Wisdom 12:19–27

¹⁹But you taught your people by such works as these, how the righteous must be kind. You made your sons to have good hope, because you give repentance when men have sinned.↗

²⁰For if on those who were enemies of your servants and deserving of death, you took vengeance with so great deliberation and indulgence, giving them times and opportunities when they might escape from their wickedness,↗

²¹with how great care you judged your sons, to whose fathers you gave oaths and covenants of good promises!↗

²²Therefore while you chasten us, you scourge our enemies ten thousand times more, to the intent that we may ponder your goodness when we judge, and when we are judged may look for mercy.↗

²³Therefore also the unrighteous that lived in a life of folly, you tormented through their own abominations.↗

²⁴For truly they went astray very far in the ways of error, Taking as gods those animals which even among their enemies were held in dishonor, deceived like foolish babes.↗

²⁵Therefore, as to unreasoning children, you sent your judgment to mock them.↗

²⁶But those who would not be admonished by mild correction will experience the deserved judgment of God.↗

²⁷For through the sufferings they were indignant of, being punished in these creatures which they supposed to be gods, they saw and recognized as the true God him whom they previously refused to know. Therefore also the result of extreme condemnation came upon them.↗