1For thy immortal spirit is in all things.

2Therefore thou dost correct little by little those who trespass,

and dost remind and warn them of the things wherein they sin,

that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in thee, O Lord.

3Those who dwelt of old in thy holy land

4thou didst hate for their detestable practices,

their works of sorcery and unholy rites,

5their merciless slaughter12.5 Cn: Gk slaughterers of children,

and their sacrificial feasting on human flesh and blood.

These initiates from the midst of a heathen cult,12.5 The Greek text of this line is uncertain

6these parents who murder helpless lives,

thou didst will to destroy by the hands of our fathers,

7that the land most precious of all to thee

might receive a worthy colony of the servants12.7 Or children of God.

8But even these thou didst spare, since they were but men,

and didst send wasps12.8 Or hornets as forerunners of thy army,

to destroy them little by little,

9though thou wast not unable to give the ungodly into the hands of the righteous in battle,

or to destroy them at one blow by dread wild beasts or thy stern word.

10But judging them little by little thou gavest them a chance to repent,

though thou wast not unaware that their origin12.10 Or nature was evil

and their wickedness inborn,

and that their way of thinking would never change.

11For they were an accursed race from the beginning,

and it was not through fear of any one that thou didst leave them unpunished for their sins.

12For who will say, “What hast thou done?”

Or who will resist thy judgment?

Who will accuse thee for the destruction of nations which thou didst make?

Or who will come before thee to plead as an advocate for unrighteous men?

13For neither is there any god besides thee, whose care is for all men,12.13 Or all things

to whom thou shouldst prove that thou hast not judged unjustly;

14nor can any king or monarch confront thee about those whom thou hast punished.

15Thou art righteous and rulest all things righteously,

deeming it alien to thy power

to condemn him who does not deserve to be punished.

16For thy strength is the source of righteousness,

and thy sovereignty over all causes thee to spare all.

17For thou dost show thy strength when men doubt the completeness of thy power,

and dost rebuke any insolence among those who know it.12.17 The Greek text of this line is uncertain

18Thou who art sovereign in strength dost judge with mildness,

and with great forbearance thou dost govern us;

for thou hast power to act whenever thou dost choose.

19Through such works thou hast taught thy people

that the righteous man must be kind,

and thou has filled thy sons with good hope,

because thou givest repentance for sins.

20For it thou didst punish with such great care and indulgence12.20 Some ancient authorities omit and indulgence; others read and entreaty

the enemies of thy servants12.20 Or children and those deserving of death,

granting them time and opportunity to give up their wickedness,

21with what strictness thou has judged thy sons,

to whose fathers thou gavest oaths and covenants full of good promises!

22So while chastening us thou scourgest our enemies ten thousand times more,

so that we may meditate upon thy goodness when we judge,

and when we are judged we may expect mercy.

23Therefore those who in folly of life lived unrighteously

thou didst torment through their own abominations.

24For they went far astray on the paths of error,

accepting as gods those animals which even their enemies12.24 Gk they despised;

they were deceived like foolish babes.

25Therefore, as to thoughtless children, thou didst send thy judgment to mock them.

26But those who have not heeded the warning of light rebukes

will experience the deserved judgment of God.

27For when in their suffering they became incensed

at those creatures which they had thought to be gods, being punished by means of them,

they saw and recognised as the true God him whom they had before refused to know.

Therefore the utmost condemnation came upon them.