Why God shewed no mercy to the Egyptians. His favour to the Israelites. All creatures obey God's orders for the service of the good, and the punishment of the wicked.

 1 But as to the wicked, even to the end there came upon them wrath without mercy. For he knew before also what they would do:
Impiis autem usque in novissimum sine misericordia ira supervenit : praesciebat enim et futura illorum;

 2 For when they had given them leave to depart, and had sent them away with great care, they repented, and pursued after them.
quoniam cum ipsi permisissent ut se educerent, et cum magna sollicitudine praemisissent illos, consequebantur illos, poenitentia acti.

 3 For whilst they were yet mourning, and lamenting at the graves of the dead, they took up another foolish device: and pursued them as fugitives whom they had pressed to be gone:
Adhuc enim inter manus habentes luctum, et deplorantes ad monumenta mortuorum, aliam sibi assumpserunt cogitationem inscientiae, et quos rogantes projecerant, hos tamquam fugitivos persequebantur.

 4 For a necessity, of which they were worthy, brought them to this end: and they lost the remembrance of those things which had happened, that their punishment might fill up what was wanting to their torments:
Ducebat enim illos ad hunc finem digna necessitas; et horum quae acciderant commemorationem amittebant, ut quae deerant tormentis repleret punitio,

 5 And that thy people might wonderfully pass through, but they might find a new death.
et populus quidem tuus mirabiliter transiret, illi autem novam mortem invenirent.

 6 For every creature according to its kind was fashioned again as from the beginning, obeying thy commandments, that thy children might be kept without hurt.
Omnis enim creatura ad suum genus ab initio refigurabatur, deserviens tuis praeceptis, ut pueri tui custodirentur illaesi.

 7 For a cloud overshadowed their camp, and where water was before, dry land appeared, and in the Red Sea a way without hinderance, and out of the great deep a springing field:
Nam nubes castra eorum obumbrabat; et ex aqua quae ante erat, terra arida apparuit; et in mari Rubro via sine impedimento, et campus germinans de profundo nimio;

 8 Through which all the nation passed which was protected with thy hand, seeing thy miracles and wonders.
per quem omnis natio transivit quae tegebatur tua manu, videntes tua mirabilia et monstra.

 9 For they fed on their food like horses, and they skipped like lambs, praising thee, O Lord, who hadst delivered them.
Tamquam enim equi depaverunt escam, et tamquam agni exsultaverunt, magnificantes te, Domine, qui liberasti illos.

 10 For they were yet mindful of those things which had been done in the time of their sojourning, how the ground brought forth flies instead of cattle, and how the river cast up a multitude of frogs instead of fishes.
Memores enim erant adhuc eorum quae in incolatu illorum facta fuerant, quemadmodum pro natione animalium eduxit terra muscas, et pro piscibus eructavit fluvius multitudinem ranarum.

 11 And at length they saw a new generation of birds, when being led by their appetite they asked for delicate meats.
Novissime autem viderunt novam creaturam avium, cum, adducti concupiscentia, postulaverunt escas epulationis.

 12 For to satisfy their desire, the quail came up to them from the sea: and punishments came upon the sinners, not without foregoing signs by the force of thunders: for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness.
In allocutione enim desiderii ascendit illis de mari ortygometra; et vexationes peccatoribus supervenerunt, non sine illis quae ante facta erant argumentis per vim fulminum : juste enim patiebantur secundum suas nequitias.

 13 For they exercised a more detestable inhospitality than any: others indeed received not strangers unknown to them, but these brought their guests into bondage that had deserved well of them.
Etenim detestabiliorem inhospitalitatem instituerunt : alii quidem ignotos non recipiebant advenas; alii autem bonos hospites in servitutem redigebant.

 14 And not only so, but in another respect also they were worse: for the others against their will received the strangers.
Et non solum haec, sed et alius quidam respectus illorum erat, quoniam inviti recipiebant extraneos.

 15 But these grievously afflicted them whom they had received with joy, and who lived under the same laws.
Qui autem cum laetitia receperunt hos qui eisdem usi erant justitiis, saevissimis afflixerunt doloribus.

 16 But they were struck with blindness: as those others were at the doors of the just man, when they were covered with sudden darkness, and every one sought the passage of his own door.
Percussi sunt autem caecitate, sicut illi in foribus justi, cum subitaneis cooperti essent tenebris, unusquisque transitum ostii sui quaerebat.

 17 For while the elements are changed in themselves, as in an instrument the sound of the quality is changed, yet all keep their sound: which may clearly be perceived by the very sight.
In se enim elementa dum convertuntur, sicut in organo qualitatis sonus immutatur, et omnia suum sonum custodiunt : unde aestimari ex ipso visu certo potest.

 18 For the things of the land were turned into things of the water: and the things before swam in the water passed upon the land.
Agrestia enim in aquatica convertebantur, et quaecumque erant natantia, in terram transibant,

 19 The fire had power in water above its own virtue, and the water forgot its quenching nature.
ignis in aqua valebat supra suam virtutem, et aqua extinguentis naturae obliviscebatur.

 20 On the other side, the flames wasted not the flesh of corruptible animals walking therein, neither did they melt that good food, which was apt to melt as ice. For in all things thou didst magnify thy people, O Lord, and didst honour them, and didst not despise them, but didst assist them at all times, and in every place.
Flammae e contrario corruptibilium animalium non vexaverunt carnes coambulantium, nec dissolvebant illam, quae facile dissolvebatur sicut glacies, bonam escam. In omnibus enim magnificasti populum tuum, Domine, et honorasti, et non despexisti, in omni tempore et in omni loco assistens eis.