Sefarim
Chokhmat Shelomoh15
Wisdom of Solomon · Chapter 15
But thou, O Elohim, art gracious and true, longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things,
For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy power: but we will not sin, knowing that we are counted thine.
For to know thee is perfect righteousness: yea, to know thy power is the root of immortality.
For neither did the mischievous invention of men deceive us, nor an image spotted with divers colours, the painter’s fruitless labour;
The sight whereof enticeth fools to lust after it, and so they desire the form of a dead image, that hath no breath.
Both they that make them, they that desire them, and they that worship them, are lovers of evil things, and are worthy to have such things to trust upon.
For the potter, tempering soft earth, fashioneth every vessel with much labour for our service: yea, of the same clay he maketh both the vessels that serve for clean uses, and likewise also all such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of either sort, the potter himself is the judge.
And employing his labours lewdly, he maketh a vain elohim of the same clay, even he which a little before was made of earth himself, and within a little while after returneth to the same, out when his life which was lent him shall be demanded.
Notwithstanding his care is, not that he shall have much labour, nor that his life is short: but striveth to excel goldsmiths and silversmiths, and endeavoureth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it his glory to make counterfeit things.
His heart is ashes, his hope is more vile than earth, and his life of less value than clay:
Forasmuch as he knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active nephesh, and breathed in a living spirit.
But they counted our life a pastime, and our time here a market for gain: for, say they, we must be getting every way, though it be by evil means.
For this man, that of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels and graven images, knoweth himself to offend above all others.
And all the enemies of thy people, that hold them in subjection, are most foolish, and are more miserable than very babes.
For they counted all the idols of the heathen to be gods: which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of hands to handle; and as for their feet, they are slow to go.
For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spirit fashioned them: but no man can make a elohim like unto himself.
For being mortal, he worketh a dead thing with wicked hands: for he himself is better than the things which he worshippeth: whereas he lived once, but they never.
Yea, they worshipped those beasts also that are most hateful: for being compared together, some are worse than others.
Neither are they beautiful, so much as to be desired in respect of beasts: but they went without the praise of Elohim and his blessing.
Sefarim
Chokhmat Shelomoh16
Wisdom of Solomon · Chapter 16
Therefore by the like were they punished worthily, and by the multitude of beasts tormented.
Instead of which punishment, dealing graciously with thine own people, thou preparedst for them meat of a strange taste, even quails to stir up their appetite:
To the end that they, desiring food, might for the ugly sight of the beasts sent among them lothe even that, which they must needs desire; but these, suffering penury for a short space, might be made partakers of a strange taste.
For it was requisite, that upon them exercising tyranny should come penury, which they could not avoid: but to these it should only be shewed how their enemies were tormented.
For when the horrible fierceness of beasts came upon these, and they perished with the stings of crooked serpents, thy wrath endured not for ever:
But they were troubled for a small season, that they might be admonished, having a sign of salvation, to put them in remembrance of the mitsvah of thy torah.
For he that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw, but by thee, that art the Saviour of all.
And in this thou madest thine enemies confess, that it is thou who deliverest from all evil:
For them the bitings of grasshoppers and flies killed, neither was there found any remedy for their life: for they were worthy to be punished by such.
But thy sons not the very teeth of venomous dragons overcame: for thy mercy was ever by them, and healed them.
For they were pricked, that they should remember thy words; and were quickly saved, that not falling into deep forgetfulness, they might be continually mindful of thy goodness.
For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaister, that restored them to health: but thy word, O master, which healeth all things.
For thou hast power of life and death: thou leadest to the gates of hell, and bringest up again.
A man indeed killeth through his malice: and the spirit, when it is gone forth, returneth not; neither the nephesh received up cometh again.
But it is not possible to escape thine hand.
For the ungodly, that denied to know thee, were scourged by the strength of thine arm: with strange rains, hails, and showers, were they persecuted, that they could not avoid, and through fire were they consumed.
For, which is most to be wondered at, the fire had more force in the water, that quencheth all things: for the world fighteth for the righteous.
For sometime the flame was mitigated, that it might not burn up the beasts that were sent against the ungodly; but themselves might see and perceive that they were persecuted with the judgment of Elohim.
And at another time it burneth even in the midst of water above the power of fire, that it might destroy the fruits of an unjust land.
Instead whereof thou feddest thine own people with mal'akhim’ food, and didst send them from shamayim bread prepared without their labour, able to content every man’s delight, and agreeing to every taste.
For thy sustenance declared thy sweetness unto thy children, and serving to the appetite of the eater, tempered itself to every man’s liking.
But snow and ice endured the fire, and melted not, that they might know that fire burning in the hail, and sparkling in the rain, did destroy the fruits of the enemies.
But this again did even forget his own strength, that the righteous might be nourished.
For the creature that serveth thee, who art the Maker increaseth his strength against the unrighteous for their punishment, and abateth his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in thee.
Therefore even then was it altered into all fashions, and was obedient to thy grace, that nourisheth all things, according to the desire of them that had need:
That thy children, O master, whom thou lovest, might know, that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth man: but that it is thy word, which preserveth them that put their trust in thee.
For that which was not destroyed of the fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam, soon melted away:
That it might be known, that we must prevent the sun to give thee thanks, and at the dayspring pray unto thee.
For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter’s hoar frost, and shall run away as unprofitable water.
Sefarim
Chokhmat Shelomoh17
Wisdom of Solomon · Chapter 17
For great are thy judgments, and cannot be expressed: therefore unnurtured souls have erred.
For when unrighteous men thought to oppress the holy nation; they being shut up in their houses, the prisoners of darkness, and fettered with the bonds of a long night, lay
there exiled from the eternal providence.
For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being horribly astonished, and troubled with
strange apparitions.
For neither might the corner that held them keep them from fear: but noises
as of waters falling down sounded about them, and sad visions appeared unto them with heavy countenances.
No power of the fire might give them light: neither could the bright flames of the stars endure to lighten that horrible night.
Only there appeared unto them a fire kindled of itself, very dreadful: for being much terrified, they thought the things which they saw to be worse than the sight they saw not.
As for the illusions of art magick, they were put down, and their vaunting in wisdom was reproved with disgrace.
For they, that promised to drive away terrors and troubles from a sick nephesh, were sick themselves of fear, worthy to be laughed at.
For though no terrible thing did fear them; yet being scared with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents,
They died for fear, denying that they saw the air, which could of no side be avoided.
For wickedness, condemned by her own witness, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, always forecasteth grievous things.
For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth.
And the expectation from within, being less, counteth the ignorance more than the cause which bringeth the torment.
But they sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottoms of inevitable hell,
Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly fainted, their heart failing them: for a sudden fear, and not looked for, came upon them.
So then whosoever there fell down was straitly kept, shut up in a prison without iron bars,
For whether he were husbandman, or shepherd, or a labourer in the field, he was overtaken, and endured that necessity, which could not be avoided: for they were all bound with one chain of darkness.
Whether it were a whistling wind, or a melodious noise of birds among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water running violently,
Or a terrible sound of stones cast down, or a running that could not be seen of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most savage wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the hollow mountains; these things made them to swoon for fear.
For the whole world shined with clear light, and none were hindered in their labour:
Over them only was spread an heavy night, an image of that darkness which should afterward receive them: but yet were they unto themselves more grievous than the darkness.