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1 Then shall the just stand with great
constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours.
2 These
seeing it, shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the
suddenness of their unexpected salvation.
3 Saying
within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit: These are
they, whom we had some time in derision, and for a parable of reproach.
4 We fools
esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour.
5 Behold
how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the
saints.
6 Therefore
we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined
unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us.
7 We
wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction, and have walked
through hard ways, but the way of the Lord we have not known.
8 What
hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the
boasting of riches brought us?
9 All those
things are passed away like a shadow, and like a post that runneth on,
10 And as a
ship that passeth through the waves: whereof when
it is gone by, the trace cannot be found, nor the path of its keel in the
waters:
11 Or as
when a bird flieth through the air, of the passage
of which no mark can be found, but only the sound of the wings beating the
light air, and parting it by the force of her flight; she moved her wings,
and hath flown through, and there is no mark found afterwards of her way:
12 Or as
when an arrow is shot at a mark, the divided air presently cometh together
again, so that the passage thereof is not known:
13 So we
also being born, forthwith ceased to be: and have been able to shew no mark of virtue: but are consumed in our
wickedness.
14 Such
things as these the sinners said in hell:
15 For the
hope of the wicked is as dust, which is blown away with the wind, and as a
thin froth which is dispersed by the storm: and a smoke that is scattered abroad
by the wind: and as the remembrance of a guest of one day that passeth by.
16 But the
just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord, and the care
of them with the most High.
17 Therefore
shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of
the Lord: for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm
he will defend them.
18 And his
zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature
for the revenge of his enemies.
19 He will
put on justice as a breastplate, and will take true judgment instead of a
helmet.
20 He will
take equity for an invincible shield:
21 And he
will sharpen his severe wrath for a spear, and the whole world shall fight
with him against the unwise.
22 Then shafts
of lightning shall go directly from the clouds, as from a bow well bent, they
shall be shot out, and shall fly to the mark.
23 And
thick hail shall be cast upon them from the stone casting wrath: the water of
the sea shall rage against them, and the rivers shall run together in a
terrible manner.
24 A mighty
wind shall stand up against them, and as a whirlwind shall divide them: and
their iniquity shall bring all the earth to a desert, and wickedness shall
overthrow the thrones of the mighty.
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1- حينئذ يقوم الصديق بجراة
عظيمة في وجوه الذين ضايقوه و جعلوا اتعابه باطلة.
2- فاذا راوه يضطربون من شدة الجزع و ينذهلون
من خلاص لم يكونوا يظنونه.
3- و يقولون في انفسهم نادمين و هم ينوحون من
ضيق صدرهم هذا الذي كنا حينا نتخذه سخرة و مثلا للعار.
4- و كنا نحن الجهال نحسب حياته جنونا و موته
هوانا.
5- فكيف اصبح معدودا في بني الله و حظه بين
القديسين.
6- لقد ضللنا عن طريق الحق و لم يضئ لنا نور
البر و لم تشرق علينا الشمس.
7- اعيينا في سبل الاثم و الهلاك و همنا في
متايه لا طريق فيها و لم نعلم طريق الرب.
8- فماذا نفعتنا الكبرياء و ماذا افادنا
افتخارنا بالاموال.
9- قد مضى ذلك كله كالظل و كالخبر السائر.
10- او كالسفينة الجارية على الماء المتموج
التي بعد مرورها لا تجد اثرها و لا خط حيزومها في الامواج.
11- او كطائر يطير في الجو فلا يبقى دليل على
مسيره يضرب الريح الخفيفة بقوادمه و يشق الهواء بشدة سرعته و برفرفة جناحيه يعبر
ثم لا تجد لمروره من علامة.
12- او كسهم يرمى الى الهدف فيخرق به الهواء و
لوقته يعود الى حاله حتى لا يعرف ممر السهم.
13- كذلك نحن ولدنا ثم اضمحللنا و لم يكن لنا
ان نبدي علامة فضيلة بل فنينا في رذيلتنا.
14- كذا قال الخطاة في الجحيم.
15- لان رجاء المنافق كغبار تذهب
به الريح و كزبد رقيق تطارده الزوبعة و كدخان تبدده الريح و كذكر ضيف نزل يوما
ثم ارتحل.
16- اما الصديقون فسيحيون الى الابد و عند
الرب ثوابهم و لهم عناية من لدن العلي.
17- فلذلك سينالون ملك الكرامة و تاج الجمال
من يد الرب لانه يسترهم بيمينه و بذراعه يقيهم.
18- يتسلح بغيرته و يسلح الخلق للانتقام من
الاعداء.
19- يلبس البر درعا و حكم الحق خوذة.
20- و يتخذ القداسة ترسا لا يقهر.
21- و يحدد غضبه سيفا ماضيا و
العالم يحارب معه الجهال.
22- فتنطلق صواعق البروق انطلاقا لا يخطئ و عن
قوس الغيوم المحكمة التوتير تطير الى الهدف.
23- و سخطه يرجمهم ببرد ضخم و
مياه البحار تستشيط عليهم و الانهار تلتقي بطغيان شديد.
24- و تثور عليهم ريح شديدة زوبعة تذريهم و
الاثم يدمر جميع الارض و الفجور يقلب عروش المقتدرين
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