12
1 For your incorruptible spirit is in all things.
2 Wherefore you convictest by little and little them that +Gr.fallaside. fall from the right way,
And, putting them in remembrance by the very things wherein they sin, do you admonish them,
That escaping from their wickedness they may believe on you, O Lord.
3 For verily the old inhabitants of your holy land,
4 Hating them because they practised detestable works of enchantments and unholy rites
5 +Thewords renderedslaughtersandimpiousinverses 5 and 6 differ but slightly from the readings of the Greek text, which here yield no sense.(Merciless slaughters of children,
And sacrificial banquets of men’s flesh and of blood),
6 Confederates in an impious fellowship,
And murderers of their own helpless babes,
It was your counsel to destroy by the hands of our fathers;
7 That the land which in your sight is most precious of all lands
Might receive a worthy colony of God’s +Or,children servants.
8 Nevertheless even these you did spare as being men,
And you sent +Or,wasps hornets as forerunners of your host,
To cause them to perish by little and little;
9 Not that you were unable to subdue the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle,
Or by terrible beasts or by one stern word to make away with them at once;
10 But judging them by little and little you gave them a place of repentance,
Not being ignorant that their nature by birth was evil, and their wickedness inborn,
And that their manner of thought would in no wise ever be changed,
11 For they were a seed accursed from the beginning:
Neither was it through fear of any that you did leave them then unpunished for their sins.
12 For who shall say, What have you done?
Or who shall withstand your judgement?
And who shall accuse you for the perishing of nations which you did make?
Or who shall come and stand before you as an avenger for unrighteous men?
13 For neither is there any God beside you that careth for all,
That you might show to him that you did not judge unrighteously:
14 Neither shall king or prince be able to look you in the face to plead for those whom you have punished.
15 But being righteous you rule all things righteously,
Deeming it a thing alien from your power
To condemn one that does not himself deserve to be punished.
16 For your strength is the beginning of righteousness,
And your sovereignty over all makes you to forbear all.
17 For when men believe not that you are perfect in power, you show your strength,
+TheGreek text here is perhaps corrupt. And +Or,inthem in dealing with them that know it you put their boldness to confusion.
18 But you, being sovereign over your strength, judge in gentleness,
And with great forbearance do you govern us;
For the power is your whenever you have the will.
19 But you did teach your people by such works as these,
How that the righteous must be a lover of men;
And you did make your sons to be of good hope,
Because you give repentance when men have sinned.
20 For if on them that were enemies of your +Or,children servants and due to death
You did take vengeance with so great heedfulness and indulgence,
Giving them times and place whereby they might escape from their wickedness;
21 With how great carefulness did you judge your sons,
To whose fathers you gave oaths and covenants of good promises!
22 While therefore you do chasten us, you scourge our enemies ten thousand times more,
To the intent that we may ponder your goodness when we judge,
And when we are judged may look for mercy.
23 Wherefore also the unrighteous that lived in folly of life
You did torment through their own abominations.
24 For verily they went astray very far +Or,evenbeyond in the ways of error,
Taking as gods those +Gr.livingcreatures:andso elsewhere in this book. animals which even among their enemies were held in dishonor,
Deceived like foolish babes.
25 Therefore, as to unreasoning children, you did send your judgement to mock them.
26 But they that would not be admonished +Or,bya correction, which was as children’s playGr.bychild-play of correction. by a mocking correction as of children
Shall have experience of a judgement worthy of God.
27 For through the sufferings whereat they were indignant,
Being punished in these creatures which they supposed to be gods,
They saw, and recognized as the true God him whom before they +Or,deniedthat they knew refused to know:
Wherefore also the last end of condemnation came upon them.