Wisdom 4:7-16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
C. On Early Death[a]
7 But the righteous one, though he die early, shall be at rest.(A)
8 For the age that is honorable comes not with the passing of time,(B)
nor can it be measured in terms of years.
9 Rather, understanding passes for gray hair,
and an unsullied life is the attainment of old age.
10 [b]The one who pleased God was loved,(C)
living among sinners, was transported—
11 Snatched away, lest wickedness pervert his mind
or deceit beguile his soul;(D)
12 For the witchery of paltry things obscures what is right
and the whirl of desire transforms the innocent mind.(E)
13 Having become perfect in a short while,
he reached the fullness of a long career;
14 for his soul was pleasing to the Lord,
therefore he sped him out of the midst of wickedness.(F)
But the people saw and did not understand,
nor did they take that consideration into account.[c]
16 Yes, the righteous one who has died will condemn
the sinful who live;
And youth, swiftly completed, will condemn
the many years of the unrighteous who have grown old.(G)
Footnotes
- 4:7–19 Early death is not a punishment for the righteous because genuine old age is the attainment of perfection and early death is a preservation from corruption. The old age and death of the wicked, however, will not be honorable.
- 4:10–11 There are allusions here to Enoch (Gn 5:21–24), who was young by patriarchal standards, and to Lot (Gn 19:10–11; 2 Pt 2:7–8). Cf. also Is 57:1–2.
- 4:14 Verse 15 is omitted because it repeats the last two lines of 3:9.
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