1 Therefore they were worthily punished through creatures like these, And were tormented through a multitude of wild animals.
2 Instead of such punishment You showed kindness to Your people And prepared quails as food with a delicious taste to satisfy their hunger,
3 That those men, when they desired food, Might turn away their necessary hunger Because of the ugly look of the creatures sent upon them, While Your people, being in need for a brief period, Might partake of food with a delicious taste.
4 For it was necessary for those enemies That unavoidable need come upon them and tyrannize them, While to Your people it was only shown how their enemies were being tormented.
5 For even when the terrible rage of wild animals Came upon Your people, And they were being destroyed by the bites of twisting serpents, Your wrath did not continue to the end.
6 They were troubled for a short while as a warning, And received a pledge of salvation In remembrance of Your law 's command.
7 For the one who turned to it was saved, not by what he saw, But by You, the Savior of all.
8 So in this You persuaded our enemies that You are the One who saves from every evil.
9 For the bites of locusts and flies killed them, And no healing was found for their life, because they deserved to be punished by such things.
10 But the teeth of poisonous serpents did not overcome Your children, For Your mercy came to their aid and healed them.
11 For they were goaded to remind them of Your oracles and were quickly saved, Lest they should fall into deep forgetfulness and be continually unmindful of Your kindness.
12 For neither herb nor medicinal plaster healed them, But it was Your word, O Lord, which heals all men.
13 For You have authority over life and death, And bring men down to the gates of Hades And lead them back again.
14 A man in his malice kills another, But he cannot bring back a departed spirit Nor return a soul that is taken.
15 To escape from Your hand is impossible,
16 For the ungodly who refuse to know You Were flogged by the strength of Your arm. They were pursued by rains, hail, and thunderstorms And consumed by fire.
17 For the fire, very contrary to expectation, Was more effective in the water, which extinguishes every thing; For the world is a defender of the righteous.
18 For at one time the flame was subdued that it might not burn up the creatures sent against the ungodly, But seeing this they might know that they were struck by the judgment of God;
19 And at another time even under water the flame burned m ore intensely than fire to destroy the harvest of the unrighteous land.
20 Instead of these things You fed Your people the food of angels, And without their labor You provided them With ready-made bread from heaven, fitting for every pleasure and suitable to every taste.
21 For Your provision manifested sweetness toward Your people, And the bread served the need of those who took it and changed to what one wished.
22 Snow and ice endured fire without melting so they might know that fire destroyed the harvest of their enemies, the fire that burned in the hail and flashed like lightning in the rain
23 Again that fire which forgot its own natural power that the righteous might be fed.
24 For the creation serves you who made it and increases its intensity to punish the unrighteous, but in kindness relaxes itself on behalf of those who trust in You.
25 Therefore also at that time, it explored as though in a mine Your all-nourishing bounty And served the will of those who supplicated You,
26 That Your children whom You loved, O Lord, might learn that it is not the production of crops that feeds man, But Your word that maintains those who believe in You.
27 For what was not destroyed by fire was melted when simply warmed by a small ray of the sun,
28 To make it known that one must get up before sunrise to give You thanks, And to intercede before You at the dawning of the light.
29 For the hope of an unthankful man will melt like the wintry frost and flow away like useless water.