Chapter 16

¹ Therefore by the like were they punished worthily,

Wis 16:1

² Instead of which punishment, dealing graciously with thine own people,

Wis 16:2

³ To the end that they, desiring food,

Wis 16:3

⁴ For it was requisite, that upon them exercising tyranny should come penury, which they could not avoid:

Wis 16:4

⁵ For when the horrible fierceness of beasts came upon these,

Wis 16:5

⁶ But they were troubled for a small season, that they might be admonished,

Wis 16:6

⁷ For he that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw,

Wis 16:7

⁸ And in this thou madest thine enemies confess,

Wis 16:8

⁹ For them the bitings of grasshoppers and flies killed,

Wis 16:9

¹⁰ But thy sons not the very teeth of venomous dragons overcame:

Wis 16:10

¹¹ For they were pricked, that they should remember thy words;

Wis 16:11

¹² For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster, that restored them to health:

Wis 16:12

¹³ For thou hast power of life and death:

Wis 16:13

¹⁴ A man indeed killeth through his malice:

Wis 16:14

¹⁵ But it is not possible to escape thy hand.

Wis 16:15

¹⁶ For the ungodly, that denied to know thee,

Wis 16:16

¹⁷ For, which is most to be wondered at,

Wis 16:17

¹⁸ For sometime the flame was mitigated,

Wis 16:18

¹⁹ And at another time it burneth even in the midst of water above the power of fire,

Wis 16:19

²⁰ Instead whereof thou feddest thine own people with angels’ food,

Wis 16:20

²¹ For thy sustenance declared thy sweetness unto thy children,

Wis 16:21

²² But snow and ice endured the fire, and melted not,

Wis 16:22

²³ But this again did even forget his own strength,

Wis 16:23

²⁴ For the creature that serveth thee, who art the Maker,

Wis 16:24

²⁵ Therefore even then was it altered into all fashions,

Wis 16:25

²⁶ That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovest, might know,

Wis 16:26

²⁷ For that which was not destroyed of the fire,

Wis 16:27

²⁸ That it might be known, that we must prevent the sun to give thee thanks,

Wis 16:28

²⁹ For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter’s hoar frost,

Wis 16:29