The Wisdom of Solomon

Chapter-17

Wisdom 17:1 For your judgments, O Lord, are great, and your words are indescribable. Therefore, undisciplined souls have wandered astray.

 

Wisdom 17:2 For, while they managed to convince the unjust, so as to obtain dominion over the holy nation, they themselves were fettered with chains of darkness and of endless night, enclosed in their houses, fugitives of everlasting providence, lying in ruins.

 

Wisdom 17:3 And, while they thought to escape notice in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of oblivion, being horribly afraid, and having been disturbed with great astonishment.

 

Wisdom 17:4 For neither did the cave which enclosed them preserve them from fear, because descending noises disturbed them, and the sorrowful persons appearing to them intensified their fear.

 

Wisdom 17:5 And, indeed, even fire had no strength to provide them light, nor could the clear flames of the stars illuminate that horrible night.

 

Wisdom 17:6 Yet there appeared to them a sudden fire, filled with fear; and, having been struck with the fear of that face which is unseen, they considered those things which they did see to be worse,

 

Wisdom 17:7 and, having been ridiculed, the illusions were removed from their arts along with their contemptuous rebuke of glorious wisdom.

 

Wisdom 17:8 Indeed, those who promised to drive away fears and disturbances from a languishing soul, though they were filled with derision, were themselves languishing in fear.

 

Wisdom 17:9 And, even if nothing unnatural disturbed them, yet being agitated by the passing of animals and the hissing of snakes, they died of fear, denying what they themselves saw even in the air, which no one thinks to be able to escape.

 

Wisdom 17:10 For, while there may be apprehension with wickedness, it gives testimony to condemnation, for a troubled conscience always forecasts harshness.

 

Wisdom 17:11 For fear is nothing else but unfaithfulness to thinking helpful things.

 

Wisdom 17:12 And, while expectation is driven from within, the cause of this is supposing that one is great in knowledge, and as a result, conflict excels.

 

Wisdom 17:13 Yet those who were truly powerless that night, being overcome by both the vilest and the deepest hell, were sleeping the same sleep,

 

Wisdom 17:14 sometimes stirred up by the fear of unnatural things, other times sinking down in disgrace of soul, for a sudden and unexpected fear overcame them.

 

Wisdom 17:15 Then, if any among them had fallen away, he was kept in a prison without bars which had been left open.

 

Wisdom 17:16 For if a farmer, or a shepherd, or a worker in a field of labor were suddenly overcome, he endured an inescapable necessity.

 

Wisdom 17:17 For they were all bound together with one chain of darkness. Or if there were a whistling wind, or the sweet sound of birds among the thick tree branches, or the force of water rushing excessively,

 

Wisdom 17:18 or the strong noise of rocks crashing down, or the scattering of playful animals having been seen, or the strong voice of bellowing beasts, or the resounding of the highest mountain echo, these things made them sink down because of fear.

 

Wisdom 17:19 For the whole world was enlightened with a clear light, and none were being hindered in their labors.

 

Wisdom 17:20 But then, the heavy night was placed over the sun for them, an image of that darkness which was about to overcome them. Yet they were more grievous to themselves than was the darkness.