16 — Wisdom

1For these things, and by the like things to these, they were worthily punished, and were destroyed by a multitude of beasts.Per questo ancora mediante simili; cose furon quelli giustamente i tormentati, e sterminati da una turba di bestie.FOR these thinges, and by the like to these, they haue worthely suffered torments, and were destroyed by a multitude of beasts.Propter hæc et per his similia passi sunt digne tormenta, / et per multitudinem bestiarum exterminati sunt. 2Instead of which punishment, dealing well with thy people, thou gavest them their desire of delicious food, of a new taste, preparing for them quails for their meat:Ma in luogo di tali pene, tu facesti de' favori al tuo popolo concedendogli le bramate delizie di nuovo sapore, le quaglie:For the which torments thou didst wel dispose of thy people, to whom thou gauest the desire of their delectation a new taste, preparing them the quaile for meate:Pro quibus tormentis bene disposuisti populum tuum, / quibus dedisti concupiscentiam delectamenti sui novum saporem, / escam parans eis ortygometram: 3To the end, that they indeed desiring food, by means of those things that were shewn and sent among them, might loath even that which was necessary to satisfy their desire. But these, after suffering want for a short time, tasted a new meat.Talmente che quelli bramosi di cibo, a motivo di quelle bestie, che l'avevano sotto degli occhi mandate contro di loro, perdevano l'appetito del necessario, questi poi ridotti per poco tempo all'inopia gustarono nuove vivande;that they in deede coueting meate, because of those thinges which were shewed and sent them, might be turned away euen from necessarie concupiscence. But they in short time being made needie, tasted a new meate.ut illi quidem, concupiscentes escam / propter ea quæ illis ostensa et missa sunt, / etiam a necessaria concupiscentia averterentur. / Hi autem in brevi inopes facti, novam gustaverunt escam. 4For it was requisite that inevitable destruction should come upon them that exercised tyranny: but to these it should only be shewn how their enemies were destroyed.Perocché conveniva che irremediabile rovina venisse sopra di quelli, che la facevano da tiranni: a questi poi solamente si dimostrasse in qual guisa straziati fossero i loro nemici.For it behoued that without excuse destruction should come vpon them exercising tyrannie: but to these onlie to shew how their enemies were destroyed.Oportebat enim illis sine excusatione quidem / supervenire interitum exercentibus tyrannidem; / his autem tantum ostendere / quemadmodum inimici eorum exterminabantur.

5For when the fierce rage of beasts came upon these, they were destroyed by the bitings of crooked serpents.E allora quando contro di questi infierirono bestie crudeli, eglino erano messi a morte pelle morsicature di velenosi serpenti;For when the cruel wrath of beastes came vpon them, they were destroyed with the bytings of peruerse serpentsEtenim cum illis supervenit sæva bestiarum ira, / morsibus perversorum colubrorum exterminabantur. 6But thy wrath endured not for ever, but they were troubled for a short time for their correction, having a sign of salvation, to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law.Ma non per sempre durò il tuo sdegno, ma per poco tempo furono spaventati per loro emendazione, avendo ricevuto il segno di salute, perché si ricordassero de' comandamenti della tua legge.Howbeit thy wrath endured not for euer, but for chastisement they were trubled a short time, hauing a signe of saluation for the remembrance of the commandment of thy law.Sed non in perpetuum ira tua permansit, / sed ad correptionem in brevi turbati sunt, / signum habentes salutis ad commemorationem mandati legis tuæ. 7For he that turned to it, was not healed by that which he saw, but by thee, the Saviour of all.Al qual segno chi si rivolgeva, diventava sano, non in virtù di quel, ch'ei vedeva, ma per grazia di te Salvatore di tutti:For he that turned to it, was not healed by that which he saw, but by thee the sauiour of al:Qui enim conversus est, / non per hoc quod videbat sanabatur, / sed per te, omnium salvatorem. 8And in this thou didst shew to our enemies, that thou art he who deliverest from all evil.E con ciò facesti vedere a nostri nemici come tu se' colui, che liberi da ogni male.and in this thou didst shew to our enemies, that thou art he which deliuerest from al euil.In hoc autem ostendisti inimicis nostris / quia tu es qui liberas ab omni malo. 9For the bitings of locusts, and of flies, killed them, and there was found no remedy for their life: because they were worthy to be destroyed by such things.Perocché quelli perirono morsicati dallo locuste, e dalle mosche, nè si trovò rimedio per la loro vita, perché eran degni di essere sterminati da bestie tali:For the bitings of locusts, and flies killed them, and there was found no remedie for their life: because they were worthie to be destroyed by such thinges.Illos enim locustarum et muscarum occiderunt morsus, / et non est inventa sanitas animæ illorum, / quia digni erant ab hujuscemodi exterminari. 10But not even the teeth of venomous serpents overcame thy children: for thy mercy came and healed them.Ma i tuoi figliuoli neppur dai velenosi dragoni furono vinti, perché la tua misericordia venne a sanarli:But neither the teeth of venemous dragons ouercame thy children: for thy mercie coming healed them.Filios autem tuos nec draconum venenatorum vicerunt dentes: / misericordia enim tua adveniens sanabat illos.

11For they were examined for the remembrance of thy words, and were quickly healed, lest falling into deep forgetfulness, they might not be able to use thy help.Conciossiaché per farli ricordare de' tuoi precetti erano punti, e tosto erano salvati; affinchè non avvenisse, che perdutane affatto la memoria goder non potessero del tuo ajuto;For in memorie of thy wordes they were examined, & were quickly saued, lest falling into deepe obliuion, they might no• vse thy helpe.In memoria enim sermonum tuorum examinabantur, / et velociter salvabantur: / ne in altam incidentes oblivionem / non possent tuo uti adjutorio. 12For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster, that healed them, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things.Imperocché non fu né un'erba, né un lenitivo, che li guarì, ma la tua parola, o Signore, la quale tutto risana;For neither herbe, not pla•ster healed them, but thy word, ô Lord, which healeth al thinges.Etenim neque herba, neque malagma sanavit eos: / sed tuus, Domine, sermo, qui sanat omnia. 13For it is thou, O Lord, that hast power of life and death, and leadest down to the gates of death, and bringest back again:Perocché tu, o Signore, se' quello, che hai in tua balìa la vita, e la morte, e conduci fino alle porte di morte, e indietro richiami:For i• is thou, ô Lord, that hast powre of life and death, and bringest downe to the gates of death, and fetchest agayne:Tu es enim, Domine, qui vitæ et mortis habes potestatem, / et deducis ad portas mortis, et reducis. 14A man indeed killeth through malice, and when the spirit is gone forth, it shall not return, neither shall he call back the soul that is received:Or l'uomo ben può uccidere un altro per malvagità; ma partito, che sia lo spirito, egli non può far, che ritorni, nè richiamerà indietro l'anima altrove già ricettata.but man certes killeth by malice, and when the spirit is gone forth, it shal not returne, neither shal he cal backe the soule that is receiued:Homo autem occidit quidem per malitiam; / et cum exierit spiritus, non revertetur, / nec revocabit animam quæ recepta est. 15But it is impossible to escape thy hand:Ma di fuggire dalla tua mano non è possibile,but it is vnpossible to escape thy hand.Sed tuam manum effugere impossibile est. 16For the wicked that denied to know thee, were scourged by the strength of thy arm, being persecuted by strange waters, and hail, and rain, and consumed by fire.Quindi gli empj, che negavano di conoscerti, furon flagellati dal forte tuo braccio, perseguitati da acque nuove, e grandini, e tempeste, e consunti dal fuoco.For the impious denying to knowe thee, haue bene scourged by the strength of thine arme, suffering persecution by strange waters, and haile, and rayne, and consumed by fyre.Negantes enim te nosse impii, / per fortitudinem brachii tui flagellati sunt: / novis aquis, et grandinibus, / et pluviis persecutionem passi, / et per ignem consumpti.

17And which was wonderful, in water, which extinguisheth all things, the fire had more force: for the world fighteth for the just.E questo era il mirabile, che il fuoco attività maggiore aveva nell'acqua, la quale spegne ogni cosa, perché il mondo tutto fa le vendette de' giusti,For that which was meruelous in water, which extinquisheth al thinges, fyre more preuayled: for the world is reuenger of the iust.Quod enim mirabile erat, in aqua, quæ omnia extinguit, / plus ignis valebat: / vindex est enim orbis justorum. 18For at one time the fire was mitigated, that the beasts which were sent against the wicked might not be burnt, but that they might see, and perceive that they were persecuted by the judgment of God.Talora poi il fuoco si ammansiva, affinchè non ne fosser brugiate le bestie spedite contro degli empj, ond'eglino ciò veggendo sapessero come per giudizio divino erano straziati.For a certayne time, the fyre was mitigated, that the beasts which were sent to the impious might not be burnt, but that they seing might know that by Gods iudgement they suffer punishment.Quodam enim tempore mansuetabatur ignis, / ne comburerentur quæ ad impios missa erant animalia, / sed ut ipsi videntes scirent / quoniam Dei judicio patiuntur persecutionem. 19And at another time the fire, above its own power, burnt in the midst of water, to destroy the fruits of a wicked land.E in altro tempo il fuoco sopra la natural forza ardeva per ogni parte nell'acqua, affin di sperdere della iniqua terra le produzioni.And at a certaine time the fyre aboue his powre burnt in water on euerie side, that it might destroy the nation of a wicked land.Et quodam tempore in aqua / supra virtutem ignis exardescebat undique, / ut iniquæ terræ nationem exterminaret. 20Instead of which things, thou didst feed thy people with the food of angels, and gavest them bread from heaven, prepared without labour; having in it all that is delicious, and the sweetness of every taste.Ma all'opposto il popolo tuo nutristi col cibo degli Angeli, e dal cielo somministrasti ad essi un pane bell'e fatto senza loro fatica, contenente in se ogni delizia, ed ogni soave sapore;For the which thinges thou didst nourish thy people with the meate of Angels, and bread prepared thou gauest them from heauen without labour, hauing in it al delectation, and the sweetnes of al taste.Pro quibus angelorum esca nutrivisti populum tuum, / et paratum panem de cælo præstitisti illis sine labore, / omne delectamentum in se habentem, / et omnis saporis suavitatem.

21For thy sustenance shewed thy sweetness to thy children, and serving every man’s will, it was turned to what every man liked.Perocché quella tua sostanza dimostrava come tu se' dolce inverso i figliuoli, e adattandosi al genio di ciascheduno, ella diventava quello, che ciascuno voleva:For thy substance did shew thy sweetnes which thou hast toward thy children, and seruing euerie mans wil, it was turned to that, that euerie man would.Substantia enim tua dulcedinem tuam, / quam in filios habes, ostendebat; / et deserviens uniuscujusque voluntati, / ad quod quisque volebat convertebatur. 22But snow and ice endured the force of fire, and melted not: that they might know that the fire, burning in the hail, and flashing in the rain, destroyed the fruits of the enemies.Ma la neve, ed il ghiaccio reggevano alla forza del fuoco senza liquefarsi; affinché (i tuoi) vedessero come i frutti de' nemici erano distrutti dal fuoco ardente, che folgoreggiava in mezzo alla grandine, ed alla pioggia.Yea snow and yee susteyned the force of fyre, and melted not: that they might know that fyre burning in hayle, and lightening in rayne destroyed the fruites of the enemies.Nix autem et glacies sustinebant vim ignis, et non tabescebant: / ut scirent quoniam fructus inimicorum exterminabat / ignis ardens in grandine et pluvia coruscans; 23But this same again, that the just might be nourished, did even forget its own strength.E qui all'opposto perché i giusti avessero onde sostentarsi, si scordò egli della sua stessa virtù.And this againe, that the iust might be nourished, it forgat also his owne strength.hic autem iterum ut nutrirentur justi, / etiam suæ virtutis oblitus est. 24For the creature serving thee, the Creator, is made fierce against the unjust for their punishment: and abateth its strength for the benefit of them that trust in thee.Perocché la creatura, che serve a te suo facitore, gli ardori raddoppia e a tormentare gli ingiusti, e mite diventa in pro di quelli, che in te confidano.For the creature seruing thee the Creatour, is fierce into torment against the vniust: and is made more gentle to doe good for them, that trust in thee.Creatura enim tibi factori deserviens, / exardescit in tormentum adversus injustos, / et lenior fit ad benefaciendum pro his qui in te confidunt. 25Therefore even then it was transformed into all things, and was obedient to thy grace, that nourisheth all, according to the will of them that desired it of thee:E quindi ancora (la creatura) trasfigurandosi allora in tutte guise serviva alla tua benignità nutrice di tutti secondo i voti di quelli, che a te ricorrevano.For this cause euen then being transformed into al thinges they serued thy grace the nource of al, at their wil that desired thee:Propter hoc et tunc in omnia transfigurata, / omnium nutrici gratiæ tuæ deserviebat, / ad voluntatem eorum qui a te desiderabant:

26That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovedst, might know that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth men, but thy word preserveth them that believe in thee.Affinchè i tuoi figliuoli amati da te, o Signore, riconoscessero come non i frutti rinascenti pascono gli uomini, ma la tua parola è quella che conserva chi crede in te.that thy children might know, whom thou louedst ô Lord, that not the fruites of natiuitie doe feede men, but thy word preserueth them, that beleue in thee.ut scirent filii tui quos dilexisti, Domine, / quoniam non nativitatis fructus pascunt homines, / sed sermo tuus hos qui in te crediderint conservat. 27For that which could not be destroyed by fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam, presently melted away:Perocché quello, che non poteva esser consunto dal fuoco, riscaldato a un piccol raggio del sole squagliavasi.For that which could not be destroyed by fyre, forthwith being heated with a litle beame of the sunne did melt:Quod enim ab igne non poterat exterminari, / statim ab exiguo radio solis calefactum tabescebat: 28That it might be known to all, that we ought to prevent the sun to bless thee, and adore thee at the dawning of the light.Affinché sapessero tutti, come dee prevenirsi il sole per la benedizione, e si dee alla levata del sole adorarti.that it might be knowen to al men, that we ought to preuent the sunne to blesse thee, and at the rysing of light to adore thee.ut notum omnibus esset / quoniam oportet prævenire solem ad benedictionem tuam, / et ad ortum lucis te adorare. 29For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter’s ice, and shall run off as unprofitable water.Perocché la speranza dell'ingrato, come il ghiaccio dell'inverno si scioglie, e si sperde come acqua inutile.For the fayth of the vngratful shal melt as winter yee, & shal perish as vnprofitable water.Ingrati enim spes tamquam hibernalis glacies tabescet, / et disperiet tamquam aqua supervacua.