- WISDOM OF SOLOMON
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CHAPTER 19
1 Forsooth ire without mercy came on wicked men till into the last, that is, till to the drenching (or the drown-ing) of them; for why God before-knew also the things to coming of them.
2 For when they were turned, and had suffered (or allowed), that they should lead out them, and had before-sent them with great busyness, the deeds of repenting pursued them.
3 For they having yet mourning be-twixt the hands, and they beweeping at the sepulchres of dead men [or and weeping at the monuments of the dead], took to them(selves) another thought of uncunning, (or of unknow-ing, or of ignorance); and they pur-sued those Hebrews, as fleers away, which they praying had sent forth.
4 For why worthy need [or worthy necessity] led them to this end, and they lost remembering of these things, that had befallen, that punishing should [ful] fill those things, that failed [or lacked] of torments,
5 and that soothly thy people should pass wonderfully; forsooth that they should find a new death.
6 For why each creature serving to thine behests (or thy commands), was reformed to his kind at the beginning, (so) that thy children should be kept unhurt.
7 For why a cloud beshadowed the castles of them (or their camp), and dry earth appeared in water that was before (or where water was before), and a way without letting (or hindrance)appeared in the Red Sea or the Reed Sea, and a field burgeoning from (a) full great depth;
8 by which field all the nation passed, that was covered with thine hand; forsooth they saw thy marvels and wonders.
9 For they as horses devoured meat, that is, took the armours of (the) Egyptians, which they saw dead on the brink of the sea (or on the sea-shore), and as lambs they made full out joy, magnifying thee, Lord, that deliveredest them.
10 For they were mindful yet of those things, that were done in the dwelling of them among (the) Egyptians; how the land brought forth flies, for the nation of beasts, and the flood (or the river) brought forth (a) multitude of paddocks [or frogs] for fishes.
11 Forsooth at the last they saw a new creature of birds, when they were led by covetousness, and asked (for) meats of feast.
12 For in the speaking to, that is, at the asking of them, of (or for) their desire, a curlew ascended [or went up] to them from the sea;
13 and dis-eases [or travails] came on (the) sinners, and not without provings [or evidences] of those things, that were done before by the fierceness [or the force] of floods. For they suffered justly, by [or after] their wickednesses; for they ordained more abominable unhospitality.
14 Soothly some received not un-known comelings; soothly others took good men harboured into thralldom, [or servage, (or servitude)].
15 And not only they did these things, but soothly also another beholding [or respect] of them was, that they against their will received strangers.
16 Forsooth they that used the same ordinances, tormented with cruelest sorrows them, that (they had) received with gladness.
17 Forsooth they were smitten with blindness, as they in the gates of the just man [or the rightwise], when they were covered with sudden darknesses; each man sought the passing (out) of his (own) door.
18 Forsooth while elements be turn-ed into themselves, as the sound of manner [or of quality] is changed in (an) organ, and (yet) all things keep their sound; wherefore it may be guessed of that certain sight.
19 Beasts of the field were turned into beasts of water; whatever were swim-ming things, went in (or on) the land.
20 Fire in water had power above his virtue (or its own strength); and (the) water forgot the kind quenching.
21 Again-ward flames of corruptible beasts dis-eased not the fleshes of (the)Hebrews going together (with them); neither departed that good meat, that was departed (as) lightly as ice.
22 Forsooth, Lord, thou magnifiedest thy people in all things, and honouredest; and despisedest not, and helpedest them in each time and in each place.

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© 2001,2010,2011,2012,2013,2015 Terry Noble