1
Nevertheless, Thy saints had a very great light. And the unrighteous, hearing their voices and not seeing their shape, because they also had not suffered the same things, counted them happy.
2
But because Thy people did not hurt them now, by whom they had been wronged before, they thanked them and besought their pardon for having been enemies.
3
Instead thereof Thou gavest Thy people a burning pillar of fire, both to be a guide for the unknown journey and a harmless sun to entertain them honorably.
4
For the unrighteous were worthy to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness, who had kept Thy sons shut up, by whom the uncorrupt light of the law was to be given unto the world.
5
And when they had determined to slay the babes of the saints, one child being cast forth and saved, to reprove them Thou took away the multitude of their children, and destroyed them altogether in a mighty water.
6
Of that night our fathers were certified beforehand so that, assuredly knowing unto what oaths they had given credence, they might afterwards be of good cheer.
7
So by Thy people was accepted both the salvation of the righteous, and destruction of the enemies.
8
For with what Thou didst punish our adversaries, by the same Thou didst glorify us, whom Thou had called.
9
For the righteous children of good men offered sacrifice secretly, and with one accord made a holy law, that the saints should be like partakers of the same good and evil, the fathers now singing out the songs of praise.
10
But on the other side there sounded a discordant cry of the enemies, and a lamentable noise was carried abroad for children that were bewailed.
11
The master and the servant were punished in one manner, and as the king, so suffered the common person.
12
So they all together, by one kind of death, had innumerable dead, neither were the living sufficient to bury them; for in one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed.
13
For whereas they would not believe any thing by reason of the enchantments, upon the destruction of the first-born they acknowledged this people to be the sons of God.
14
For while all things were in quiet silence, and that night was in the midst of her swift course,
15
Thine almighty word leaped down from heaven out of Thy royal throne, as a fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction,
16
and brought Thine unfeigned commandment as a sharp sword and, standing up, filled all things with death; and it touched the heaven, but it stood upon the earth.
17
Then suddenly visions of horrible dreams troubled them sorely, and terrors came upon them unlooked for.
18
And one thrown here and another there, half dead, showed the cause of his death.
19
For the dreams that troubled them showed this beforehand, lest they should perish and not know why they were afflicted.
20
Yea, the tasting of death touched the righteous also, and there was a destruction of the multitude in the wilderness; but the wrath endured not long.
21
For then the blameless man made haste and stood forth to defend them, and, bringing the shield of his proper ministry, even prayer and the propitiation of incense, set himself against the wrath and so brought the calamity to an end, declaring that he was Thy servant.
22
So he overcame the destroyer, not with strength of body nor force of arms, but with a word he subdued him that punished, alleging the oaths and covenants made with the fathers.
23
For when the dead had now fallen down by heaps one upon another, standing between, he stayed the wrath, and cut off the way to the living.
24
For in the long garment was the whole world, and in the four rows of the stones was the glory of the fathers graven, and Thy majesty upon the daidem of his head.
25
Unto these the destroyer gave way and was afraid of them, for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath.