Wisdom of Solomon 12

1For your imperishable Spirit is in all things.

2Therefore you rebuke those who fall away little by little, and by reminding them of the things in which they sin you warn them, so that, having been set free from wickedness, they may put faith in you, Lord.

3For even the ancient inhabitants of your holy land,

4because they practiced the most hateful works—sorceries and unholy rites—things you hated,

5and merciless murderers of children, and a feast of human flesh and blood of entrail-eaters, initiates from the midst of a revel band,

6and you intended to destroy, by the hands of our fathers, even parents who killed helpless lives,

7so that the land most precious of all in your sight might receive a worthy colony of God's children.

8But even these, since they were human beings, you spared, and you sent hornets ahead as forerunners of your army, so that they might destroy them little by little;

9not because you were unable, in battle, to give the ungodly into subjection, or to wipe them out at once by savage beasts or by a sharp word;

10But in judging them little by little, you were giving room for repentance, not being unaware that their origin was evil and their wickedness innate, and that their way of thinking would never change forever,

11For it was a seed accursed from the beginning, and not fearing anyone because of the things in which they sinned, you granted them no pardon.

12For who will say, “What have you done?” Or who will oppose your judgment? And who will bring a charge against you concerning the nations that you destroyed? Or who will come before you as an avenger against unrighteous men?

13For there is no god besides you who cares for all, so that you should show that you did not judge unjustly;

14Neither king nor tyrant will be able to look you in the face concerning those whom you punished.

15But being righteous, you govern all things righteously, considering it foreign to your power to condemn one who does not deserve to be punished.

16For your strength is the beginning of righteousness, and your mastery over all makes you spare all.

17For you show your strength when your perfect power is disbelieved, and among those who know it you expose boldness.

18But you, being master of strength, judge with gentleness, and with great forbearance you govern us; for the power is yours whenever you will.

19But by such deeds you taught your people that the righteous must be humane, and you made your children full of good hope, because you grant repentance for sins.

20For if you honored with such great care and forbearance the enemies of your children, even those deserving death, giving them time and opportunity by which they might be freed from wickedness,

21with how much care you judged your sons, to whose fathers you gave oaths and covenants with good promises;

22So, while disciplining us, you scourge our enemies by the ten thousands, so that when we judge we may reflect on your goodness, and when we are judged we may expect mercy.

23Therefore you also tormented, through their own abominations, those unrighteous men who had lived in the folly of life.

24For they wandered even farther in the ways of error, supposing as gods even the dishonored creatures among the animals of their enemies, having been deceived like foolish infants.

25Therefore, as to senseless children, you sent judgment for mockery;

26But those who were not instructed by childish punishments will experience a judgment worthy of God.

27For in the very things by which they themselves suffered and were indignant—those things they thought were gods—by these, while being punished, they saw and recognized as the true God the one whom they had formerly refused to know. Therefore also the final end of condemnation came upon them.