en_RV1895 - Wis 18 - Ozzuu Bible

¹ But for [1]thy holy ones [2]there was great light; And the Egyptians, hearing their voice but seeing not their form, Counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered,

² [3]Yet for that they do not hurt them now, though wronged by them before, they are thankful; And because they had been at variance with them, they made supplication to them.

³ Whereas [4]thou didst provide for thy people a burning pillar of fire, To be a guide for their unknown journey, And withal a [5]kindly sun for their [6]proud exile.

⁴ For well did [7]the Egyptians deserve to be deprived of light and [8]imprisoned by darkness, They who had kept [9]in close ward thy sons, [10]Through whom the incorruptible [11]light of the law was to be given [12]to [13]the race of men.

⁵ After [14]they had taken counsel to slay the babes of [15]the holy ones, And [16]when a single child had been cast forth and saved [17]to convict them of their sin, [18]Thou tookest away from them their multitude of children, And [19]destroyedst all their host together in a mighty flood.

⁶ [20]Of that night were our fathers made aware beforehand, That, having sure knowledge, they might be cheered by [21]the oaths which they had trusted:

⁷ [22] So by thy people was expected salvation of the righteous and destruction of the enemies;

⁸ For as thou didst take vengeance on the adversaries, [23]By the same means, calling us unto thyself, thou didst glorify us.

⁹ [24]For holy children [25]of good men offered sacrifice in secret, And with one consent they took upon themselves the covenant of the [26]divine law, That [27]they would partake alike in the same good things and the same perils; [28]The fathers already leading the sacred songs of praise.

¹⁰ But there sounded back in discord [29]the cry of the enemies, [30]And a piteous voice of lamentation for children was borne abroad.

¹¹ [31]And servant along with master punished with a like just doom, And commoner suffering the same as king,

¹² Yea, all the people together, under one form of death, Had with them corpses without number; For the living were not sufficient even [32]to bury them, Since at a single [33]stroke [34]their [35]nobler offspring was consumed.

¹³ For while they were disbelieving all things [36]by reason of the enchantments, Upon the destruction of the firstborn they confessed the people to be [37]God's son.

¹⁴ For while peaceful silence enwrapped all things, And night in her own swiftness was [38]in mid course,

¹⁵ [39]Thine all-powerful word leaped from heaven out of [40] the royal [41]throne, [42]A stern warrior, into the midst of the [43]doomed land,

¹⁶ Bearing [44]as a sharp sword thine unfeigned commandment; And standing it filled all things with death; And [45]while it touched the heaven it trode upon the earth.

¹⁷ Then forthwith [46]apparitions in dreams terribly troubled them, And fears came upon them unlooked for:

¹⁸ And each, one thrown here half dead, another there, Made manifest wherefore he was dying:

¹⁹ For the dreams, perturbing them, did foreshew this, That they might not perish without knowing why they were afflicted.

²⁰ But it [47]befell the righteous also [48]to make trial of death, And [49]a multitude were stricken in the wilderness: Howbeit the wrath endured not for long.

²¹ [50]For a blameless man hasted to be their champion: Bringing the weapon of his own ministry, Even prayer and the propitiation of incense, He withstood the indignation, and set an end to the calamity, Shewing that [51]he was thy servant.

²² And he overcame the [52]anger, Not by strength of body, not by efficacy of weapons; But [53]by word did he subdue [54]the minister of punishment, [55]By bringing to remembrance oaths and covenants made with the fathers.

²³ For when the dead were already fallen in heaps one upon another, [56]Standing between he stopped the advancing wrath, And [57]cut off the way to the living.

²⁴ For upon his [58]long highpriestly robe was the whole world, And the glories of the fathers were upon the graving of [59]the four rows of [60]precious stones, And thy majesty was upon [61]the diadem of his head.

²⁵ To these [62]the destroyer gave place, and these [63] the people feared; For it was enough only [64]to make trial of the wrath.