Wisdom 12

¹For your incorruptible spirit is in all things.

²Therefore you convict little by little those who fall from the right way,

and, putting them in remembrance by the things wherein they sin, you admonish them,

that escaping from their wickedness they may believe in you, O Lord.

³For truly the old inhabitants of your holy land,

⁴hating them because they practiced detestable works of enchantments and unholy rites—

⁵merciless slaughters of children

and sacrificial banquets of men’s flesh and of blood—

⁶allies in an impious fellowship,

and murderers of their own helpless babes,

it was your counsel to destroy by the hands of our fathers;

⁷that the land which in your sight is most precious of all

might receive a worthy colony of God’s servants.

⁸Nevertheless you even spared these as men,

and you sent hornets as forerunners of your army,

to cause them to perish little by little.

⁹Not that you were unable to subdue the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle,

or by terrible beasts or by a stern word to make away with them at once,

¹⁰but judging them little by little you gave them a chance to repent,

not being ignorant that their nature by birth was evil,

their wickedness inborn,

and that their manner of thought would never be changed.1

¹¹For they were a cursed seed from the beginning.

It wasn’t through fear of any that you left them unpunished for their sins.1

¹²For who will say, “What have you done?”

Or “Who will withstand your judgment?”

Who will accuse you for the perishing of nations which you caused?

Or who will come and stand before you as an avenger for unrighteous men?

¹³For there isn’t any God beside you that cares for all,

that you might show that you didn’t judge unrighteously.

¹⁴No king or prince will be able to confront you

about those whom you have punished.

¹⁵But being righteous, you rule all things righteously,

deeming it a thing alien from your power

to condemn one who doesn’t deserve to be punished.

¹⁶For your strength is the source of righteousness,

and your sovereignty over all makes you to forbear all.

¹⁷For when men don’t believe that you are perfect in power, you show your strength,

and in dealing with those who think this, you confuse their boldness.

¹⁸But you, being sovereign in strength, judge in gentleness,

and with great forbearance you govern us;

for the power is yours whenever you desire it.1

¹⁹But you taught your people by such works as these,

how the righteous must be kind.

You made your sons to have good hope,

because you give repentance when men have sinned.

²⁰For if on those who were enemies of your servants and deserving of death,

you took vengeance with so great deliberation and indulgence,

giving them times and opportunities when they might escape from their wickedness,

²¹with how great care you judged your sons,

to whose fathers you gave oaths and covenants of good promises!

²²Therefore while you 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.

²³Therefore also the unrighteous that lived in a life of folly,

you tormented through their own abominations.

²⁴For truly they went astray very far in the ways of error,

Taking as gods those animals which even among their enemies were held in dishonor,

deceived like foolish babes.

²⁵Therefore, as to unreasoning children, you sent your judgment to mock them.1

²⁶But those who would not be admonished by mild correction

will experience the deserved judgment of God.1

²⁷For through the sufferings they were indignant of,

being punished in these creatures which they supposed to be gods,

they saw and recognized as the true God him whom they previously refused to know.

Therefore also the result of extreme condemnation came upon them.