The Word Am I

The Wisdom of Solomon

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- Chapter 5 -

The fruitless repentance of the wicked in another world: the reward of the just.

1
Then the just will stand with great steadfastness against those who have oppressed them and have taken away their labors.
2
Seeing this, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and they will be amazed at the suddenness of unexpected salvation.(a)
3
Driven toward regret, and through the anguish of their groaning spirit, they will say within themselves: “These are the ones whom we held for some time in derision and in mocking reproach.
4
We foolish considered their life to be madness, and their end to be without honor.
5
How is it that they are counted among the sons of God, and their place is among the holy?
6
Therefore, we have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of justice has not shined on us, and the sun of understanding has not risen on us.
7
We exhausted ourselves in the way of iniquity and perdition, and have walked a difficult way, while ignoring the way of the Lord.
8
How has arrogance benefited us? Or what has exalting in riches brought us?
9
All those things have passed away like a shadow, and like a messenger traveling quickly by;
10
and like a ship passing over the waves of water, when it has gone by, its trace cannot be found, nor can the pathway of its keel in the waves;
11
or, like a bird flying through the air, there is no evidence of her journey to be found, but there is hardly a sound as the beating of her wings lifts up the air and, by the force of her journey, divides the air she has flown across, which was disturbed by her wings, and afterwards there is no sign of her journey to be found;
12
or, like an arrow shot at a selected mark, the air continues to be divided and to be brought together again, so that its passing is unknown.
13
And in like manner we, having been born, continuously cease to exist, and indeed, we depart with no sign of virtue to show, but we are consumed in our malice.”
14
Such things those who sinned said in hell.
15
For the hope of the impious is like feathers, which are blown away by the wind, and like a thin foam, which is dispersed by a storm, and like smoke, which is scattered by the wind, and like the memory of a guest who passes by one day.
16
But the just will live forever, and their reward is with the Lord, and the thought of them is with the Most High.
17
Therefore, they will receive a beautiful kingdom and a crown of splendor from the hand of the Lord, for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.
18
And his zeal will take up arms, and he will equip his servants for retribution on their enemies.
19
He will put on justice as a breastplate, and he will grasp sure judgment as a helmet.
20
He will select fairness as an invincible shield.
21
Yet he will sharpen his severe wrath into a spear, and he will fight with those of the world against the irrational.
22
Shafts of lightning will hurl forth accurately, and, as if from a well-curved bow of clouds, they will be expelled and will fly to the determined mark.
23
And hail will be cast like stones full of anger, and the water of the sea will rise up against them, and the rivers will charge forth harshly.(b)
24
The spirit of virtue will stand firm against them and like a whirlwind will divide them, and he will lead all the world of iniquity into a wasteland, and malice will overthrow the seats of power.(c)

Footnotes

(a)5:2 The word they refers to those who oppressed the just. The salvation of the just amazes them.(Conte)
(b)5:23 The metaphorical phrase “stones full of anger” probably refers to stones used during ancient warfare, thrown by hand or by slingshot.(Conte)
(c)5:24 Here again the word virtutis can mean power or virtue, or, to some extent, both.(Conte)

The fruitless repentance of the wicked in another world: the reward of the just.

1
Then the righteous man will stand in great boldness before the face of those who afflicted him, and those who make his labors of no account.
2
When they see him, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and will be amazed at the marvel of salvation.
3
They will speak among themselves repenting, and for distress of spirit they will groan, “This was he whom we used to hold in derision, as a parable of reproach.
4
We fools considered his life madness, and his end without honor.
5
How was he counted among sons of God? How is his lot among saints?
6
Truly we went astray from the way of truth. The light of righteousness didn’t shine for us. The sun didn’t rise for us.
7
We(a) took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction. We traveled through trackless deserts, but we didn’t know the Lord’s way.
8
What did our arrogance profit us? What good have riches and boasting brought us?
9
Those things all passed away as a shadow, like a rumor that runs by,
10
like a ship passing through the billowy water, which, when it has gone by, there is no trace to be found, no pathway of its keel in the waves.
11
Or it is like when a bird flies through the air, no evidence of its passage is found, but the light wind, lashed with the stroke of its pinions, and torn apart with the violent rush of the moving wings, is passed through. Afterwards no sign of its coming remains.
12
Or it is like when an arrow is shot at a mark, the air it divided closes up again immediately, so that men don’t know where it passed through.
13
So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be; and we had no sign of virtue to show, but we were utterly consumed in our wickedness.”
14
Because the hope of the ungodly man is like chaff carried by the wind, and(b) as(c) foam vanishing before a tempest; and is scattered like smoke by the wind, and passes by as the remembrance of a guest who stays just a day.
15
But the righteous live forever. Their reward is in the Lord, and the care for them with the Most High.
16
Therefore they will receive the crown of royal dignity and the diadem of beauty from the Lord’s hand, because he will cover them with his right hand, and he will shield them with his arm.
17
He will take his zeal as complete armor, and will make the whole creation his weapons to punish his enemies:
18
He will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and will wear impartial judgment as a helmet.
19
He will take holiness as an invincible shield.
20
He will sharpen stern wrath for a sword. The universe will go with him to fight against his frenzied foes.
21
Shafts of lightning will fly with true aim. They will leap to the mark from the clouds, as from a well-drawn bow.
22
Hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult. The water of the sea will be angered against them. Rivers will sternly overwhelm them.
23
A mighty wind will encounter them. It will winnow them away like a tempest. So lawlessness will make all the land desolate. Their evil-doing will overturn the thrones of princes.

Footnotes

(a)5:7 See Proverbs 14:14 .
(b)5:14 Gr. like foam chased to thinness:or, as thin foam chased.
(c)5:14 Most Greek authorities read hoar frost:some authorities, perhaps rightly, a spider’s web.
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