The Wisdom of Solomon

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 18 -

The slaughter of the firstborn in Egypt: the efficacy of Aaron’s intercession, in the sedition on occasion of Core.

But thy saints had a very great light, and they heard their voice indeed, but did not see their shape. And because they also did not suffer the same things, they glorified thee:

And they that before had been wronged, gave thanks, because they were not hurt now: and asked this gift, that there might be a difference.

Therefore they received a burning pillar of fire for a guide of the way which they knew not, and thou gavest them a harmless sun of a good entertainment.

The others indeed were worthy to be deprived of light, and imprisoned in darkness, who kept thy children shut up, by whom the pure light of the law was to be given to the world.

And whereas they thought to kill the babes of the just, one child being cast forth, and saved, to reprove them, thou tookest away a multitude of their children, and destroyedst them all together in a mighty water.

For that night was known before by our fathers, that assuredly knowing what oaths they had trusted to, they might be of better courage.

So thy people received the salvation of the just, and destruction of the unjust.

For as thou didst punish the adversaries: so thou didst also encourage and glorify us.

For the just children of good men were offering sacrifice secretly, and they unanimously ordered a law of justice: that the just should receive both good and evil alike, singing now the praises of the fathers.

But on the other side there sounded an ill according cry of the enemies, and a lamentable mourning was heard for the children that were bewailed.

And the servant suffered the same punishment as the master, and a common man suffered in like manner as the king.

So all alike had innumerable dead, with one kind of death. Neither were the living sufficient to bury them; for in one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed.

For whereas they would not believe any thing before by reason of the enchantments, then first upon the destruction of the firstborn, they acknowledged the people to be of God.

For while all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course,

Thy almighty word leapt down from heaven from thy royal throne, as a fierce conqueror into the midst of the land of destruction.

With a sharp sword carrying thy unfeigned commandment, and he stood and filled all things with death, and standing on the earth reached even to heaven.

Then suddenly visions of evil dreams troubled them, and fears unlooked for came upon them.

And one thrown here, another there, half dead, shewed the cause of his death.

For the visions that troubled them foreshewed these things, lest they should perish and not know why they suffered these evils.

But the just also were afterwards touched by an assault of death, and there was a disturbance of the multitude in the wilderness: but thy wrath did not long continue.

For a blameless man made haste to pray for the people, bringing forth the shield of his ministry, prayer, and by incense making supplication, withstood the wrath, and put an end to the calamity, shewing that he was thy servant.

And he overcame the disturbance, not by strength of body nor with force of arms, but with a word he subdued him that punished them, alleging the oaths and covenant made with the fathers.

For when they were now fallen down dead by heaps one upon another, he stood between and stayed the assault, and cut off the way to the living.

For in the priestly robe which he wore, was the whole world: and in the four rows of the stones the glory of the fathers was graven, and thy majesty was written upon the diadem of his head.

And to these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for the proof only of wrath was enough.

The slaughter of the firstborn in Egypt: the efficacy of Aaron’s intercession, in the sedition on occasion of Core.

But for your holy ones there was great light. Their enemies, hearing their voice but not seeing their form, counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered,

yet for that they do not hurt them, though wronged by them before, they are thankful; and because they had been at variance with them, they begged for pardon.

Therefore you provided a burning pillar of fire, to be a guide for your people’s unknown journey, and a harmless sun for their glorious exile.

For the Egyptians well deserved to be deprived of light and imprisoned by darkness, they who had imprisoned your children, through whom the incorruptible light of the law was to be given to the race of men.

After they had taken counsel to kill the babes of the holy ones, and when a single child had been abandoned and saved to convict them of their sin, you took away from them their multitude of children, and destroyed all their army together in a mighty flood.

Our fathers were made aware of that night beforehand, that, having sure knowledge, they might be cheered by the oaths which they had trusted.

Salvation of the righteous and destruction of the enemies was expected by your people.

For as you took vengeance on the adversaries, by the same means, calling us to yourself, you glorified us.

For holy children of good men offered sacrifice in secret, and with one consent they agreed to the covenant of the divine law, that they would partake alike in the same good things and the same perils, the fathers already leading the sacred songs of praise.

But the discordant cry of the enemies echoed back, and a pitiful voice of lamentation for children was spread abroad.

Both servant and master were punished with the same just doom, and the commoner suffering the same as king;

Yes, they all together, under one form of death, had corpses without number. For the living were not sufficient even to bury them, Since at a single stroke, their most cherished offspring was consumed.

For while they were disbelieving all things by reason of the enchantments, upon the destruction of the firstborn they confessed the people to be God’s children.

For while peaceful silence wrapped all things, and night in her own swiftness was half spent,

your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, a stern warrior, into the midst of the doomed land,

bearing as a sharp sword your authentic commandment, and standing, it filled all things with death, and while it touched the heaven it stood upon the earth.

Then immediately apparitions in dreams terribly troubled them, and unexpected fears came upon them.

And each, one thrown here half dead, another there, made known why he was dying;

for the dreams, disturbing them, forewarned them of this, that they might not perish without knowing why they were afflicted.

The experience of death also touched the righteous, and a multitude were destroyed in the wilderness, but the wrath didn’t last long.

For a blameless man hurried to be their champion, bringing the weapon of his own ministry, prayer, and the atoning sacrifice of incense. He withstood the indignation and set an end to the calamity, showing that he was your servant.

And he overcame the anger, not by strength of body, not by force of weapons, but by his word, he subdued the avenger by bringing to remembrance oaths and covenants made with the fathers.

For when the dead had already fallen in heaps one upon another, he intervened and stopped the wrath, and cut off its way to the living.

For the whole world was pictured on his long robe, and the glories of the fathers were upon the engraving of the four rows of precious stones, and your majesty was upon the diadem on his head.

The destroyer yielded to these, and they feared; for it was enough only to test the wrath.