1 [Tunc stabunt justi in magna constantia adversus eos qui se angustiaverunt, et qui abstulerunt labores eorum. 2 Videntes turbabuntur timore horribili, et mirabuntur in subitatione insperatæ salutis; 3 dicentes intra se, pœnitentiam agentes, et præ angustia spiritus gementes: Hi sunt quos habuimus aliquando in derisum, et in similitudinem improperii. 4 Nos insensati, vitam illorum æstimabamus insaniam, et finem illorum sine honore; 5 ecce quomodo computati sunt inter filios Dei, et inter sanctos sors illorum est. 6 Ergo erravimus a via veritatis, et justitiæ lumen non luxit nobis, et sol intelligentiæ non est ortus nobis. 7 Lassati sumus in via iniquitatis et perditionis, et ambulavimus vias difficiles: viam autem Domini ignoravimus. 8 Quid nobis profuit superbia? aut divitiarum jactantia quid contulit nobis? 9 Transierunt omnia illa tamquam umbra, et tamquam nuntius percurrens, 10 et tamquam navis quæ pertransit fluctuantem aquam, cujus cum præterierit non est vestigium invenire, neque semitam carinæ illius in fluctibus; 11 aut tamquam avis quæ transvolat in aëre, cujus nullum invenitur argumentum itineris, sed tantum sonitus alarum verberans levem ventum, et scindens per vim itineris aërem: commotis alis transvolavit, et post hoc nullum signum invenitur itineris illius; 12 aut tamquam sagitta emissa in locum destinatum, divisus aër continuo in se reclusus est, ut ignoretur transitus illius: 13 sic et nos nati continuo desivimus esse; et virtutis quidem nullum signum valuimus ostendere, in malignitate autem nostra consumpti sumus. 14 Talia dixerunt in inferno hi qui peccaverunt: 15 quoniam spes impii tamquam lanugo est quæ a vento tollitur, et tamquam spuma gracilis quæ a procella dispergitur, et tamquam fumus qui a vento diffusus est, et tamquam memoria hospitis unius diei prætereuntis. 16 Justi autem in perpetuum vivent, et apud Dominum est merces eorum, et cogitatio illorum apud Altissimum. 17 Ideo accipient regnum decoris, et diadema speciei de manu Domini: quoniam dextera sua teget eos, et brachio sancto suo defendet illos. 18 Accipiet armaturam zelus illius, et armabit creaturam ad ultionem inimicorum. 19 Induet pro thorace justitiam, et accipiet pro galea judicium certum; 20 sumet scutum inexpugnabile æquitatem. 21 Acuet autem duram iram in lanceam, et pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contra insensatos. 22 Ibunt directe emissiones fulgurum, et tamquam a bene curvato arcu nubium exterminabuntur, et ad certum locum insilient. 23 Et a petrosa ira plenæ mittentur grandines; excandescet in illos aqua maris, et flumina concurrent duriter. 24 Contra illos stabit spiritus virtutis, et tamquam turbo venti dividet illos; et ad eremum perducet omnem terram iniquitas illorum, et malignitas evertet sedes potentium.]
Wisdom of Solomon · Clementine Vulgate
Wisdom of Solomon 5 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).
For it is the expression of those who lose what they have wrought, that text which says, "What hath pride profited us, or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow." "The seed of the wicked," then, "shall be cut off."
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
If He is not to show, who will they be that are to say, "What hath profited us pride, and what hath boasting of riches bestowed upon us?" For then shall they know, that now will not know.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
Therefore we have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shone to us, and the sun hath not risen to us."...
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)