1 sanctis autem tuis maxima erat lux
et horum quidem vocem audiebant sed figuram non videbant
et quia non et ipsi per eadem passi erant
magnificabant
2 et qui ante laesi erant
quoniam non laedebantur gratias agebant
et ut esset differentia donum petebant
3 propter quod igni ardentem columnam
ducem habuerunt ignotae viae
et solem sine laesura boni hospitii praestitisti
4 digni quidem illi carere luce et pati carcerem tenebrarum
qui inclusos custodiebant filios tuos
per quos incipiebat incorruptum legis lumen saeculo dari
5 cum cogitarent iustorum occidere infantes
et uno exposito filio et liberato
in traductionem illorum multitudinem filiorum abstulisti
et pariter illos perdidisti in aquam validam
6 illa nox ante cognita est a parentibus
nostris
ut vere scientes quibus iuramentis crediderunt animaequiores
essent
7 suscepta est autem a populo tuo sanitas quidem
iustorum
iniustorum autem exterminatio
8 sicut enim laesisti adversarios sic nos provocans magnificasti
9 absconse enim sacrificabant iusti pueri bonorum
et iustitiae legem in concordia disposuerunt
similiter bona et mala percepturos
iustos
patri iam decantantes laudes
10 resonabat autem inconveniens inimicorum vox
et flebilis audiebatur planctus ploratorum infantium
11 simili autem poena servus cum domino adflictus
et popularis homo regi similia passus
12 similiter ergo omnes uno nomine mortis
mortuos habebant innumerabiles
nec enim ad sepeliendum vivi sufficiebant
quoniam uno momento
quae erat praeclarior natio illorum exterminata est
13 de omnibus enim non credentes propter veneficia
tunc cum fuit exterminium
primogenitorum
spoponderunt populum Dei se esse
14 cum enim quietum silentium contineret omnia
et nox in suo cursu medium iter haberet
15 omnipotens sermo tuus de caelo a regalibus sedibus
durus debellator in mediam exterminii terram prosilivit
16 gladius acutus insimulatum imperium tuum portans
et stans replevit omnia morte
et usque ad caelum adtingebat stans in terra
17 tum continuo visus somniorum malorum turbaverunt
illos
et timores supervenerunt insperati
18 et alius alibi proiectus semivivus
propter quam moriebatur causam demonstrabat
19 visiones enim quae illos turbaverunt
haec praemonebant
ne inscii quare mala patiebantur perirent
20 tetigit autem tunc et iustos temptatio mortis
et commotio in heremo facta est
multitudinis
sed non diu permansit ira
21 properans enim homo sine querella propugnavit
proferens servitutis suae scutum orationem
et per incensum deprecationem allegans
restitit irae et finem inposuit necessitati
ostendens quoniam tuus est famulus
22 vicit autem turbas non virtute corporis
nec armatura potentiae
sed verbo vexatorem subiecit
iuramenta parentum et testamentum commemorans
23 cum enim iam acervatim cecidissent super alterutrum
mortui
interstetit et amputavit impetum
et divisit illam quae ad vivos ducebat viam
24 in veste enim poderis quam habebat
totus erat orbis terrarum
et parentum magnalia in quattuor ordinibus lapidum erant sculpta
et magnificentia tua in diademate capitis illius erat
scripta
25 haec autem his cessit qui exterminabat
et haec extimuit
erat enim sola temptatio irae sufficiens
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
7 So of thy people was accepted both the salvation of the righteous, and destruction of the enemies.
8 For wherewith thou didst punish our adversaries, by the same thou didst glorify us, whom thou hadst called.
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.
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.
11 The master and the servant were punished after one manner; and like as the king, so suffered the common person.
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.
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.
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 sore, and terrors came upon them unlooked for.
18 And one thrown here, and another there, half dead, shewed the cause of his death.
19 For the dreams that troubled them did foreshew this, 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 subdued him that punished, alleging the oaths and covenants made with the fathers.
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.
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.
25 Unto these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath.