Wisdom Chapter 10

Other Translations

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Hæc illum, qui primus formatus est a Deo patre orbis terrarum, cum solus esset creatus, custodivit,

2 et eduxit illum a delicto suo, et dedit illi virtutem continendi omnia.

3 Ab hac ut recessit iniustus in ira sua, per iram homicidii fraterni deperiit.

4 Propter quem, cum aqua deleret terram, sanavit iterum sapientia, per contemptibile lignum iustum gubernans.

5 Hæc et in consensu nequitiæ cum se nationes contulissent, scivit iustum, et conservavit sine querela Deo, et in filii misericordia fortem custodivit.

6 Hæc iustum a pereuntibus impiis liberavit fugientem, descendente igne in pentapolim:

7 quibus in testimonium nequitiæ fumigabunda constat deserta terra, et incerto tempore fructus habentes arbores, et incredibilis animæ memoria stans figmentum salis.

8 Sapientiam enim prætereuntes non tantum in hoc lapsi sunt ut ignorarent bona, sed et insipientiæ suæ reliquerunt hominibus memoriam, ut in his, quæ peccaverunt, nec latere potuissent.

9 Sapientia autem hos, qui se observant, a doloribus liberavit.

10 Hæc profugum iræ fratris iustum deduxit per vias rectas, et ostendit illi regnum Dei, et dedit illi scientiam sanctorum: honestavit illum in laboribus, et complevit labores illius.

11 In fraude circumvenientium illum affuit illi, et honestum fecit illum.

12 Custodivit illum ab inimicis, et a seductoribus tutavit illum, et certamen forte dedit illi ut vinceret, et sciret quoniam omnium potentior est sapientia.

13 Hæc venditum iustum non dereliquit, sed a peccatoribus liberavit eum: descenditque cum illo in foveam,

14 et in vinculis non dereliquit illum, donec afferret illi sceptrum regni, et potentiam adversus eos, qui eum deprimebant: et mendaces ostendit, qui maculaverunt illum, et dedit illi claritatem æternam.

15 Hæc populum iustum, et semen sine querela liberavit a nationibus, quæ illum deprimebant.

16 Intravit in animam servi Dei, et stetit contra reges horrendos in portentis et signis.

17 Et reddidit iustis mercedem laborum suorum, et deduxit illos in via mirabili: et fuit illis in velamento diei, et in luce stellarum per noctem:

18 transtulit illos per Mare rubrum, et transvexit illos per aquam nimiam.

19 Inimicos autem illorum demersit in mare, et ab altitudine inferorum eduxit illos. Ideo iusti tulerunt spolia impiorum,

20 et decantaverunt Domine nomen sanctum tuum, et victricem manum tuam laudaverunt pariter:

21 quoniam sapientia aperuit os mutorum, et linguas infantium fecit disertas.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).