Wisdom of Solomon 17
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)Translation
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)
King James Version with Apocrypha
1For thy judgments, O Lord, are great, and thy words cannot be expressed: therefore undisciplined souls have erred.
1For great are thy judgments, and cannot be expressed: therefore unnurtured souls have erred.
2For while the wicked thought to be able to have dominion over the holy nation, they themselves being fettered with the bonds of darkness, and a long night, shut up in their houses, lay there exiled from the eternal providence.
2For when unrighteous men thought to oppress the holy nation; they being shut up in their houses, the prisoners of darkness, and fettered with the bonds of a long night, lay there exiled from the eternal providence.
3And while they thought to lie hid in their obscure sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being horribly afraid and troubled with exceeding great astonishment.
3For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being horribly astonished, and troubled with strange apparitions.
4For neither did the den that held them, keep them from fear: for noises coming down troubled them, and sad visions appearing to them, affrighted them.
4For neither might the corner that held them keep them from fear: but noises as of waters falling down sounded about them, and sad visions appeared unto them with heavy countenances.
5And no power of fire could give them light, neither could the bright flames of the stars enlighten that horrible night.
5No power of the fire might give them light: neither could the bright flames of the stars endure to lighten that horrible night.
6But there appeared to them a sudden fire, very dreadful: and being struck with the fear of that face, which was not seen, they thought the things which they saw to be worse:
6Only there appeared unto them a fire kindled of itself, very dreadful: for being much terrified, they thought the things which they saw to be worse than the sight they saw not.
7And the delusions of their magic art were put down, and their boasting of wisdom was reproachfully rebuked.
7As for the illusions of art magick, they were put down, and their vaunting in wisdom was reproved with disgrace.
8For they who promised to drive away fears and troubles from a sick soul, were sick themselves of a fear worthy to be laughed at.
8For they, that promised to drive away terrors and troubles from a sick soul, were sick themselves of fear, worthy to be laughed at.
9For though no terrible thing disturbed them: yet being scared with the passing by of beasts, and hissing of serpents, they died for fear: and denying that they saw the air, which could by no means be avoided.
9For though no terrible thing did fear them; yet being scared with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents,
10For whereas wickedness is fearful, it beareth witness of its condemnation: for a troubled conscience always forecasteth grievous things.
10They died for fear, denying that they saw the air, which could of no side be avoided.
11For fear is nothing else but a yielding up of the succours from thought.
11For wickedness, condemned by her own witness, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, always forecasteth grievous things.
12And while there is less expectation from within, the greater doth it count the ignorance of that cause which bringeth the torment.
12For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth.
13But they that during that night, in which nothing could be done, and which came upon them from the lowest and deepest hell, slept the same sleep.
13And the expectation from within, being less, counteth the ignorance more than the cause which bringeth the torment.
14Were sometimes molested with the fear of monsters, sometimes fainted away, their soul failing them: for a sudden and unlooked for fear was come upon them.
14But they sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottoms of inevitable hell,
15Moreover if any of them had fallen down, he was kept shut up in prison without irons.
15Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly fainted, their heart failing them: for a sudden fear, and not looked for, came upon them.
16For if any one were a husbandman, or a shepherd, or a labourer in the field, and was suddenly overtaken, he endured a necessity from which he could not fly.
16So then whosoever there fell down was straitly kept, shut up in a prison without iron bars,
17For they were all bound together with one chain of darkness. Whether it were a whistling wind, or the melodious voice of birds, among the spreading branches of trees, or a fall of water running down with violence,
17For whether he were husbandman, or shepherd, or a labourer in the field, he was overtaken, and endured that necessity, which could not be avoided: for they were all bound with one chain of darkness.
18Or the mighty noise of stones tumbling down, or the running that could not be seen of beasts playing together, or the roaring voice of wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the highest mountains: these things made them to swoon for fear.
18Whether it were a whistling wind, or a melodious noise of birds among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water running violently,
19For the whole world was enlightened with a clear light, and none were hindered in their labours.
19Or a terrible sound of stones cast down, or a running that could not be seen of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most savage wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the hollow mountains; these things made them to swoon for fear.
20But over them only was spread a heavy night, an image of that darkness which was to come upon them. But they were to themselves more grievous than the darkness.
20For the whole world shined with clear light, and none were hindered in their labour:
no verse 21 in this text
21Over them only was spread an heavy night, an image of that darkness which should afterward receive them: but yet were they unto themselves more grievous than the darkness.
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