1For your incorruptible spirit is in all things.
2Therefore you rebuke those who fall astray little by little, and by reminding them of their sins you admonish them, so that they may be delivered from wickedness and believe in you, O Lord.
3For indeed the ancient inhabitants of your holy land,
4you hated because they practiced the most detestable works of sorcery and unholy rites,
5merciless murderers of children, and eaters of the entrails of human flesh and blood, initiates from the midst of a cultic band,
6and parents who were murderers of helpless souls—you willed to destroy them by the hands of our fathers,
7so that the land, which is most precious of all in your sight, might receive a worthy settlement of God’s children.
8But even these you spared, since they were human, and you sent hornets as forerunners of your army to destroy them little by little.
9It was not that you were unable to subject the ungodly to the righteous in battle, or to wipe them out at once with terrible beasts or a stern word.
10But by judging them little by little, you gave them an opportunity for repentance, though you were not unaware that their nature was evil and their wickedness inborn, and that their way ofthinking would never change.
11For they were a cursed seed from the beginning, and it was not out of fear of anyone that you gave them impunity for their sins.
12For who will say, “What have you done?” Or who will oppose your judgment? Who will accuse you for the nations you made that have perished? Or who will come to stand against you as an avenger for unrighteous people?
13For there is no god but you, who cares for all things, so there is no one to whom you must show that you have not judged unjustly.
14Nor can any king or tyrant confront you about those whom you have punished.
15But being righteous, you govern all things righteously, for you consider it foreign to your power to condemn one who does not deserve to be punished.
16For your strength is the principle of righteousness, and your mastery over all makes you spare all.
17For you show your strength when the perfection of your power is disbelieved, and you rebuke the insolence of those who know it.
18But you, master of strength, judge with gentleness and govern us with great forbearance; for the power to act is yours whenever you wish.
19By such works you have taught your people that the righteous must be humane, and you have made your children hopeful that you grant repentance for sins.
20For if you punished the enemies of your children, who deserved death, with such great care and indulgence, giving them time and opportunity to be set free from their wickedness,
21with how much greater care have you judged your children, to whose fathers you gave oaths and covenants with good promises?
22Therefore, while disciplining us, you scourge our enemies ten thousand times more, so that when we judge we may reflect on your goodness, and when we are judged we may expect mercy.
23Therefore you also tormented the unrighteous, who lived their lives in foolishness, by means of their own abominations.
24For they strayed further on the paths of error, supposing as gods even the most despised of animals, deceived like foolish infants.
25Therefore you sent your judgment on them as a mockery, as if to irrational children.
26But those who were not admonished by such playful rebukes would experience a judgment worthy of God.
27For when they were punished by the very beings they considered gods, they became indignant at what they were suffering. And seeing this, they acknowledged as the true God the one whom they had long ago denied knowing. Therefore the final condemnation came upon them.
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