys us, is contrary to our works, reproaches us with sins against the law, and charges us with sins against our training.
13 Promittit se scientiam Dei habere, et filium Dei se nominat.
13 He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord.
14 Factus est nobis in traductionem cogitationum nostrarum.
14 He became to us a reproof of our thoughts.
15 Gravis est nobis etiam ad videndum, quoniam dissimilis est aliis vita illius, et immutatæ sunt viæ ejus.
15 He is grievous to us even to look at, because his life is unlike other men’s, and his paths are strange.
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.
16 We were regarded by him as something worthless, and he abstains from our ways as from uncleanness. He calls the latter end of the righteous happy. He boasts that God is his father.
17 Videamus ergo si sermones illius veri sint, et tentemus quæ ventura sunt illi, et sciemus quæ erunt novissima illius.
17 Let’s see if his words are true. Let’s test what will happen at the end of his life.
18 Si enim est verus filius Dei, suscipiet illum, et liberabit eum de manibus contrariorum.
18 For if the righteous man is God’s son, he will uphold him, and he will deliver him out of the hand of his adversaries.
19 Contumelia et tormento interrogemus eum, ut sciamus reverentiam ejus, et probemus patientiam illius.
19 Let’s test him with insult and torture, that we may find out how gentle he is, and test his patience.
20 Morte turpissima condemnemus eum; erit enim ei respectus ex sermonibus illius.
20 Let’s condemn him to a shameful death, for he will be protected, according to his words.”
21 Hæc cogitaverunt, et erraverunt: excæcavit enim illos malitia eorum.
21 Thus they reasoned, and they were led astray; for their wickedness blinded them,
22 Et nescierunt sacramenta Dei: neque mercedem speraverunt justitiæ, nec judicaverunt honorem animarum sanctarum.
22 and they didn’t know the mysteries of God, neither did they hope for wages of holiness, nor did they discern that there is a prize for blameless souls.
23 Quoniam Deus creavit hominem inexterminabilem, et ad imaginem similitudinis suæ fecit illum.
23 Because God created man for incorruption, and made him an image of his own everlastingness;
24 Invidia autem diaboli mors introivit in orbem terrarum:
24 but death entered into the world by the envy of the devil, and those who belong to him experience it.
25 imitantur autem illum qui sunt ex parte illius.]
25 Not in this translation
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)