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Chapter 12
1 O how good and sweet is your spirit, O Lord, in all things!
2 And therefore you chastise them that err, by little and little: and admonish them, and speak to them, concerning the things wherein they offend: that leaving their wickedness, they may believe in you, O Lord.
3 For those ancient inhabitants of your holy land, whom you did abhor,
4 Because they did works hateful to you by their sorceries, and wicked sacrifices,
5 And those merciless murderers of their own children, and eaters of men's bowels, and devourers of blood from the midst of your consecration,
6 And those parents sacrificing with their own hands helpless souls, it was your will to destroy by the hands of our parents,
7 That the land which of all is most dear to you might receive a worthy colony of the children of God.
8 Yet even those you spared as men, and did send wasps, forerunners of your host, to destroy them by little and little.
9 Not that you were unable to bring the wicked under the just by war, or by cruel beasts, or with one rough word to destroy them at once:
10 But executing your judgments by degrees you gave them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a wicked generation, and their malice natural, and that their thought could never be changed.
11 For it was a cursed seed from the beginning: neither did you for fear of any one give pardon to their sins.
12 For who shall say to you: What have you done? or who shall withstand your judgment? or who shall come before you to be a revenger of wicked men? or who shall accuse you, if the nations perish, which you have made?
13 For there is no other God but you, who have care of all, that you should shew that you do not give judgment unjustly.
14 Neither shall king, nor tyrant in your sight inquire about them whom you have destroyed.
15 For so much then as you are just, you order all things justly: thinking it not agreeable to your power, to condemn him who deserves not to be punished.
16 For your power is the beginning of justice: and because you are Lord of all, you make yourself gracious to all.
17 For you shew your power, when men will not believe you to be absolute in power, and you convince the boldness of them that know you not.
18 But you being master of power, judge with tranquillity; and with great favour dispose of us: for your power is at hand when you will.
19 But you have taught your people by such works, that they must be just and humane, and have made your children to be of a good hope: because in judging you give place for repentance for sins.
20 For if you did punish the enemies of your servants, and that deserved to die, with so great deliberation, giving them time and place whereby they might be changed from their wickedness:
21 With what circumspection have you judged your own children, to whose parents you have sworn and made covenants of good promises?
22 Therefore whereas you chastise us, you scourge our enemies very many ways, to the end that when we judge we may think on your goodness: and when we are judged, we may hope for your mercy.
23 Wherefore you have also greatly tormented them who in their life have lived foolishly and unjustly, by the same things which they worshipped.
24 For they went astray for a long time in the ways of error, holding those things for gods which are the most worthless among beasts, living after the manner of children without understanding.
25 Therefore you have sent a judgment upon them as senseless children to mock them.
26 But they that were not amended by mockeries and reprehensions, experienced the worthy judgment of God.
27 For seeing with indignation that they suffered by those very things which they took for gods, when they were destroyed by the same, they acknowledged him the true God, whom in time past they denied that they knew: for which cause the end also of their condemnation came upon them.