Wisdom of Solomon 19

The Red Sea

¹⁹But the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger,

for God^y knew in advance even their future actions:^*

²how, though they themselves had permitted^z your people to depart

and hastily sent them out,

they would change their minds and pursue them.^*

³For while they were still engaged in mourning

and were lamenting at the graves of their dead,

they reached another foolish decision

and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to leave.

⁴For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end

and made them forget what had happened,

in order that they might fill up the punishment that their torments still lacked^*

⁵and that your people might experience^a an incredible journey,

but they themselves might meet a strange death.^*

God Guides and Protects His People

⁶For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew,

complying with your commands,

so that your children might be kept unharmed.^*

⁷The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp

and dry land emerging where water had stood before,

an unhindered way out of the Red Sea

and a grassy plain out of the raging waves,^*

⁸where those protected by your hand passed through as one nation,

after gazing on marvelous wonders.^*

⁹For they ranged like horses

and leaped like lambs,

praising you, O Lord, who delivered them.^*

¹⁰For they still recalled the events of their sojourn,

how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats,

and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs.^*

¹¹Afterward they saw also a new kind of bird,

when desire led them to ask for luxurious food,^*

¹²for, to give them relief, quails came up from the sea.^*

The Punishment of the Egyptians

¹³The punishments did not come upon the sinners

without prior signs in the violence of thunder,

for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts,

for they practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers.^*

¹⁴Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them,

but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.^*

¹⁵And not only so, but while punishment of some sort will come upon the former

for having received strangers with hostility,

¹⁶the latter, having first received them with festal celebrations,

afterward afflicted with terrible sufferings

those who had already shared the same rights.^*

¹⁷They were stricken also with loss of sight—

just as were those at the door of the righteous man—

when, surrounded by yawning darkness,

all of them tried to find the way through their own doors.^*

A New Harmony in Nature

¹⁸For the elements changed^b places with one another,

as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm,

while each note remains the same.^c

This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place.

¹⁹For land animals were transformed into water creatures,

and creatures that swim moved over to the land.

²⁰Fire even in water retained its normal power,

and water forgot its fire-quenching nature.^*

²¹Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume

the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them,

nor did they melt^d the crystalline, quick-melting kind of heavenly food.^*

Conclusion

²²For in everything, O Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people,

and you have not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.