Sirach 8

1 Thy Almighty word leaped down from heaven from thy royal throne, as a fierce conqueror into the midst of the land of destruction, 2 With a sharp sword carrying thy unfeigned commandment, and he stood and filled all things with death, and standing on the earth, reached even to heaven. 3 Then suddenly visions of evil dreams troubled them, and fears unlooked for came upon them. 4 And one thrown here, another there, half dead, shewed the cause of his death. 5 For the visions that troubled them foreshewed these things, lest they should perish, and not know why they suffered these evils. 6 But the just also were afterwards touched by an assault of death, and there was a disturbance of the multitude in the wilderness: but thy wrath did not long continue; 7 For a blameless man made haste to pry for the people, bringing forth the shield of his ministry, prayer, and by incense making supplication, withstood the wrath, and put an end to the calamity, shewing that he was thy servant. 8 And he overcame the disturbance, not by strength of body nor with force of arms, but with a word he subdued him that punished them, alleging the oath and covenant made with the fathers. 9 For when they were now fallen down dead by heaps one upon another, he stood between and stayed the assault, and cut off the way to the living. 10 For in the priestly robe which he wore, was the whole world: and in the four rows of the stones, the glory of the fathers was graven, and thy majesty was written upon the diadem of his head. 11 And to these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for the proof only of wrath was enough. 13 But as to the wicked, even to the end there came upon them wrath without mercy. For he knew before also what they would do: 14 For when they had given them leave to depart and had sent them away with great care, they repented and pursued after them. 15 For whilst they were yet mourning, and lamenting at the graves of the dead, they took up another foolish device: and pursued them as fugitives whom they had pressed to be gone: 16 For a necessity, of which they were worthy, brought them to this end: and they lost the remembrance of those things which had happened, that their punishment might fill up what was wanting to their torments: 17 And that thy people might wonderfully pass through, but they might find a new death. 18 For every creature, according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying thy commandments, that thy children might be kept without hurt. 19 For a cloud overshadowed their camps and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea a way without hindrance, and out of the great deep a springing field: