| 1 2 ἀκούσατε οὖν βασιλεῖς καὶ σύνετε μάθετε δικασταὶ περάτων γῆς 3 ἐνωτίσασθε οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους καὶ γεγαυρωμένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν 4 ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ δυναστεία παρὰ ὑψίστου ὃς ἐξετάσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς βουλὰς διερευνήσει 5 ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπορεύθητε 6 φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν γίνεται 7 ὁ γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται 8 οὐ γὰρ ὑποστελεῖται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων 9 τοῖς δὲ κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα 10 πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὖν ὦ τύραννοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἵνα μάθητε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ παραπέσητε 11 οἱ γὰρ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια ὁσιωθήσονται καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν 12 ἐπιθυμήσατε οὖν τῶν λόγων μου ποθήσατε καὶ παιδευθήσεσθε |
1 (Wisdom more avails than strength; for a man of prudence, the warrior is no match.)[1] 2 A word, then, for kings’ ears to hear, kings’ hearts to heed; a message for you, rulers, wherever you be! 3 Listen well, all you that have multitudes at your command, foreign hordes to do your bidding. 4 Power is none but comes to you from the Lord, nor any royalty but from One who is above all. He it is that will call you to account for your doings, with a scrutiny that reads your inmost thoughts; 5 you that held his commission and were false to it, justice neglected, the law set aside, his divine will transgressed. 6 Swift and terrible shall be his coming; strictly his doom falls where heads rise high. 7 For the meanest, there may be pardon; for greatness, greater torment is reserved. 8 What, should he cringe before high rank, stand in awe of a name, he, the Lord of a universe, that made great and little alike, that cares alike for all? 9 Who most has power, him the sharpest pains await. 10 Do you, then, royal sirs (for my warning touches none so nearly), learn wisdom’s lesson, and save yourselves from ruin. 11 He that would find soul’s health, holy must be and hallowed precepts observe; master these he must, if he would make good his defence. 12 Cherish these warnings of mine, and greedily devour them for your instruction. |
1
Melior est sapientia quam vires,
et vir prudens quam fortis. 2
Audite ergo, reges, et intelligite;
discite, judices finium terræ. 3
Præbete aures, vos qui continetis multitudines,
et placetis vobis in turbis nationum. 4
Quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis,
et virtus ab Altissimo:
qui interrogabit opera vestra, et cogitationes scrutabitur. 5
Quoniam cum essetis ministri regni illius,
non recte judicastis, nec custodistis legem justitiæ,
neque secundum voluntatem Dei ambulastis. 6
Horrende et cito apparebit vobis,
quoniam judicium durissimum his qui præsunt fiet. 7
Exiguo enim conceditur misericordia;
potentes autem potenter tormenta patientur. 8
Non enim subtrahet personam cujusquam Deus,
nec verebitur magnitudinem ejus cujusquam,
quoniam pusillum et magnum ipse fecit,
et æqualiter cura est illi de omnibus. 9
Fortioribus autem fortior instat cruciatio. 10
Ad vos ergo, reges, sunt hi sermones mei:
ut discatis sapientiam, et non excidatis. 11
Qui enim custodierint justa juste, justificabuntur;
et qui didicerint ista, invenient quid respondeant. 12
Concupiscite ergo sermones meos;
diligite illos, et habebitis disciplinam. |