The Wisdom of Solomon

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

What wisdom did for Adam, Noe, Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, and the people of Israel.

She preserved him, that was first formed by God the father of the world, when he was created alone,

And she brought him out of his sin, and gave him power to govern all things.

But when the unjust went away from her in his anger, he perished by the fury wherewith he murdered his brother.

For whose cause, when water destroyed the earth, wisdom healed it again, directing the course of the just by contemptible wood.

Moreover when the nations had conspired together to consent to wickedness, she knew the just, and preserved him without blame to God, and kept him strong against the compassion for his son.

She delivered the just man who fled from the wicked that were perishing, when the fire came down upon Pentapolis:

Whose land for a testimony of their wickedness is desolate, and smoketh to this day, and the trees bear fruits that ripen not, and a standing pillar of salt is a monument of an incredulous soul.

For regarding not wisdom, they did not only slip in this, that they were ignorant of good things, but they left also unto men a memorial of their folly, so that in the things in which they sinned, they could not so much as lie hid.

But wisdom hath delivered from sorrow them that attend upon her.

She conducted the just, when he fled from his brother’s wrath, through the right ways, and shewed him the kingdom of God, and gave him the knowledge of the holy things, made him honourable in his labours, and accomplished his labours.

In the deceit of them that overreached him, she stood by him, and made him honourable.

She kept him safe from his enemies, and she defended him from seducers, and gave him a strong conflict, that he might overcome, and know that wisdom is mightier than all.

She forsook not the just when he was sold, but delivered him from sinners: she went down with him into the pit.

And in bands she left him not, till she brought him the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him: and shewed them to be liars that had accused him, and gave him everlasting glory.

She delivered the just people, and blameless seed from the nations that oppressed them.

She entered into the soul of the servant of God, and stood against dreadful kings in wonders and signs.

And she rendered to the just the wages of their labours, and conducted them in a wonderful way: and she was to them for a covert by day, and for the light of stars by night:

And she brought them through the Red Sea, and carried them over through a great water.

But their enemies she drowned in the sea, and from the depth of hell she brought them out. Therefore the just took the spoils of the wicked.

And they sung to thy holy name, O Lord, and they praised with one accord thy victorious hand.

For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of infants eloquent.

What wisdom did for Adam, Noe, Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, and the people of Israel.

Wisdom(a) guarded to the end the first formed father of the world, who was created alone, and delivered him out of his own transgression,

and gave him strength to rule over all things.

But when an unrighteous man fell away from her in his anger, he perished himself in the rage with which he killed his brother.

When for his cause the earth was drowning with a flood, wisdom again saved it, guiding the righteous man’s course by a paltry piece of wood.

Moreover, when nations consenting together in wickedness had been confounded, wisdom(b) knew the righteous man, and preserved him blameless to God, and kept him strong when his heart yearned toward his child.

While the ungodly were perishing, wisdom(c) delivered a righteous man, when he fled from the fire that descended out of heaven on the five cities.

To whose wickedness a smoking waste still witnesses, and plants bearing fair fruit that doesn’t ripen, a disbelieving soul has a memorial: a standing pillar of salt.

For having passed wisdom by, not only were they disabled from recognising the things which are good, but they also left behind them for their life a monument of their folly, to the end that where they stumbled, they might fail even to be unseen;

but wisdom delivered those who waited on her out of troubles.

When a righteous man was a fugitive from a brother’s wrath,(d) wisdom guided him in straight paths. She showed him God’s kingdom, and gave him knowledge of holy things. She prospered him in his toils, and multiplied the fruits of his labor.

When in their covetousness men dealt harshly with him, she stood by him and made him rich.

She guarded him from enemies, and she kept him safe from those who lay in wait. Over his severe conflict, she watched as judge, that he might know that godliness is more powerful than every one.

When a righteous man was sold,(e) wisdom didn’t forsake him, but she delivered him from sin. She went down with him into a dungeon,

and in bonds she didn’t depart from him, until she brought him the sceptre of a kingdom, and authority over those that dealt like a tyrant with him. She also showed those who had mockingly accused him to be false, and gave him eternal glory.

Wisdom(f) delivered a holy people and a blameless seed from a nation of oppressors.

She entered into the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood terrible kings in wonders and signs.

She rendered to holy men a reward of their toils. She guided them along a marvelous way, and became to them a covering in the day-time, and a starry flame through the night.

She brought them over the Red sea, and led them through much water;

but she drowned their enemies, and she cast them up from the bottom of the deep.

Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly, and they sang praise to your holy name, O Lord, and extolled with one accord your hand that fought for them,

because wisdom opened the mouth of the mute, and made the tongues of babes to speak clearly.

Footnotes

(a)10:1 Gr. She.

(b)10:5 Gr. she

(d)10:10 Gr. she.

(e)10:13 Gr. she.

(f)10:15 Gr. she.