Wisdom of Solomon 12

Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)
Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), second edition
1O how good and sweet is thy spirit, O Lord, in all things!
1ΤΟ γὰρ ἄφθαρτόν σου πνεῦμά ἐστιν ἐν πᾶσι.
2And therefore thou chastisest them that err, by little and little: and admonishest them, and speakest to them, concerning the things wherein they offend: that leaving their wickedness, they may believe in thee, O Lord.
2διὸ τοὺς παραπίπτοντας κατ᾿ ὀλίγον ἐλέγχεις καὶ ἐν οἷς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ὑπομιμνήσκων νουθετεῖς, ἵνα ἀπαλλαγέντες τῆς κακίας πιστεύσωσιν ἐπὶ σέ, Κύριε.
3For those ancient inhabitants of thy holy land, whom thou didst abhor,
3καὶ γὰρ τοὺς παλαιοὺς οἰκήτορας τῆς ἁγίας σου γῆς μισήσας
4Because they did works hateful to thee by their sorceries, and wicked sacrifices,
4ἐπὶ τῷ ἔχθιστα πράσσειν ἔργα φαρμακειῶν καὶ τελετὰς ἀνοσίους
5And those merciless murderers of their own children, and eaters of men’s bowels, and devourers of blood from the midst of thy consecration,
5τέκνων τε φονέας ἀνελεήμονας καὶ σπλαγχνοφάγων ἀνθρωπίνων σαρκῶν θοῖναν καὶ αἵματος, ἐκ μέσου μύστας θιάσου
6And those parents sacrificing with their own hands helpless souls, it was thy will to destroy by the hands of our parents,
6καὶ αὐθέντας γονεῖς ψυχῶν ἀβοηθήτων, ἐβουλήθης ἀπολέσαι διὰ χειρῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν,
7That the land which of all is most dear to thee might receive a worthy colony of the children of God.
7ἵνα ἀξίαν ἀποικίαν δέξηται Θεοῦ παίδων ἡ παρὰ σοὶ πασῶν τιμιωτάτη γῆ.
8Yet even those thou sparedst as men, and didst send wasps, forerunners of thy host, to destroy them by little and little.
8ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων ὡς ἀνθρώπων ἐφείσω ἀπέστειλάς τε προδρόμους τοῦ στρατοπέδου σου σφῆκας, ἵνα αὐτοὺς κατὰ βραχὺ ἐξολοθρεύσωσιν.
9Not that thou wast unable to bring the wicked under the just by war, or by cruel beasts, or with one rough word to destroy them at once:
9οὐκ ἀδυνατῶν ἐν παρατάξει ἀσεβεῖς δικαίοις ὑποχειρίους δοῦναι ἢ θηρίοις δεινοῖς ἢ λόγῳ ἀποτόμῳ ὑφ᾿ ἓν ἐκτρῖψαι,
10But executing thy judgments by degrees thou gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a wicked generation, and their malice natural, and that their thought could never be changed.
10κρίνων δὲ κατὰ βραχὺ ἐδίδους τόπον μετανοίας, οὐκ ἀγνοῶν ὅτι πονηρὰ ἡ γένεσις αὐτῶν καὶ ἔμφυτος ἡ κακία αὐτῶν καὶ ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἀλλαγῇ ὁ λογισμὸς αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
11For it was a cursed seed from the beginning: neither didst thou for fear of any one give pardon to their sins.
11σπέρμα γὰρ ἦν κατηραμένον ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς, οὐδὲ εὐλαβούμενός τινα ἐφ᾿ οἷς ἡμάρτανον ἄδειαν ἐδίδους.
12For who shall say to thee: What hast thou done? or who shall withstand thy judgment? or who shall come before thee to be a revenger of wicked men? or who shall accuse thee, if the nations perish, which thou hast made?
12τίς γὰρ ἐρεῖ· τί ἐποίησας; ἢ τίς ἀντιστήσεται τῷ κρίματί σου; τίς δὲ ἐγκαλέσει σοι κατὰ ἐθνῶν ἀπολωλότων, ἃ σὺ ἐποίησας; ἢ τίς εἰς κατάστασίν σοι ἐλεύσεται ἔκδικος κατὰ ἀδίκων ἀνθρώπων;
13For there is no other God but thou, who hast care of all, that thou shouldst shew that thou dost not give judgment unjustly.
13οὔτε γὰρ Θεός ἐστι πλὴν σοῦ, ᾧ μέλει περὶ πάντων, ἵνα δείξῃς ὅτι οὐκ ἀδίκως ἔκρινας,
14Neither shall king, nor tyrant in thy sight inquire about them whom thou hast destroyed.
14οὔτε βασιλεὺς ἢ τύραννος ἀντοφθαλμῆσαι δυνήσεταί σοι περὶ ὧν ἐκόλασας.
15For so much then as thou art just, thou orderest all things justly: thinking it not agreeable to thy power, to condemn him who deserveth not to be punished.
15δίκαιος δὲ ὢν δικαίως τὰ πάντα διέπεις, αὐτὸν τὸν μὴ ὀφείλοντα κολασθῆναι καταδικάσαι ἀλλότριον ἡγούμενος τῆς σῆς δυνάμεως.
16For thy power is the beginning of justice: and because thou art Lord of all, thou makest thyself gracious to all.
16ἡ γὰρ ἰσχύς σου δικαιοσύνης ἀρχή, καὶ τὸ πάντων σε δεσπόζειν πάντων φείδεσθαι ποιεῖ.
17For thou shewest thy power, when men will not believe thee to be absolute in power, and thou convincest the boldness of them that know thee not.
17ἰσχὺν γὰρ ἐνδείκνυσαι ἀπιστούμενος ἐπὶ δυνάμεως τελειότητι καὶ ἐν τοῖς εἰδόσι τὸ θράσος ἐξελέγχεις.
18But thou being master of power, judgest with tranquillity; and with great favour disposest of us: for thy power is at hand when thou wilt.
18σὺ δὲ δεσπόζων ἰσχύος ἐν ἐπιεικείᾳ κρίνεις καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς φειδοῦς διοικεῖς ἡμᾶς· πάρεστι γάρ σοι, ὅταν θέλῃς, τὸ δύνασθαι.
19But thou hast taught thy people by such works, that they must be just and humane, and hast made thy children to be of a good hope: because in judging thou givest place for repentance for sins.
19Ἐδίδαξας δέ σου τὸν λαὸν διά τῶν τοιούτων ἔργων, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν δίκαιον εἶναι φιλάνθρωπον· καὶ εὐέλπιδας ἐποίησας τοὺς υἱούς σου ὅτι δίδως ἐπὶ ἁμαρτήμασι μετάνοιαν.
20For if thou didst punish the enemies of thy servants, and that deserved to die, with so great deliberation, giving them time and place whereby they might be changed from their wickedness:
20εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὺς παίδων σου καὶ ὀφειλομένους θανάτῳ μετὰ τοσαύτης ἐτιμώρησας προσοχῆς καὶ διέσεως, δοὺς χρόνους καὶ τόπον, δι᾿ ὧν ἀπαλλαγῶσι τῆς κακίας,
21With what circumspection hast thou judged thy own children, to whose parents thou hast sworn and made covenants of good promises?
21μετὰ πόσης ἀκριβείας ἔκρινας τοὺς υἱούς σου, ὧν τοῖς πατράσιν ὅρκους καὶ συνθήκας ἔδωκας ἀγαθῶν ὑποσχέσεων;
22Therefore whereas thou chastisest us, thou scourgest our enemies very many ways, to the end that when we judge we may think on thy goodness: and when we are judged, we may hope for thy mercy.
22Ἡμᾶς οὖν παιδεύων τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν ἐν μυριότητι μαστιγοῖς, ἵνα σου τὴν ἀγαθότητα μεριμνῶμεν κρίνοντες, κρινόμενοι δὲ προσδοκῶμεν ἔλεος.
23Wherefore thou hast also greatly tormented them who in their life have lived foolishly and unjustly, by the same things which they worshipped.
23ὅθεν καὶ τοὺς ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ ζωῆς βιώσαντας ἀδίκους διὰ τῶν ἰδίων ἐβασάνισας βδελυγμάτων·
24For they went astray for a long time in the ways of error, holding those things for gods which are the most worthless among beasts, living after the manner of children without understanding.
24καὶ γὰρ τῶν πλάνης ὁδῶν μακρότερον ἐπλανήθησαν, θεοὺς ὑπολαμβάνοντες τὰ καὶ ἐν ζῴοις τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἄτιμα, νηπίων δίκην ἀφρόνων ψευσθέντες.
25Therefore thou hast sent a judgment upon them as senseless children to mock them.
25διὰ τοῦτο ὡς παισὶν ἀλογίστοις τὴν κρίσιν εἰς ἐμπαιγμὸν ἔπεμψας.
26But they that were not amended by mockeries and reprehensions, experienced the worthy judgment of God.
26οἱ δὲ παιγνίοις ἐπιτιμήσεως μὴ νουθετηθέντες ἀξίαν Θεοῦ κρίσιν πειράσουσιν.
27For seeing with indignation that they suffered by those very things which they took for gods, when they were destroyed by the same, they acknowledged him the true God, whom in time past they denied that they knew: for which cause the end also of their condemnation came upon them.
27ἐφ᾿ οἷς γὰρ αὐτοὶ πάσχοντες ἠγανάκτουν, ἐπὶ τούτοις, οὓς ἐδόκουν θεούς, ἐν αὐτοῖς κολαζόμενοι, ἰδόντες ὃν πάλαι ἠρνοῦντο εἰδέναι Θεὸν ἐπέγνωσαν ἀληθῆ· διὸ καὶ τὸ τέρμα τῆς καταδίκης ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἐπῆλθεν.

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