God Did Not Make Death
Wisdom of Solomon 1
An exhortation to judges and rulers to love righteousness and seek the Lord in sincerity, warning that wickedness separates a person from God and that murmuring and lying speech will be judged. It closes by declaring that God did not make death or delight in the destruction of the living, but ungodly men bring death upon themselves by their own deeds and words.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
1
BrentonLove righteousness, ye that be judges of the earth: think of the Lord with a good (heart,) and in simplicity of heart seek him.
GreekἈΓΑΠΗΣΑΤΕ δικαιοσύνην οἱ κρίνοντες τὴν γῆν, φρονήσατε περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐν ἀγαθότητι, καὶ ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας ζητήσατε αὐτόν.
2
BrentonFor he will be found of them that tempt him not; and sheweth himself unto such as do not distrust him.
GreekὍτι εὑρίσκεται τοῖς μὴ πειράζουσιν αὐτὸν, ἐμφανίζεται δὲ τοῖς μὴ ἀπιστοῦσιν αὐτῷ.
3
BrentonFor froward thoughts separate from God: and his power, when it is tried, reproveth the unwise.
GreekΣκολιοὶ γὰρ λογισμοὶ χωρίζουσιν ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, δοκιμαζομένη τε ἡ δύναμις ἐλέγχει τοὺς ἄφρονας.
4
BrentonFor into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter: nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin.
GreekὍτι εἰς κακότεχνον ψυχὴν οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται σοφία, οὐδὲ κατοικήσει ἐν σώματι κατάχρεῳ ἁμαρτίας.
5
BrentonFor the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in.
GreekἍγιον γὰρ πνεῦμα παιδείας φεύξεται δόλον, καὶ ἀπαναστήσεται ἀπὸ λογισμῶν ἀσυνέτων, καὶ ἐλεγχθήσεται ἐπελθούσης ἀδικίας.
6
BrentonFor wisdom is a loving spirit; and will not acquit a blasphemer of his words: for God is witness of his reins, and a true beholder of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue.
GreekΦιλάνθρωπον γὰρ πνεῦμα σοφία, καὶ οὐκ ἀθῳώσει βλάσφημον ἀπὸ χειλέων αὐτοῦ, ὅτι τῶν νεφρῶν αὐτοῦ μάρτυς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ ἐπίσκοπος ἀληθὴς, καὶ τῆς γλώσσης ἀκουστής·
7
BrentonFor the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world: and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice.
Greekὅτι πνεῦμα Κυρίου πεπλήρωκε τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ τὸ συνέχον τὰ πάντα γνῶσιν ἔχει φωνῆς.
8
BrentonTherefore he that speaketh unrighteous things cannot be hidden: neither shall vengeance, when it punisheth, pass by him.
GreekΔιὰ τοῦτο φθεγγόμενος ἄδικα οὐδεὶς μὴ λάθῃ, οὐδὲ μὴν παροδεύσῃ αὐτὸν ἐλέγχουσα ἡ δίκη.
9
BrentonFor inquisition shall be made into the counsels of the ungodly: and the sound of his words shall come unto the Lord for the manifestation of his wicked deeds.
GreekἘν γὰρ διαβουλίοις ἀσεβοῦς ἐξέτασις ἔσται, λόγων δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀκοὴ πρὸς Κύριον ἥξει εἰς ἔλεγχον ἀνομημάτων αὐτοῦ.
10
BrentonFor the ear of jealousy heareth all things: and the noise of murmurings is not hid.
GreekὍτι οὖς ζηλώσεως ἀκροᾶται τὰ πάντα, καὶ θροῦς γογγυσμῶν οὐκ ἀποκρύπτεται.
11
BrentonTherefore beware of murmuring, which is unprofitable; and refrain your tongue from backbiting: for there is no word so secret, that shall go for nought: and the mouth that belieth slayeth the soul.
GreekΦυλάξασθε τοίνυν γογγυσμὸν ἀνωφελῆ, καὶ ἀπὸ καταλαλιᾶς φείσασθε γλώσσης· ὅτι φθέγμα λαθραῖον κενὸν οὐ πορεύσεται, στόμα δὲ καταψευδόμενον ἀναιρεῖ ψυχήν.
12
BrentonSeek not death in the error of your life: and pull not upon yourselves destruction with the works of your hands.
GreekΜὴ ζηλοῦτε θάνατον ἐν πλάνῃ ζωῆς ὑμῶν, μηδὲ ἐπισπᾶσθε ὄλεθρον ἔργοις χειρῶν ὑμῶν·
13
BrentonFor God made not death: neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living.
Greekὅτι ὁ Θεὸς θάνατον οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ τέρπεται ἐπʼ ἀπωλείᾳ ζώντων.
14
BrentonFor he created all things, that they might have their being: and the generations of the world were healthful; and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor the kingdom of death upon the earth:
GreekἜκτισε γὰρ εἰς τὸ εἶναι τὰ πάντα, καὶ σωτήριοι αἱ γενέσεις τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐταῖς φάρμακον ὀλέθρου, οὔτε ᾅδου βασίλειον ἐπὶ γῆς.
15
Brenton(for righteousness is immortal:)
GreekΔικαιοσύνη γὰρ ἀθάνατός ἐστιν·
16
Brentonbut ungodly men with their works and words called it to them: for when they thought to have it their friend, they consumed to nought, and made a covenant with it, because they are worthy to take part with it.
Greekἀσεβεῖς δὲ ταῖς χερσὶ καὶ τοῖς λόγοις προσεκαλέσαντο αὐτὸν, φίλον ἡγησάμεμοι αὐτὸν ἐτάκησαν, καὶ συνθήκην ἔθεντο πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὅτι ἄξιοί εἰσι τῆς ἐκείνου μερίδος εἶναι.