The Wisdom of Solomon

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- Kapitel 4 -

The difference between the chaste and the adulterous generations: and between the death of the just and the wicked.

O how beautiful is the chaste fruit of purity! For its remembrance is immortal, because it is observed both with God and with men.(a)

When it is present, they imitate it, and they desire it when it has withdrawn itself, and it triumphs crowned forever, winning the reward of undefiled conflicts.

But the great number of the many different kinds of the impious will not be to their advantage, and spurious seedlings will not be given deep roots, nor will they establish any firm foundation.

And if they spring forth with branches for a time, yet, being set infirmly, they will be shaken by the wind, and, by the superabundance of the winds, they will be eradicated.(b)

For the incomplete branches will be broken, and their fruits will be useless, and bitter to eat, and fit for nothing.

For all the sons born from iniquity are witnesses of wickedness against their parents at their interrogation.(c)

But the just, if death seizes him beforehand, will be refreshed.

For old age is made venerable, neither by lasting long, nor by counting the number of years; yet understanding is the gray hair of wisdom for men,(d)

and an immaculate life is a generation of sages.(e)

Pleasing to God, having been made beloved, and living among sinners, he was transformed.(f)

He was quickly taken away, for malice could not alter his understanding, nor could deceit beguile his soul.

For fascination with entertainment obscures good things, and the unfaithfulness of desire subverts the mind without malice.

Completed in a short time, he fulfilled many times.

Truly his soul was pleasing to God. Because of this, he hastened to bring him out of the midst of iniquities, but the people see this and do not understand, nor do they place such things in their hearts:

that the grace and mercy of God is with his holy ones, and he watches over his elect.

But the just dead will condemn the impious living, and youth hastily completed results in a long unjust life.

For they will see the end of the wise, and will neither understand, nor imagine, that he is of God, and that therefore the Lord has safeguarded him.

For they will see and despise him, but the Lord will ridicule them.

And after this, they will fall without honor and with contempt among the dead forever. Seeing that they are puffed up and speechless, he will shatter them and will shake them from the foundations all the way to the top, to their utter desolation, and they will grieve and their remembrance will perish.

They will hurry with fear at the understanding of their sins, and their iniquities will bear witness against them.

Fußnoten

(a)4:1 Christ is the chaste fruit of the pure Virgin Mary. Generatio does not usually translate as fruit, but the metaphor of the previous verses is reasonably continued with this rendering.(Conte)

(b)4:4 They spring forth with branches, in other words, they seem to grow and prosper for a time. Nimietate could be translated as superabundance or greatness or excessiveness.(Conte)

(c)4:6 Notice that filii is translated consistently in this version of Scripture as sons, rather than children. The Latin word pueri means children, filii means sons, and filiae means daughters. There are places in Scripture where the text says children, and there are other places where the text says sons. The translation is according to the text.(Conte)

(d)4:8 Cani refers to gray hair, but it is here translated in a looser way, according to the meaning implied by the term and its context, i.e. the gray hair of wisdom.(Conte)

(e)4:9 Senectutis refers to the elderly, but the translation considers that wisdom often increases with age. Thus, senectutis could be translated as old sages or merely sages.(Conte)

(f)4:10 This translation fairly literal. It refers to Christ. A looser translation would lose some of the meaning.(Conte)

The difference between the chaste and the adulterous generations: and between the death of the just and the wicked.

It is better to be childless with virtue, for immortality is in the memory of virtue, because it is recognized both before God and before men.

When it is present, people imitate it. They long after it when it has departed. Throughout all time it marches, crowned in triumph, victorious in the competition for the prizes that are undefiled.

But the multiplying brood of the ungodly will be of no profit, and their illegitimate offshoots won’t take deep root, nor will they establish a sure hold.

For even if they grow branches and flourish for a season, standing unsure, they will be shaken by the wind. They will be uprooted by the violence of winds.

Their branches will be broken off before they come to maturity. Their fruit will be useless, never ripe to eat, and fit for nothing.

For unlawfully conceived children are witnesses of wickedness against parents when they are investigated.

But a righteous man, even if he dies before his time, will be at rest.

For honorable old age is not that which stands in length of time, nor is its measure given by number of years,

but understanding is gray hair to men, and an unspotted life is ripe old age.

Being found well-pleasing to God, someone was loved. While living among sinners he was transported.

He was caught away, lest evil should change his understanding, or guile deceive his soul.

For the fascination of wickedness obscures the things which are good, and the whirl of desire perverts an innocent mind.

Being made perfect quickly, he filled a long time;

for his soul was pleasing to the Lord. Therefore he hurried out of the midst of wickedness.

But the peoples saw and didn’t understand, not considering this, that grace and mercy are with his chosen, and that he visits his holy ones;

but a righteous man who is dead will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth who is quickly perfected will condemn the many years of an unrighteous man’s old age.

For the ungodly will see a wise man’s end, and won’t understand what the Lord planned for him, and why he safely kept him.

They will see, and they will despise; but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this, they will become a dishonored carcass and a reproach among the dead forever;

because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and will shake them from the foundations. They will lie utterly waste. They will be in anguish and their memory will perish.

They will come with coward fear when their sins are counted. Their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.