Wisdom of Solomon, Chapter 18 - Interlinear Translation
1 Τοῖς δὲ ὁσίοις σου μέγιστον ἦν φῶς· ὧν φωνὴν μὲν ἀκούοντες μορφὴν δὲ οὐχ ὁρῶντες, ὅτι μὲν οὐ κἀκεῖνοι ἐπεπόνθεισαν, ἐμακάριζον,
1 But upon Your saints there was a great light of things while hearing the voice of them but not seeing the shape of them, then because they had not suffered those things they were blessed.
2 ὅτι δ’ οὐ βλάπτουσιν προηδικημένοι, ηὐχαρίστουν καὶ τοῦ διενεχθῆναι χάριν ἐδέοντο.
2 And because they did not injure those having first done wrong, they gave thanks and for their differences they begged kindness,
3 ἀνθ’ ὧν πυριφλεγῆ στῦλον ὁδηγὸν μὲν ἀγνώστου ὁδοιπορίας, ἥλιον δὲ ἀβλαβῆ φιλοτίμου ξενιτείας παρέσχες.
3 in return for which You had provided a flaming pillar, both to be a guide for the unknown journey and a harmless sun for a generous hospice.
4 ἄξιοι μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι στερηθῆναι φωτὸς καὶ φυλακισθῆναι σκότει οἱ κατακλείστους φυλάξαντες τοὺς υἱούς σου, δι’ ὧν ἤμελλεν τὸ ἄφθαρτον νόμου φῶς τῷ αἰῶνι δίδοσθαι.
4 Indeed the others, worthy to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness, having imprisoned Your sons confined, by whom the uncorrupt light of the law was about to be given unto the age,
5 Βουλευσαμένους δ’ αὐτοὺς τὰ τῶν ὁσίων ἀποκτεῖναι νήπια καὶ ἑνὸς ἐκτεθέντος τέκνου καὶ σωθέντος εἰς ἔλεγχον τὸ αὐτῶν ἀφείλω πλῆθος τέκνων καὶ ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἀπώλεσας ἐν ὕδατι σφοδρῷ.
5 and them being determined to slay the infants of the holy ones, then for one child being exposed and saved for a reproach You have taken away and a multitude of their children then with like passion You destroyed in violent water,
6 ἐκείνη ἡ νὺξ προεγνώσθη πατράσιν ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἀσφαλῶς εἰδότες οἷς ἐπίστευσαν ὅρκοις ἐπευθυμήσωσιν.
6 that night being made known beforehand to our fathers in order that knowing with certainty, having faith in the oaths they would rejoice.
7 προσεδέχθη ὑπὸ λαοῦ σου σωτηρία μὲν δικαίων, ἐχθρῶν δὲ ἀπώλεια·
7 By Your people is anticipated both the salvation of the righteous and the destruction of the enemies.
8 ᾧ γὰρ ἐτιμωρήσω τοὺς ὑπεναντίους, τούτῳ ἡμᾶς προσκαλεσάμενος ἐδόξασας.
8 For in that which You punish those opposed, You distinguish us having been called.
9 κρυφῇ γὰρ ἐθυσίαζον ὅσιοι παῖδες ἀγαθῶν καὶ τὸν τῆς θειότητος νόμον ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ διέθεντο τῶν αὐτῶν ὁμοίως καὶ ἀγαθῶν καὶ κινδύνων μεταλήμψεσθαι τοὺς ἁγίους πατέρων ἤδη προαναμέλποντες αἴνους.
9 For secretly the righteous children of good men sacrificed, and in harmony dispensed the divine law for the saints to partake equally of the same things of both good and of danger while already singing the praises of the fathers.
10 ἀντήχει δ’ ἀσύμφωνος ἐχθρῶν ἡ βοή, καὶ οἰκτρὰ διεφέρετο φωνὴ θρηνουμένων παίδων·
10 But in response there sounded the discordant cry of the enemies and it carried a pitiable sound of the singing of dirges for children.
11 ὁμοίᾳ δὲ δίκῃ δοῦλος ἅμα δεσπότῃ κολασθεὶς καὶ δημότης βασιλεῖ τὰ αὐτὰ πάσχων,
11 Then servant and master being punished together with like penalty also the commoner suffered the same things with the king.
12 ὁμοθυμαδὸν δὲ πάντες ἐν ἑνὶ ὀνόματι θανάτου νεκροὺς εἶχον ἀναριθμήτους· οὐδὲ γὰρ πρὸς τὸ θάψαι οἱ ζῶντες ἦσαν ἱκανοί, ἐπεὶ πρὸς μίαν ῥοπὴν ἡ ἐντιμοτέρα γένεσις αὐτῶν διέφθαρτο.
12 So they all with one accord, in one expression of death, had innumerable corpses, then neither were those living enough for which to bury the dead – since in one moment the most honored of their race were destroyed.
13 πάντα γὰρ ἀπιστοῦντες διὰ τὰς φαρμακείας ἐπὶ τῷ τῶν πρωτοτόκων ὀλέθρῳ ὡμολόγησαν θεοῦ υἱὸν λαὸν εἶναι.
13 For they all being disbelieving on account of sorceries, upon the destruction of the firstborn they conceded for a people to be a son of God.
14 ἡσύχου γὰρ σιγῆς περιεχούσης τὰ πάντα καὶ νυκτὸς ἐν ἰδίῳ τάχει μεσαζούσης
14 Indeed all things being embraced in quiet silence, and the night being amidst its own swift passing
15 ὁ παντοδύναμός σου λόγος ἀπ’ οὐρανῶν ἐκ θρόνων βασιλείων ἀπότομος πολεμιστὴς εἰς μέσον τῆς ὀλεθρίας ἥλατο γῆς ξίφος ὀξὺ τὴν ἀνυπόκριτον ἐπιταγήν σου φέρων
15 Your almighty Word, out of the heavens, from the royal thrones, as a severe warrior sprung up destructively into the midst of the land, a sharp sword bearing Your ingenuous command,
16 καὶ στὰς ἐπλήρωσεν τὰ πάντα θανάτου καὶ οὐρανοῦ μὲν ἥπτετο, βεβήκει δ’ ἐπὶ γῆς.
16 and standing filled all things with death. And indeed it touched the heaven, but tread upon the earth.
17 τότε παραχρῆμα φαντασίαι μὲν ὀνείρων δεινῶν ἐξετάραξαν αὐτούς, φόβοι δὲ ἐπέστησαν ἀδόκητοι,
17 Then indeed apparitions of terrible dreams immediately confounded and unexpected terrors loomed over them.
18 καὶ ἄλλος ἀλλαχῇ ῥιφεὶς ἡμίθνητος δι’ ἣν ἔθνῃσκον αἰτίαν ἐνεφάνιζεν·
18 And one having been thrown here, another there half dead, revealed for what cause they had died.
19 οἱ γὰρ ὄνειροι θορυβήσαντες αὐτοὺς τοῦτο προεμήνυσαν, ἵνα μὴ ἀγνοοῦντες δι’ ὃ κακῶς πάσχουσιν ἀπόλωνται.
19 For the dreams which had been troubling them had indicated this beforehand in order that not being ignorant of what reason they suffered terribly would they die.
20 Ἥψατο δὲ καὶ δικαίων πεῖρα θανάτου, καὶ θραῦσις ἐν ἐρήμῳ ἐγένετο πλήθους. ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐπὶ πολὺ ἔμεινεν ἡ ὀργή·
20 Then the trial of death had also touched the righteous and destruction in the wilderness came upon a multitude, but not for long did the wrath abide.
21 σπεύσας γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἄμεμπτος προεμάχησεν τὸ τῆς ἰδίας λειτουργίας ὅπλον προσευχὴν καὶ θυμιάματος ἐξιλασμὸν κομίσας· ἀντέστη τῷ θυμῷ καὶ πέρας ἐπέθηκε τῇ συμφορᾷ δεικνὺς ὅτι σός ἐστιν θεράπων·
21 Indeed hastening the blameless man fought in defense, prayer the weapon of his own ministry, and providing a propitiation of incense he resisted the wrath and put it to an end, by which circumstance exhibiting that he is Your servant.
22 ἐνίκησεν δὲ τὸν χόλον οὐκ ἰσχύι τοῦ σώματος, οὐχ ὅπλων ἐνεργείᾳ, ἀλλὰ λόγῳ τὸν κολάζοντα ὑπέταξεν ὅρκους πατέρων καὶ διαθήκας ὑπομνήσας.
22 So then he overcame the anger not with strength of body nor action of arms but with a word he subdued the punisher, recalling the oaths and covenants of the fathers.
23 σωρηδὸν γὰρ ἤδη πεπτωκότων ἐπ’ ἀλλήλων νεκρῶν μεταξὺ στὰς ἀνέκοψε τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ διέσχισεν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ζῶντας ὁδόν.
23 For the dead already having fallen upon one another in heaps, standing in the midst he resisted the wrath and parted the way towards the living.
24 ἐπὶ γὰρ ποδήρους ἐνδύματος ἦν ὅλος ὁ κόσμος, καὶ πατέρων δόξαι ἐπὶ τετραστίχου λίθων γλυφῆς, καὶ μεγαλωσύνη σου ἐπὶ διαδήματος κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ.
24 For upon the garment reaching to the feet was the whole Society, and the glory of the fathers carved upon the four rows of stones, and Your majesty upon the diadem of his head.
25 τούτοις εἶξεν ὁ ὀλεθρεύων, ταῦτα δὲ ἐφοβήθη· ἦν γὰρ μόνη ἡ πεῖρα τῆς ὀργῆς ἱκανή.
25 Unto these did the destroyer yield since for them it had feared, for the trial of wrath alone was sufficient.
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