Pārbaudījums taisnīgajiem un sods bezdievīgajiem
1 Turpretim taisnīgo dvēseles ir Dieva rokās,
tos mokas neskars;
2 neprātīgo acīs tie šķiet miruši,
par nelaimi tiek uzskatīta viņu aiziešana,
3 par postu – šķiršanās no mums,
bet viņi mājo mierā:
4 pat ja ļaužu acīs tie būtu sodīti,
pilna nemirstības ir viņu cerība.
5 Mazliet pārmācīti audzinot,
tie lieliem labumiem tiks apveltīti,
jo Dievs, tos izvērtējis,
atzina par sevis cienīgiem –
6 kā kausējamā krāsnī zeltu viņš tos pārbaudīja
un pieņēma kā pilnupura ziedojumu.
7 Tie, Kungam ierodoties, atmirdzēs,
tie būs kā dzirkstis, kas caur pelavām skries.
8 Tie tiesās tautas un valstis valdīs,
viņu ķēniņš mūžu mūžos būs Kungs.
9 Patiesību sapratīs, kas paļaujas uz viņu;
kas uzticējies – viņa mīlestībā paliks,
jo viņš ar žēlastību apveltī un žēlo savus svētos
un savus izredzētos apmeklē.
10 Turpretī dievbijīgie, no taisnīgā novērsušies,
no Kunga atkāpušies, saņems sodu
ko pelnījuši par saviem apsvērumiem.
11 Kā nožēlojams tas,
kas gudrību un audzināšanu nicina,
tā veltas viņu cerības,
pūles neauglīgas, veltīgs darbs,
12 nelgas viņu sievas,
bērni nekrietni
un pēcnācēji nolādēti.
Taisnīgo neauglība un bezdievīgo bērnu pulks
13 Patiesi svētlaimīga neauglīgā,
ja vien nevainojama un neatļautā gultā neguļas:
tā augļus baudīs, kad dvēseles apraudzīs Dievs;
14 un einuhs svētlaimīgs, kas nerīkojas noziedzīgi,
pret Kungu ļaunu neperina, –
ar žēlastību izcilu tiks apveltīts par savu uzticību,
ar dalību vislīksmāko Kunga svētnīcā;
15 jo pūlēm pēc labā ir teicami augļi
un drošas saknes ir sapratnei.
16 Turpretim neuzticīgo bērniem brieduma nebūs,
un iznīks neatļautās laulībās dzimušie:
17 ja dzīvos ilgi, cieņu nebaudīs
un vecumdienās netiks godāti;
18 ja agri mirs, mirs bezcerībā
un mierinājumu negūs sprieduma dienā,
19 jo netaisno dzimums ņem sliktu galu.
The Destiny of the Righteous
1 But righteous people are protected by God and will never suffer torment. 2 It is a foolish mistake to think that righteous people die and that their death is a terrible evil. 3 They leave us, but it is not a disaster. In fact, the righteous are at peace. 4 It might appear that they have suffered punishment, but they have the confident hope of immortality. 5-6 Their sufferings were minor compared with the blessings they will receive. God has tested them, like gold in a furnace, and found them worthy to be with him. He has accepted them, just as he accepts the sacrifices which his worshipers burn on the altar.
7 When God comes to reward the righteous, they will blaze out against the wicked like fire in dry straw. 8 They will rule over nations and peoples, and the Lord will be their king forever. 9 Those who have put their trust in God will come to understand the truth of his ways. Those who have been faithful will live with him in his love, for he is kind and merciful to the ones whom he has chosen.
The Destiny of the Wicked
10 The ungodly, however, will get the punishment their wicked thoughts deserve, because they rebelled against the Lord and ignored what was right. 11 A man who has no use for wisdom or education has a miserable life in store for him. He has nothing to hope for. His labors are useless, and he will never accomplish anything worthwhile. 12 The woman he marries will turn out to be irresponsible, and his children will go wrong. 13 All his descendants will be under a curse.
The Importance of Virtue
On Judgment Day God will reward the woman who has never been able to have a child, provided she has not been guilty of adultery. Then she will be happy. 14 On that day, even the man who has been castrated will be rewarded with happiness, if he has kept the Law and has not stored up resentment against the Lord. Because he has been faithful, he will receive a special reward more precious than having children: a place in the Lord's heavenly Temple. 15 Honest deeds are like a tree that bears marvelous fruit. Wisdom is like a root that is alive and can always send up new shoots.
16 But children born of adultery or of a forbidden union will die an early death. 17 Yet even if they do live a long time, they will never amount to anything. They will not be respected in their old age, 18 and if they die young, they will have no hope or comfort on Judgment Day. 19 Children born of a forbidden union suffer a miserable fate.
