1 Nevertheless thy saints had a very great light, whose voice they hearing, and not seeing their shape, because they also had not suffered the same things, they counted them happy.

1 Sanctis autem tuis maxima erat lux,
et horum quidem vocem audiebant, sed figuram non videbant.
Et quia non et ipsi eadem passi erant, magnificabant te;

2 But for that they did not hurt them now, of whom they had been wronged before, they thanked them, and besought them pardon for that they had been enemies.

2 et qui ante læsi erant, quia non lædebantur, gratias agebant,
et ut esset differentia, donum petebant.

3 Instead whereof thou gavest them a burning pillar of fire, both to be a guide of the unknown journey, and an harmless sun to entertain them honourably.

3 Propter quod ignis ardentem columnam
ducem habuerunt ignotæ viæ,
et solem sine læsura boni hospitii præstitisti.

4 For they 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.

4 Digni quidem illi carere luce,
et pati carcerem tenebrarum,
qui inclusos custodiebant filios tuos,
per quos incipiebat incorruptum legis lumen sæculo dari.

5 And when they had determined to slay the babes of the saints, one child being cast forth, and saved, to reprove them, thou tookest away the multitude of their children, and destroyedst them altogether in a mighty water.

5 ¶ Cum cogitarent justorum occidere infantes,
et uno exposito filio et liberato,
in traductionem illorum, multitudinem filiorum abstulisti,
et pariter illos perdidisti in aqua valida.

6 Of that night were our fathers certified afore, that assuredly knowing unto what oaths they had given credence, they might afterwards be of good cheer.

6 Illa enim nox ante cognita est a patribus nostris,
ut vere scientes quibus juramentis crediderunt,
animæquiores essent.

7 So of thy people was accepted both the salvation of the righteous, and destruction of the enemies.

7 Suscepta est autem a populo tuo sanitas quidem justorum,
injustorum autem exterminatio.

8 For wherewith thou didst punish our adversaries, by the same thou didst glorify us, whom thou hadst called.

8 Sicut enim læsisti adversarios,
sic et nos provocans magnificasti.

9 For the righteous children of good men did sacrifice secretly, and with one consent 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.

9 Absconse enim sacrificabant justi pueri bonorum,
et justitiæ legem in concordia disposuerunt;
similiter et bona et mala recepturos justos,
patrum jam decantantes laudes.

10 But on the other side there sounded an ill according cry of the enemies, and a lamentable noise was carried abroad for children that were bewailed.

10 Resonabat autem inconveniens inimicorum vox,
et flebilis audiebatur planctus ploratorum infantium.

11 The master and the servant were punished after one manner; and like as the king, so suffered the common person.

11 Simili autem pœna servus cum domino afflictus est,
et popularis homo regi similia passus.

12 So they all together had innumerable dead with one kind of death; neither were the living sufficient to bury them: for in one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed.

12 Similiter ergo omnes, uno nomine mortis,
mortuos habebant innumerabiles:
nec enim ad sepeliendum vivi sufficiebant,
quoniam uno momento quæ erat præclarior
natio illorum exterminata est.

13 For whereas they would not believe any thing by reason of the enchantments; upon the destruction of the firstborn, they acknowledged this people to be the sons of God.

13 De omnibus enim non credentes, propter veneficia;
tunc vero primum cum fuit exterminium primogenitorum,
spoponderunt populum Dei esse.

14 For while all things were in quiet silence, and that night was in the midst of her swift course,

14 Cum enim quietum silentium contineret omnia,
et nox in suo cursu medium iter haberet,

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,

15 omnipotens sermo tuus de cælo, a regalibus sedibus,
durus debellator in mediam exterminii terram prosilivit,

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.

16 gladius acutus insimulatum imperium tuum portans:
et stans, replevit omnia morte,
et usque ad cælum attingebat stans in terra.

17 Then suddenly visions of horrible dreams troubled them sore, and terrors came upon them unlooked for.

17 Tunc continuo visus somniorum malorum turbaverunt illos,
et timores supervenerunt insperati.

18 And one thrown here, and another there, half dead, shewed the cause of his death.

18 Et alius alibi projectus semivivus,
propter quam moriebatur causam demonstrabat mortis.

19 For the dreams that troubled them did foreshew this, lest they should perish, and not know why they were afflicted.

19 Visiones enim quæ illos turbaverunt hæc præmonebant,
ne inscii quare mala patiebantur perirent.

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.

20 Tetigit autem tunc et justos tentatio mortis,
et commotio in eremo facta est multitudinis:
sed non diu permansit ira tua.

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.

21 Properans enim homo sine querela deprecari pro populis,
proferens servitutis suæ scutum,
orationem et per incensum deprecationem allegans,
restitit iræ, et finem imposuit necessitati,
ostendens quoniam tuus est famulus.

22 So he overcame the destroyer, not with strength of body, nor force of arms, but with a word subdued he him that punished, alleging the oaths and covenants made with the fathers.

22 Vicit autem turbas non in virtute corporis,
nec armaturæ potentia:
sed verbo illum qui se vexabat subjecit,
juramenta parentum et testamentum commemorans.

23 For when the dead were now fallen down by heaps one upon another, standing between, he stayed the wrath, and parted the way to the living.

23 Cum enim jam acervatim cecidissent super alterutrum mortui,
interstitit, et amputavit impetum,
et divisit illam quæ ad vivos ducebat viam.

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 diadem of his head.

24 In veste enim poderis quam habebat, totus erat orbis terrarum;
et parentum magnalia in quatuor ordinibus lapidum erant sculpta,
et magnificentia tua in diademate capitis illius sculpta erat.

25 Unto these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath.

25 His autem cessit qui exterminabat, et hæc extimuit:
erat enim sola tentatio iræ sufficiens.