The Wisdom of Solomon

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- Kapitel 2 -

The vain reasonings of the wicked: their persecuting the just, especially the Son of God.

For they have said, reasoning with themselves incorrectly: “Our lifetime is brief and tedious, and there is no relief within the limits of man, and no one is acknowledged to have returned from the dead.(a)

For we are born from nothing, and after this we will be as if we had not been, because the breath in our nostrils is like smoke, and conversation sends out sparks from the stirring of our heart;

therefore, when it is extinguished, our body will be ashes, and our spirit will be diffused like a soft breeze, and our life will pass away like the wisp of a cloud, just as a mist is dissolved when it is driven away by the rays of the sun and overpowered by its heat.

And in time our name will surrender to oblivion, and no one will have remembrance of our works.

For our time is like the passing of a shadow, and nothing can reverse our end, for it is signed and sealed, and cannot be returned.(b)

Therefore, hurry, let us enjoy the good things of the present time, and let us quickly use up passing things, just as in youth.

Let us indulge ourselves with costly wine and ointments, and let no flower of youth pass us by.(c)

Let us surround ourselves with rosebuds before they wither; let no meadow be left untouched by our indulgence.(d)

Let no one among us be exempt from our indulgence. Let us leave behind tokens of enjoyment everywhere, for this is our portion, and this is fate.(e)

Let us oppress the poor just man, and not spare the widow, nor respect the aged grey hairs of elders.(f)

But let our strength be the law of justice, for what is weak is found to be useless.

Therefore, let us encircle the just, because he is useless to us, and he is against our works, and he reproaches us with our legal offenses, and makes known to us the sins of our way of life.

He promises that he has the knowledge of God and he calls himself the son of God.

He was made among us to expose our very thoughts.(g)

He is grievous for us even to behold, for his life is unlike other men’s lives, and immutable are his ways.(h)

It is as if we are considered by him to be insignificant, and he abstains from our ways as from filth; he prefers the newly justified, and he glories that he has God for his father.(i)

Let us see, then, if his words are true, and let us test what will happen to him, and then we will know what his end will be.(j)

For if he is the true son of God, he will receive him and deliver him from the hands of his adversaries.

Let us examine him with insult and torture, that we may know his reverence and try his patience.

Let us condemn him to a most shameful death, for, according to his own words, God will care for him.”

These things they thought, and they were mistaken, for their own malice blinded them.

And they were ignorant of the mysteries of God; they neither hoped for the reward of justice, nor judged the value of holy souls.

For God created man to be immortal, and he made him in the image of his own likeness.

But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,

yet they imitate him, who are from his side.

Fußnoten

(a)2:1 Inferis could also be translated as hell or the underworld.(Conte)

(b)2:5 Consignata est is here loosely translated as signed and sealed, as in the expression signed, sealed, and delivered. That which is signed, sealed, and delivered cannot be returned.(Conte)

(c)2:7 Flos temporis uses flower metaphorically, to refer to human persons, so the translation is flower of youth, rather than flower of time. Here and in the subsequent verses the misuse of sexuality is implied.(Conte)

(d)2:8 Again, the metaphor of flowers, and also of a meadow, are used to refer to persons who are sexually promiscuous.(Conte)

(e)2:9 Sors is a word referring to deciding things by casting lots. It can refer to chance, or to fate, or to Divine providence, or to one’s place in life.(Conte)

(f)2:10 Canos means grey or grey hairs, but it can also imply the wisdom which comes with age.(Conte)

(g)2:14 Traductionem has the meaning of parading someone around in disgrace, that is, of making known someone’s offences. Expose or disgrace usually fit in translation.(Conte)

(h)2:15 These verses refer to Christ, so the use of immutable, a word aptly applied to God, makes a fitting translation.(Conte)

(i)2:16 Novissima means, literally, the newest; however, it is used to refer to the newest troops to arrive, who would be at the end of the line of soldiers. Thus, novissima often refers to the last or the end of something. In this case, though, it has both meanings. It means the newest to be justified or to converted or to repent, and it also refers metaphorically to the newest among the just as if they were the newest recruits.(Conte)

(j)2:17 And here is an example of novissima used to mean end.(Conte)

The vain reasonings of the wicked: their persecuting the just, especially the Son of God.

For they said(a) within themselves, with unsound reasoning, “Our life is short and sorrowful. There is no healing when a man comes to his end, and no one was ever known who(b) was released from Hades.

Because we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we will be as though we had never been, because the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our heart,

which being extinguished, the body will be turned into ashes, and the spirit will be dispersed as thin air.

Our name will be forgotten in time. No one will remember our works. Our life will pass away as the traces of a cloud, and will be scattered as is a mist, when it is chased by the rays of the sun, and(c) overcome by its heat.

For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and our end doesn’t retreat, because it is securely sealed, and no one(d) turns it back.

“Come therefore and let’s enjoy the good things that exist. Let’s use the creation earnestly as in our youth.

Let’s fill ourselves with costly wine and perfumes, and let no spring flower pass us by.

Let’s crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.

Let none of us go without his share in our proud revelry. Let’s leave tokens of mirth everywhere, because this is our portion, and this is our lot.

Let’s oppress the righteous poor. Let’s not spare the widow, nor regard the gray hair of the old man.

But let our strength be a law of righteousness; for that which is weak is proven useless.

But let’s lie in wait for the righteous man, because he annoys us, is contrary to our works, reproaches us with sins against the law, and charges us with sins against our training.

He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord.

He became to us a reproof of our thoughts.

He is grievous to us even to look at, because his life is unlike other men’s, and his paths are strange.

We were regarded by him as something worthless, and he abstains from our ways as from uncleanness. He calls the latter end of the righteous happy. He boasts that God is his father.

Let’s see if his words are true. Let’s test what will happen at the end of his life.

For if the righteous man is God’s son, he will uphold him, and he will deliver him out of the hand of his adversaries.

Let’s test him with insult and torture, that we may find out how gentle he is, and test his patience.

Let’s condemn him to a shameful death, for he will be protected, according to his words.”

Thus they reasoned, and they were led astray; for their wickedness blinded them,

and they didn’t know the mysteries of God, neither did they hope for wages of holiness, nor did they discern that there is a prize for blameless souls.

Because God created man for incorruption, and made him an image of his own everlastingness;

but death entered into the world by the envy of the devil, and those who belong to him experience it.

Fußnoten

(a)2:1 Or, among

(b)2:1 Or, returned out of Hades

(d)2:5 Or, comes again