Sabedoria 18

1But for your holy ones there was great light; the Egyptians, hearing their voice but seeing not their form, 2Yet for that they do not hurt them now, though wronged by them before, they are thankful; with them, they made supplication to them. 3Whereas you did provide for your people a burning pillar of fire, their unknown journey, kindly sun for Gr. unharmful. their proud exile. Or, aspiring 4For well did the Egyptians deserve to be deprived of light and imprisoned by darkness, Gr. they. the race of men. Or, future time Gr. the age. 5After they had taken counsel to kill the babes of the holy ones, to convict Or, to be to them a rebuke them of their sin, their army together in a mighty flood. 6Of that night were our fathers made aware beforehand, 7So by your people was expected salvation of the righteous and destruction of the enemies; 8For as you did take vengeance on the adversaries, By the same means, calling us to yourself, you did glorify us. Gr. By this. 9For holy children of good men offered sacrifice in secret, Or, of blessing Gr. of good men, or, of good things. divine law, Gr. law of divineness. they would partake alike in the same good things and the same perils; Some authorities read the saints would partake... perils; already leading the fathers’ songs of praise. 10But there sounded back in discord the cry of the enemies, And a piteous voice of lamentation for children was borne abroad. Some authorities read And was piteously borne abroad in lamentation for children. 11And servant along with master punished with a like just doom, 12Yes, all the people together, under one form of death, with them corpses without number; stroke their Gr. turn of the scale. nobler offspring was consumed. Or, more cherished 13For while they were disbelieving all things by reason of the enchantments, 14For while peaceful silence enwrapped all things, 15Your all-powerful word leaped from heaven out of Or, your the royal throne, Gr. thrones. doomed land, Or, destroying 16Bearing as a sharp sword your unfeigned commandment; 17Then forthwith apparitions in dreams terribly troubled them, 18And each, one thrown here half dead, another there, 19For the dreams, perturbing them, did foreshew this, 20But it befell the righteous also to make trial of death, Gr. touched. 21For a blameless man hurried to be their champion: Even prayer and the propitiation of incense, 22And he overcame the anger, The word rendered anger differs only by the transposition of two letters from the reading of the Greek text, which here yields no sense. by word did he subdue Or, to a word did he subject the minister of punishment, Gr. him who was punishing. 23For when the dead were already fallen in heaps one upon another, advancing wrath, cut off the way to the living. Gr. cleft asunder. 24For upon his long high-priestly robe was the whole world, were upon the graving of the four rows of precious stones, Gr. stone. was upon the diadem of his head. 25To these the destroyer gave place, and these Some authorities read he feared. the people feared;