Wisdom 11
The Israelites, guided by the holy prophet, persevered through desolate areas and adversity, and when they thirsted, God provided them with water from a rock. In contrast, their enemies were punished with undrinkable water. God's power and mercy were demonstrated as He provided for the Israelites and punished their adversaries. God's justice is also shown in that those who sin are tormented by the same things they sin with, and that He can destroy with a single breath, but instead chooses to be merciful and spare all things because they are His.
She directed their works in the hands of the holy prophetThey made a path through desolate areas, which were uninhabited, and set up their homes in remote placesThey stood firm against the enemy, and vindicated themselves from their adversariesThey thirsted, and they called upon you, and water was given them out of the deepest rock, and respite from thirst out of the hard stoneFor through water, their enemies had been punished, by the corruption of their drinking water; and so, among them, when the sons of Israel lacked the abundance they would have had, their enemies rejoicedyet through water, when they were in need, it turned out well for themFor instead of a fountain, even everlasting in flow, you gave human blood to the unjustand while they would be crushed into disgrace because of the murdering of infants, you unexpectedly gave your own abundant waterrevealing through the thirst, which occurred at that time, how you would exalt your own and would kill their adversariesFor when they were being tested, and even when receiving merciful correction, they knew in what way, when your wrath judged the impious, they would suffer tormentsFor these, advising like a father, you approved; but the others, interrogating like a severe king, you condemnedFor whether absent or present, they were tortured alikeFor they had received double: weariness and groaning in the remembrance of things pastFor when they paid attention to their punishments, to attend to their own benefit, they called to mind the Lord, admiring the end resultFor though they showed scorn by throwing out distorted statements, in the end they were amazed at the result, but this is not the same as thirsting for justiceFor according to the thinking of their irrational iniquity, because some, going astray, were worshiping mute serpents and worthless beasts, you sent upon them a multitude of mute beasts for vengeanceso that they might know that by whatever things a man sins, by the same also is he tormentedFor it was not impossible for your all-powerful hand, which created the world from unknown material, to send forth upon them a multitude of bears, or fierce lionsor, in anger, beasts of a new kind, massive and strange, either breathing out a fiery vapor, or sending forth an odorous smoke, or shooting horrible sparks from their eyeswhereby, not only wounds would be able to destroy them, but also the very sight would kill them through fearYet, even without these, they could have been killed with one breath, suffering persecution of their own making and being scattered by your spirit of virtue; but you have ordered all things in size and number and weightThough many are strong, you alone always overcome. And who will withstand the strength of your armFor, like a tiny grain on a scale, just so is the world before you, and like a drop of dew before dawn, which descends upon the earthBut you are merciful to all, because you can do all, and you dismiss the sins of man because of repentanceFor you love all things that are, and you hate nothing of the things you have made; for you would not have created or established anything that you hatedFor how could anything endure, except by your will? Or what, having been called by you not to exist, would be preservedYet you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord, who loves souls
Share this chapter