Chapter V · Location 5 of 19
Chapter 5 · Open to readFrom Wisdom · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Wisdom Chapter 5 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
Opponents shall recognize the just and confess error in an explicitly attributed speech. Fleeting-life and fragile-hope images lead to future rewards of the just. Creation and armor images retain the spear and the stated destruction by iniquity.
Chapter breakdown
Wisdom 5 anticipates the just standing firmly against those who afflicted them and took their labors. Opponents shall fear unexpected salvation and speak within themselves in repentance: those once derided as mad and dishonored are now counted among God's children and saints. They confess departure from truth and justice's light, weary iniquitous paths, and the uselessness of pride and wealth. Life is compared with shadow, a running messenger, a ship leaving no keel track, a bird leaving no lasting air path and an arrow after which air reunites. Their speech says they showed no virtue and were consumed by wickedness; the passage explicitly places this sinners' speech in hell.
Wicked hope resembles windblown dust, storm-driven thin froth, smoke and a one-day guest. The just shall live forever, receiving the Lord's reward, the Most High's care, a glorious kingdom and beautiful crown, protected by hand and holy arm. God's zeal is armor, creation an instrument of vengeance, justice breastplate, true judgment helmet, equity shield and wrath spear. The world fights against the unwise; lightning flies from cloud-bow, thick hail from wrath's stone-casting, sea and rivers rage, and a mighty wind divides. Their iniquity makes all earth desert and wickedness overthrows mighty thrones. These are future images and attributed assertions, not an already completed battle, a sword substituted for spear, or a clinical account of paralysis.
The story inside
Opening: Opponents shall recognize the just and confess error in an explicitly attributed speech. Development: Fleeting-life and fragile-hope images lead to future rewards of the just. Conclusion: Creation and armor images retain the spear and the stated destruction by iniquity.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1Opponents shall recognize the just and confess error in an explicitly attributed speech.
- 2Fleeting-life and fragile-hope images lead to future rewards of the just.
- 3Creation and armor images retain the spear and the stated destruction by iniquity.
Test your recall
Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?
Source edition and notes
Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.
Lines 71826–71827
5:1. Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours.
Lines 71850–71851
5:8. What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us?
Lines 71886–71887
5:18. And his zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies.
