CHAPTER 16
1 For these things, and things like these, they suffered torments worthily, and they were destroyed by multitude of beasts.
2 For which torments thou disposedest well thy people, to which thou gavest covetousness of their delighting a new savour, making ready meat to them a curlew, that is, a multitude of curlews.
3 That soothly they coveting meat, were turned away, yea, from needful coveting, for those things that were showed, and sent to them; but these men made poor in short time, tasted new meat.
4 For soothly it behooved perishing to come on them without excusing, using [or haunting] tyranny; but to show only to these Hebrews, how their enemies were destroyed.
5 Forsooth when the fierce ire of beasts came on them, they were destroyed by the bitings of wayward serpents. But, Lord, thine ire [or wrath] dwelled not without end;
6 but they were troubled in short time to amending [or correction], and had a sign of health, to remembering of the commandment of thy law.
7 For he that was converted, was healed not by that that he saw, but by thee, Saviour of all men [or saviour of all].
8 Forsooth in this thou showedest to our enemies, that thou it art [or thou art], that deliverest from all evil.
9 Forsooth the bitings of locusts and of flies killed them, and health of their life was not found; for they were worthy to be destroyed of such things.
10 But neither the teeth of dragons, neither of venomous beasts overcame thy children; for why thy mercy came, and healed them.
11 For they were tormented in mind of thy words, that is, that they should be mindful of thy behests, and they were healed swiftly [or swiftly they were saved]; lest they falling into deep forgetting of God, [they] might not use thine help.
12 For neither herb, neither plaster healed them; but, Lord, thy word, [or but thy word, Lord], that healeth all things.
13 Lord, thou art, that hast power of life and of death; and leadest forth to the gates of death, and leadest again.
14 But soothly a man slayeth his soul by malice; and when the spirit is gone out, it shall not turn again, neither the body shall again-call the soul, which is received;
15 but it is impossible to escape thine hand.
16 For why wicked [or unpious] men, denying to know thee, were tormented by the strength of thine arm; they suffered persecution by new waters, and hails, and rains, and were wasted by fire.
17 For why that was wonderful, the fire had more might in the water, that quencheth all things; for why the world was avenger of just [or rightwise] men.
18 For why sometime the fire was mild [or tamed], lest the beasts should be burnt, that were sent to wicked [or unpious] men; but that they seeing should know, that they suffer persecution by the doom of God.
19 And sometime the fire burnt on high on each side in the water, above the virtue of fire, to destroy the wicked nation of the land.
20 For which things thou nourishedest thy people with meat of angels, and thou gavest from heaven bread made ready to them, without travail; having all delighting in itself, and the sweet-ness of all savour.
21 For thou showedest thy chattel [or thy substance], and thy sweetness, which thou hast, to sons; and the bread serving to the will of each man, was turned to that, that each man would.
22 Forsooth snow and ice suffered the might [or the strength] of fire, and melted not; that they should know, that fire burning, in hail and rain lightning, destroyed the fruits of enemies.
23 Soothly again this was wonderful, also fire forgot his virtue, that just men should be nourished.
24 For why the creature serving to thee the Maker, waxeth white [or burneth out] into torment against unjust [or unrightwise] men, and is made lighter [or softer] to do well, for them that trust in thee.
25 For this thing and all things transfigured then, that is, changed from the property of their kind, served to thy grace, nourisher of all things, to the will of them, that be desired of thee;
26 that, Lord, thy sons should know, which [or whom] thou lovedest, that not the fruits of birth, that is, not only fruits coming forth of earth, feed men, but thy word keepeth them, that believe in thee.
27 For why that that might not be destroyed of fire, that is, manna, melted anon as it was made hot of a little beam of the sun;
28 that it were known to all men, that it behooveth to come before the sun to thy blessing, and to worship [or honour] thee at the rising of the light.
29 Forsooth the hope of an unkind man shall melt away as ice of winter, and shall perish as superfluous water.