1 But upon the ungodly there came to the end indignation without mercy;
For their future alsoGodforeknew,
2 How that, having changed their minds tolet your peoplego,
And having speeded them eagerly on their way,
They would repent themselves and pursue them.
3 For while they were yet in the midst of their mourning,
And making lamentation at the graves of the dead,
They drew upon themselves another counsel of folly,
And pursued as fugitives those whom with intreaties they had cast out.
4 Forthe doom which they deserved was drawing themto this end,
And it made them forget the things that had befallen them,
That they might fill up the punishment which was yet lacking to their torments,
5 And that your people mightjourney on by a marvelous road,
But theythemselvesmight find a strange death.
6 For the whole creation,each partin its several kind, was fashioned again anew,
Ministering toyourseveral commandments,
That yourservants might be guarded free from hurt.
7 Thenthe cloud that shadowed the camp was seen,
And dry land rising up out of what before was water,
Out of the Red sea an unhindered highway,
And a grassy plain out of the violent surge;
8 By which they passed over with all their hosts,
These that were covered with your hand,
Having seen strange marvels.
9 For like horses they roamed at large,
And they skipped about like lambs,
Praising you, O Lord, who was their deliverer.
10 For they still remembered the things that came to pass in the time of their sojourning,
How that instead ofbearingcattle the land brought forthlice,
And instead offish the river cast up a multitude of frogs.
11 But afterwards they saw also a newrace of birds,
When, led on by desire, they asked for luxurious dainties;
12 For, to solace them, there came up for them quails from the sea.
13 And upon the sinners came the punishments
Not without the tokens that were givenbeforehand by the force of the thunders;
For justly did they suffer through their own wickednesses,
Forgrievous indeed was the hatred which they practised toward guests.
14 For whereas themen of Sodomreceived notthe strangers when they came amongthem;
The Egyptians made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.
15 And not only so,but Godshallvisitthe men of Sodom after another sort,
Since they received as enemies them that were aliens;
16 Whereas thesefirstwelcomed with feastings,
Andthenafflicted with dreadful toils,
Them that had already sharedwith themin the same rights.
17 And moreover they were stricken with loss of sight
(Even as were thoseothersat the righteous man’s doors),
When, being compassed about with yawning darkness,
They sought every one the passage through his own door.
18 For as the notes of a lute vary the character of the rhythm,
Even sodidthe elements, changing their order one with another,
Continuing alwaysthe same, eachin itsseveralsound;
As may clearly bedivined from the sight of the things that are come to pass.
19 For creatures of the dry land were turned into creatures of the waters,
And creatures that swim trodenowupon the earth:
20 Fire kept the mastery of its own power inthe midst ofwater,
And water forgat its quenching nature:
21 Contrariwise, flames wasted not the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them;
Neithermelted they theice-like grains of ambrosial food, that wereof natureapt to melt.
22 For in all things, O Lord, you did magnify your people,
And you did glorify them and not lightly regard them;
Standing by their side in every time and place.