1. BVT to thy saincts there was very great light, and their voyce in deede they heard, but figure they saw not. And because themselues also did not suffer by the same thinges, they magnified thee:
2. and they that before had bene hurt, because they were not hurt, gaue thankes: and that there might be a difference, they asked a gift.
3. For the which cause they had a burning pillar of fyre for a guide of the vnknowen way, and thou gauest them the sunne without hurt of a good harbour.
4. They in deede worthie to lacke light, and to suffer the prison of darkenes, which kept thy children shut vp, by whom the vncorrupt light of the law began to be geuen to the world.
5. When they decreed to kil the infantes of the iust: and one child being layd forth, and deliuered, thou to the reprouing of the, didst take away a multitude of children, and destroyedst them together in the mightie water.
6. For that night was knowen before of our father, that they knowing in deede what othes they had credited, might be of better comfort.
7. And by thy people in deede the health of the iust, was receiued, but destruction by the vniust.
8. For as thou didst hurt the aduersaries: so vs also thou didst magnifie, prouoking vs.
9. For the iust children of the good sacrificed secretly, and disposed the law of iustice in concorde: that the iust should receiue both good & euil alike, singing now the prayses of the fathers.
10. But there sounded a disagreing voyce of the enemies, and a lamentable moorning was heard for the bewayled infants.
11. And the seruant with the master was afflicted with the like punishment, and a man of the vulgar sort suffered the like thinges to the king.
12. Al therfore alike by one name of death had dead ones innumerable. For neither did the liuing suffice to burie them: because in one moment, that which was the nobler nation of them, was destroyed.
13. For concerning al thinges being incredulous because of the inchantments, but then first when there was destruction of the first begotten, they promised to be the people of God.
14. For when quiet silence conteyned al thinges, and the night was in the midde way of her course,
15. they omnipotent word sayling out of heauen from the royal seates, lighted as a seuere conqueror vpon the middes of the land of destruction,
16. a sharpe sword carying thy vnfeyned commandment, and standing filled al with death, and reached euen to heauen standing on the earth.
17. Then incontinent the visions of naughtie dreames trubled them, and feares vnlooked for came vpon them.
18. And one here an other there, cast forth halfe aliue, shewed for what cause of death he died.
19. For the visions, that trubled them, forewarned these thinges, that they might not perish as ignorant why they suffered euils.
20. But then there touched the iust also a tentation of death, and a disturbance of the multitude was made in the wildernes: but thy wrath did not long continew.
21. For a man without blame hasting to pray for the people, bringing forth the shilde of his ministerie prayer, and by incense alleaging supplication, resisted the wrath, and made an end of the necessitie, shewing that he is thy seruant.
22. And he ouercame the multitudes, not in strength of bodie, nor with might of armour, but with a word subdewed he him, that vexed him, rehearding the oathes of the parents, and the testament.
23. For when they were now fallen dead by heapes one vpon an other, he stood betwen, and cut of the violence, and separated that way which leadeth to the liuing.
24. For in the vesture downe to the foote, which he had, was al the world: and the glorious thinges of the fathers were grauen in the foure iewels of stones & thy magnificence was written in the diademe of his head.
25. And to these he that destroyed gaue place, & these did he feare: for the proofe onlie of wrath was sufficient.