by Septuagint
[4] ἐδίψησαν καὶ ἐπεκαλέσαντό σε, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἐκ πέτρας ἀκροτόμου ὕδωρ καὶ ἴαμα δίψης ἐκ λίθου σκληροῦ.
[4] When they were thirsty, they called upon thee, and water was given them out of the flinty rock, and their thirst was quenched out of the hard stone.
[5] δι’ ὧν γὰρ ἐκολάσθησαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν, διὰ τούτων αὐτοὶ ἀποροῦντες εὐεργετήθησαν.
[5] For by what things their enemies were punished, by the same they in their need were benefited.
[6] ἀντὶ μὲν πηγῆς ἀενάου ποταμοῦ αἵματι λυθρώδει ταραχθέντος
[6] For instead of a fountain of a perpetual running river troubled with foul blood,
[7] εἰς ἔλεγχον νηπιοκτόνου διατάγματος ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς δαψιλὲς ὕδωρ ἀνελπίστως
[7] For a manifest reproof of that commandment, whereby the infants were slain, thou gavest unto them abundance of water by a means which they hoped not for:
[8] δείξας διὰ τοῦ τότε δίψους πῶς τοὺς ὑπεναντίους ἐκόλασας.
[8] Declaring by that thirst then how thou hadst punished their adversaries.
[9] ὅτε γὰρ ἐπειράσθησαν, καίπερ ἐν ἐλέει παιδευόμενοι, ἔγνωσαν πῶς μετ’ ὀργῆς κρινόμενοι ἀσεβεῖς ἐβασανίζοντο·
[9] For when they were tried albeit but in mercy chastised, they knew how the ungodly were judged in wrath and tormented, thirsting in another manner than the just.
[10] τούτους μὲν γὰρ ὡς πατὴρ νουθετῶν ἐδοκίμασας, ἐκείνους δὲ ὡς ἀπότομος βασιλεὺς καταδικάζων ἐξήτασας.
[10] For these thou didst admonish and try, as a father: but the other, as a severe king, thou didst condemn and punish.
[11] καὶ ἀπόντες δὲ καὶ παρόντες ὁμοίως ἐτρύχοντο·
[11] Whether they were absent or present, they were vexed alike.
[12] διπλῆ γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἔλαβεν λύπη καὶ στεναγμὸς μνημῶν τῶν παρελθόντων·
[12] For a double grief came upon them, and a groaning for the remembrance of things past.
[13] ὅτε γὰρ ἤκουσαν διὰ τῶν ἰδίων κολάσεων εὐεργετημένους αὐτούς, ᾔσθοντο τοῦ κυρίου.
[13] For when they heard by their own punishments the other to be benefited, they had some feeling of the Lord.
[14] ὃν γὰρ ἐν ἐκθέσει πάλαι ῥιφέντα ἀπεῖπον χλευάζοντες, ἐπὶ τέλει τῶν ἐκβάσεων ἐθαύμασαν οὐχ ὅμοια δικαίοις διψήσαντες.
[14] For whom they respected with scorn, when he was long before thrown out at the casting forth of the infants, him in the end, when they saw what came to pass, they admired.
[15] ἀντὶ δὲ λογισμῶν ἀσυνέτων ἀδικίας αὐτῶν, ἐν οἷς πλανηθέντες ἐθρήσκευον ἄλογα ἑρπετὰ καὶ κνώδαλα εὐτελῆ, ἐπαπέστειλας αὐτοῖς πλῆθος ἀλόγων ζῴων εἰς ἐκδίκησιν,
[15] But for the foolish devices of their wickedness, wherewith being deceived they worshipped serpents void of reason, and vile beasts, thou didst send a multitude of unreasonable beasts upon them for vengeance;
[16] ἵνα γνῶσιν ὅτι, δι’ ὧν τις ἁμαρτάνει, διὰ τούτων κολάζεται.
[16] That they might know, that wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished.
[17] οὐ γὰρ ἠπόρει ἡ παντοδύναμός σου χεὶρ καὶ κτίσασα τὸν κόσμον ἐξ ἀμόρφου ὕλης ἐπιπέμψαι αὐτοῖς πλῆθος ἄρκων ἢ θρασεῖς λέοντας
[17] For thy Almighty hand, that made the world of matter without form, wanted not means to send among them a multitude of bears or fierce lions,
[18] ἢ νεοκτίστους θυμοῦ πλήρεις θῆρας ἀγνώστους ἤτοι πυρπνόον φυσῶντας ἄσθμα ἢ βρόμον λικμωμένους καπνοῦ ἢ δεινοὺς ἀπ’ ὀμμάτων σπινθῆρας ἀστράπτοντας,
[18] Or unknown wild beasts, full of rage, newly created, breathing out either a fiery vapour, or filthy scents of scattered smoke, or shooting horrible sparkles out of their eyes:
[19] ὧν οὐ μόνον ἡ βλάβη ἠδύνατο συνεκτρῖψαι αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ὄψις ἐκφοβήσασα διολέσαι.
[19] Whereof not only the harm might dispatch them at once, but also the terrible sight utterly destroy them.
[20] καὶ χωρὶς δὲ τούτων ἑνὶ πνεύματι πεσεῖν ἐδύναντο ὑπὸ τῆς δίκης διωχθέντες καὶ λικμηθέντες ὑπὸ πνεύματος δυνάμεώς σου· ἀλλὰ πάντα μέτρῳ καὶ ἀριθμῷ καὶ σταθμῷ διέταξας.
[20] Yea, and without these might they have fallen down with one blast, being persecuted of vengeance, and scattered abroad through the breath of thy power: but thou hast ordered all things in measure and number and weight.
[21] τὸ γὰρ μεγάλως ἰσχύειν σοι πάρεστιν πάντοτε, καὶ κράτει βραχίονός σου τίς ἀντιστήσεται;
[21] For thou canst shew thy great strength at all times when thou wilt; and who may withstand the power of thine arm?
[22] ὅτι ὡς ῥοπὴ ἐκ πλαστίγγων ὅλος ὁ κόσμος ἐναντίον σου καὶ ὡς ῥανὶς δρόσου ὀρθρινὴ κατελθοῦσα ἐπὶ γῆν.
[22] For the whole world before thee is as a little grain of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down upon the earth.
[23] ἐλεεῖς δὲ πάντας, ὅτι πάντα δύνασαι, καὶ παρορᾷς ἁμαρτήματα ἀνθρώπων εἰς μετάνοιαν.
[23] But thou hast mercy upon all; for thou canst do all things, and winkest at the sins of men, because they should amend.
[24] ἀγαπᾷς γὰρ τὰ ὄντα πάντα καὶ οὐδὲν βδελύσσῃ ὧν ἐποίησας· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν μισῶν τι κατεσκεύασας.
[24] For thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made: for never wouldest thou have made any thing, if thou hadst hated it.
[25] πῶς δὲ διέμεινεν ἄν τι, εἰ μὴ σὺ ἠθέλησας, ἢ τὸ μὴ κληθὲν ὑπὸ σοῦ διετηρήθη;
[25] And how could any thing have endured, if it had not been thy will? or been preserved, if not called by thee?
[26] φείδῃ δὲ πάντων, ὅτι σά ἐστιν, δέσποτα φιλόψυχε·
[26] But thou sparest all: for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls.
CHAPTER 12
[1] τὸ γὰρ ἄφθαρτόν σου πνεῦμά ἐστιν ἐν πᾶσιν.
[1] For thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things.
[2] Διὸ τοὺς παραπίπτοντας κατ’ ὀλίγον ἐλέγχεις καὶ ἐν οἷς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ὑπομιμνῄσκων νουθετεῖς, ἵνα ἀπαλλαγέντες τῆς κακίας πιστεύσωσιν ἐπὶ σέ, κύριε.
[2] Therefore chastenest thou them by little and little that offend, and warnest them by putting them in remembrance wherein they have offended, that leaving their wickedness they may believe on thee, O Lord.
[3] καὶ γὰρ τοὺς πάλαι οἰκήτορα�
� τῆς ἁγίας σου γῆς
[3] For it was thy will to destroy by the hands of our fathers both those old inhabitants of thy holy land,
[4] μισήσας ἐπὶ τῷ ἔχθιστα πράσσειν, ἔργα φαρμακειῶν καὶ τελετὰς ἀνοσίους
[4] Whom thou hatedst for doing most odious works of witchcrafts, and wicked sacrifices;
[5] τέκνων τε φονὰς ἀνελεήμονας καὶ σπλαγχνοφάγον ἀνθρωπίνων σαρκῶν θοῖναν καὶ αἵματος, ἐκ μέσου μύστας θιάσου
[5] And also those merciless murderers of children, and devourers of man’s flesh, and the feasts of blood,
[6] καὶ αὐθέντας γονεῖς ψυχῶν ἀβοηθήτων, ἐβουλήθης ἀπολέσαι διὰ χειρῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν,
[6] With their priests out of the midst of their idolatrous crew, and the parents, that killed with their own hands souls destitute of help:
[7] ἵνα ἀξίαν ἀποικίαν δέξηται θεοῦ παίδων ἡ παρὰ σοὶ πασῶν τιμιωτάτη γῆ.
[7] That the land, which thou esteemedst above all other, might receive a worthy colony of God’s children.
[8] ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων ὡς ἀνθρώπων ἐφείσω ἀπέστειλάς τε προδρόμους τοῦ στρατοπέδου σου σφῆκας, ἵνα αὐτοὺς κατὰ βραχὺ ἐξολεθρεύσωσιν.
[8] Nevertheless even those thou sparedst as men, and didst send wasps, forerunners of thine host, to destroy them by little and little.
[9] οὐκ ἀδυνατῶν ἐν παρατάξει ἀσεβεῖς δικαίοις ὑποχειρίους δοῦναι ἢ θηρίοις δεινοῖς ἢ λόγῳ ἀποτόμῳ ὑφ’ ἓν ἐκτρῖψαι,
[9] Not that thou wast unable to bring the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle, or to destroy them at once with cruel beasts, or with one rough word:
[10] κρίνων δὲ κατὰ βραχὺ ἐδίδους τόπον μετανοίας οὐκ ἀγνοῶν ὅτι πονηρὰ ἡ γένεσις αὐτῶν καὶ ἔμφυτος ἡ κακία αὐτῶν καὶ ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἀλλαγῇ ὁ λογισμὸς αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
[10] But executing thy judgments upon them by little and little, thou gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation would never be changed.
[11] σπέρμα γὰρ ἦν κατηραμένον ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, οὐδὲ εὐλαβούμενός τινα ἐφ’ οἷς ἡμάρτανον ἄδειαν ἐδίδους.
[11] For it was a cursed seed from the beginning; neither didst thou for fear of any man give them pardon for those things wherein they sinned.
[12] τίς γὰρ ἐρεῖ Τί ἐποίησας; ἢ τίς ἀντιστήσεται τῷ κρίματί σου; τίς δὲ ἐγκαλέσει σοι κατὰ ἐθνῶν ἀπολωλότων ἃ σὺ ἐποίησας; ἢ τίς εἰς κατάστασίν σοι ἐλεύσεται ἔκδικος κατὰ ἀδίκων ἀν θρώπων;
[12] For who shall say, What hast thou done? or who shall withstand thy judgment? or who shall accuse thee for the nations that perish, whom thou made? or who shall come to stand against thee, to be revenged for the unrighteous men?
[13] οὔτε γὰρ θεός ἐστιν πλὴν σοῦ, ᾧ μέλει περὶ πάντων, ἵνα δείξῃς ὅτι οὐκ ἀδίκως ἔκρινας,
[13] For neither is there any God but thou that careth for all, to whom thou mightest shew that thy judgment is not unright.
[14] οὔτε βασιλεὺς ἢ τύραννος ἀντοφθαλμῆσαι δυνήσεταί σοι πε ρὶ ὧν ἐκόλασας.
[14] Neither shall king or tyrant be able to set his face against thee for any whom thou hast punished.
[15] δίκαιος δὲ ὢν δικαίως τὰ πάντα διέπεις αὐτὸν τὸν μὴ ὀφείλοντα κολασθῆναι καταδικάσαι ἀλλότριον ἡγούμενος τῆς σῆς δυνάμεως.
[15] Forsomuch then as thou art righteous thyself, thou orderest all things righteously: thinking it not agreeable with thy power to condemn him that hath not deserved to be punished.
[16] ἡ γὰρ ἰσχύς σου δικαιοσύνης ἀρχή, καὶ τὸ πάντων σε δεσπόζειν πάντων φείδεσθαί σε ποιεῖ.
[16] For thy power is the beginning of righteousness, and because thou art the Lord of all, it maketh thee to be gracious unto all.
[17] ἰσχὺν γὰρ ἐνδείκνυσαι ἀπιστούμενος ἐπὶ δυνάμεως τελειό τητι καὶ ἐν τοῖς εἰδόσι τὸ θράσος ἐξελέγχεις·
[17] For when men will not believe that thou art of a full power, thou shewest thy strength, and among them that know it thou makest their boldness manifest.
[18] σὺ δὲ δεσπόζων ἰσχύος ἐν ἐπιεικείᾳ κρίνεις καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς φειδοῦς διοικεῖς ἡμᾶς· πάρεστιν γάρ σοι, ὅταν θέλῃς, τὸ δύνασθαι.
[18] But thou, mastering thy power, judgest with equity, and orderest us with great favour: for thou mayest use power when thou wilt.
[19] Ἐδίδαξας δέ σου τὸν λαὸν διὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἔργων ὅτι δεῖ τὸν δίκαιον εἶναι φιλάνθρωπον, καὶ εὐέλπιδας ἐποίησας τοὺς υἱούς σου ὅτι διδοῖς ἐπὶ ἁμαρτήμασιν μετάνοιαν.
[19] But by such works hast thou taught thy people that the just man should be merciful, and hast made thy children to be of a good hope that thou givest repentance for sins.
[20] εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὺς παίδων σου καὶ ὀφειλομένους θανάτῳ μετὰ τοσαύτης ἐτιμωρήσω προσοχῆς καὶ διέσεως δοὺς χρόνους καὶ τόπον, δι’ ὧν ἀπαλλαγῶσι τῆς κακίας,
[20] For if thou didst punish the enemies of thy children, and the condemned to death, with such deliberation, giving them time and place, whereby they might be delivered from their malice:
[21] μετὰ πόσης ἀκριβείας ἔκρινας τοὺς υἱούς σου, ὧν τοῖς πατράσιν ὅρκους καὶ συνθήκας ἔδωκας ἀγαθῶν ὑπο σχέσεων;
[21] With how great circumspection didst thou judge thine own sons, unto whose fathers thou hast sworn, and made covenants of good promises?
[22] Ἡμᾶς οὖν παιδεύων τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν ἐν μυριότητι μα στιγοῖς, ἵνα σου τὴν ἀγαθότητα μεριμνῶμεν κρίνοντες, κρινόμενοι δὲ προσδοκῶμεν ἔλεος.
[22] Therefore, whereas thou dost chasten us, thou scourgest our enemies a thousand times more, to the intent that, when we judge, we should carefully think of thy goodness, and when we ourselves are judged, we should look for mercy.
[23] ὅθεν καὶ τοὺς ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ ζωῆς βιώσαντας ἀδίκως διὰ τῶν ἰδίων ἐβασάνισας βδελυγμάτων·
[23] Wherefore, whereas men have lived dissolutely and unrighteously, thou hast tormented them with their own abominations.
[24] καὶ γὰρ τῶν πλάνης ὁδῶν μακρότερον ἐπλανήθησαν θεοὺς ὑπολαμβάνοντες τὰ καὶ ἐν ζῴοις τῶν αἰσχρῶν ἄτιμα νηπίων δίκην ἀφρόνων ψευσθέντες.
[24] For they went astray very far in the ways of error, and held them for gods, which even among the beasts of their enemies were despised, being deceived, as children of no understanding.
/> [25] διὰ τοῦτο ὡς παισὶν ἀλογίστοις τὴν κρίσιν εἰς ἐμπαιγμὸν ἔπεμψας.
[25] Therefore unto them, as to children without the use of reason, thou didst send a judgment to mock them.
[26] οἱ δὲ παιγνίοις ἐπιτιμήσεως μὴ νουθετηθέντες ἀξίαν θεοῦ κρίσιν πειράσουσιν.
[26] But they that would not be reformed by that correction, wherein he dallied with them, shall feel a judgment worthy of God.
[27] ἐφ’ οἷς γὰρ αὐτοὶ πάσχοντες ἠγανάκτουν, ἐπὶ τούτοις, οὓς ἐδόκουν θεούς, ἐν αὐτοῖς κολαζόμενοι ἰδόντες, ὃν πάλαι ἠρνοῦντο εἰδέναι, θεὸν ἐπέγνωσαν ἀληθῆ· διὸ καὶ τὸ τέρμα τῆς καταδίκης ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἐπῆλθεν.
[27] For, look, for what things they grudged, when they were punished, that is, for them whom they thought to be gods; now being punished in them, when they saw it, they acknowledged him to be the true God, whom before they denied to know: and therefore came extreme damnation upon them.
CHAPTER 13
[1] Μάταιοι μὲν γὰρ πάντες ἄνθρωποι φύσει, οἷς παρῆν θεοῦ ἀγνωσία καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὁρωμένων ἀγαθῶν οὐκ ἴσχυσαν εἰδέναι τὸν ὄντα οὔτε τοῖς ἔργοις προσέχοντες ἐπέγνωσαν τὸν τεχνίτην,
[1] Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster;
[2] ἀλλ’ ἢ πῦρ ἢ πνεῦμα ἢ ταχινὸν ἀέρα ἢ κύκλον ἄστρων ἢ βίαιον ὕδωρ ἢ φωστῆρας οὐρανοῦ πρυτάνεις κόσμου θεοὺς ἐνόμισαν.
[2] But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world.