What does Wisdom Chapter 4 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

A chaste generation is praised and wicked lineage depicted through unstable branches. A particular translated just person illustrates age measured by understanding and spotless life. Future wicked judgment is not a diagnosis of every premature death.

Chapter breakdown

Wisdom 4 praises a chaste generation's immortal memory, known to God and men, imitated when present and desired when absent, crowned for undefiled conflicts. A wicked brood will not thrive; bastard slips lack firm roots. Even temporary branches may be wind-shaken and rooted out, with imperfect broken branches and useless sour fruit. Unlawful-bed children witness against their parents at trial. These remain the passage's judgments rather than universal claims about individuals today.

A just person overtaken by death shall rest. Venerable age is measured by understanding and spotless life, compared with gray hairs and old age. One pleasing and beloved to God among sinners was translated lest wickedness alter his understanding or deceit beguile his soul. Vanity's fascination obscures good and wandering desire undermines innocence. Short perfection fulfilled a long time; because his soul pleased God, God hastened him from iniquity. People fail to understand mercy, grace and respect for the chosen. This particular account does not identify every early death as a merciful rescue. Dead just people and short perfected youth condemn wicked lives and prolonged injustice. The wicked shall see that end without understanding God's designs, despise it, and face God's laughter, dishonor, reproach, ruined foundations, sorrow and vanished memory. Fearful remembrance of sins ends in iniquities convicting them.

The story inside

Opening: A chaste generation is praised and wicked lineage depicted through unstable branches. Development: A particular translated just person illustrates age measured by understanding and spotless life. Conclusion: Future wicked judgment is not a diagnosis of every premature death.

Lessons worth keeping

1
A chaste generation is praised and wicked lineage depicted through unstable branches.
2
A particular translated just person illustrates age measured by understanding and spotless life.
3
Future wicked judgment is not a diagnosis of every premature death.

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 71756–71757
4:1. How beautiful is the chaste generation with glory: for the memory thereof is immortal: because it is known both with God and with men.
Lines 71778–71781
4:8. For venerable old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years: but the understanding of a man is grey hairs. 4:9. And a spotless life is old age.
Lines 71786–71790
4:11. He was taken away, lest wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. 4:12. For the bewitching of vanity obscureth good things, and the wandering of concupiscence overturneth the innocent mind.