1 As for the wicked, wrath came upon them without kindness to their end;
For He knew before what they would do;
2 How having allowed them to depart, and sent them away in haste,
They would reconsider and pursue them.
3 For while they were still mourning and lamenting at the graves of the dead,
They added another foolish scheme, and pursued as fugitives,
Those whom they had begged to leave.
4 For the expectancy of which they were worthy, drew them toward this end,
And made them forget that which had already come to be,
That they might fill the punishment of their torment which was lacking;
5 And that Your people might travel an extaordinary way,
But they would find a strange death.
6 For the whole creation in its kind was renewed in fashion,
Serving Your Commands that were given to them,
That Your children might be guarded without harm;
7 As a cloud overshadowing the camp.
And where water stood before, dry land appeared,
And out of the Sea of Reeds, an unobstructed way;
And out of the raging river, a green field,
8 Where all the people went through that were defended by Your hand,
Seeing Your marvelous, awesome wonders.
9 For they reared like horses, and leaped like lambs,
Praising you, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, who had delivered them.
10 For they still remembered what was done while they sojourned in the strange land,
How the ground brought forth flies instead of cattle,
And how the river threw up multitudes of frogs instead of fish.
11 But afterwards they saw a new offspring of birds,
When being led with their appetite, they asked for luxurious meats.
12 For quails came up to them from the sea for their satisfaction.
13 And punishments came upon the sinners,
Not without former signs of the power of thunder;
For they suffered rightly according to their own wickedness,
Because they exercised a harder and hateful behaviour toward sojourners.
14 For the Seḏomites did not receive those who were unknown when they came,
But these brought friends into slavery, that deserved good from them.
15 And not only so, but supposed some respect would be had of those,
Because they treated sojourners hatefully.
16 But they afflicted those grievously, whom they had received with feasting,
And had already shared in the same laws with them.
17 Therefore they were stricken with blindness,
As those at the doors of the righteous man;
When being surrounded with great, horrible darkness,
Every one sought to pass by his own doors.
18 For the elements were changed in themselves by a kind of harmony,
As notes change the name of the tune on a harp
And yet are always sounds;
Which are understood by the sight of that which has been done.
19 For those of the earth were turned into watery,
And that which before swam in the water, now moved on the earth.
20 The fire had power in the water, forgetting its own ability;
And the water forgot its own quenching nature.
21 On the contrary, the flames did not destroy the flesh of the corruptible living matters, though they walked in them;
Neither melted the frosty food from the shamayim that would naturally melt.
22 For in all matters O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, You exalted Your people and esteemed them,
Neither did You lightly regard them,
But assisted them at every time and place.