For thy judgments, O Lord, are great, and thy words cannot be expressed: therefore undisciplined souls have erred.
For while the wicked thought to be able to have dominion over the holy nation, they themselves being fettered with the bonds of darkness, and a long night, shut up in their houses, lay there exiled from the eternal providence.
one fettered
πεδῆται
pedētai
reeds used for thatching houses
ὀρόφοις
orophois
one who flees
φυγάδες
phygades
And while they thought to lie hid in their obscure sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfullness, being horribly afraid, and troubled with exceeding great astonishment.
hidden
κρυφαίοις
kryphaiois
without light
ἀφεγγεῖ
aphengei
anything hung up beside
παρακαλύμματι
parakalymmati
appearance
ἰνδάλμασιν
indalmasin
For neither did the den that held them, keep them from fear: for noises coming down troubled them, and sad visions appearing to them, affrighted them.
innermost place
μυχὸς
mychos
without fear
ἀφόβους
aphobous
sound all around
περιεκόμπουν
periekompoun
apparition
φάσματα
phasmata
gloomy
ἀμειδήτοις
ameidētois
with downcast eyes
κατηφῆ
katēphē
And no power of fire could give them light, neither could the bright flames of the stars enlighten that horrible night.
very bright
ἔκλαμπροι
eklamproi
shine upon
καταυγάζειν
kataugazein
hated
στυγνὴν
stygnēn
But there appeared to them a sudden fire, very dreadful: and being struck with the fear of that face, which was not seen, they thought the things which they saw to be worse:
shew through
διεφαίνετο
diephaineto
greatly terrified
ἐκδειματούμενοι
ekdeimatoumenoi
And the delusions of their magic art were put down, and their boasting of wisdom was reproachfully rebuked.
For they who promised to drive away fears and troubles from a sick soul, were sick themselves of a fear worthy to be laughed at.
For though no terrible thing disturbed them: yet being scared with the passing by of beasts, and hissing of serpents, they died for fear and denying that they saw the air, which could by no means be avoided.
troublous
ταραχῶδες
tarachōdes
any dangerous animal
κνωδάλων
knōdalōn
hissing
συριγμοῖς
syrigmois
scare away
ἐκσεσοβημένοι
eksesobēmenoi
destroy utterly
διώλλυντο
diōllynto
from no place
μηδαμόθεν
mēdamothen
shunned
φευκτὸν
pheukton
look at
προσιδεῖν
prosidein
For whereas wickedness is fearful, it beareth witness of its condemnation: for a troubled conscience always forecasteth grievous things.
For fear is nothing else but a yielding up of the succours from thought.
And while there is less expectation from within, the greater doth it count the ignorance of that cause which bringeth the torment.
But they that during that night, in which nothing could be done, and which came upon them from the lowest and deepest hell, slept the same sleep,
Were sometimes molested with the fear of monsters, sometimes fainted away, their soul failing them: for a sudden and unlooked for fear was come upon them.
giving up
προδοσίᾳ
prodosia
unexpected
ἀπροσδόκητος
aprosdokētos
Moreover, if any of them had fallen down, he was kept shut up in prison without irons.
For if any one were a husbandman, or a shepherd, or a labourer in the field, and was suddenly overtaken, he endured a necessity from which he could not fly.
hard to escape
δυσάλυκτον
dysalykton
For they were all bound together with one chain of darkness. Whether it were a whistling wind, or the melodious voice of birds, among the spreading branches of trees, or a fall of water running down with violence,
play the
συρίζον
syrizon
taking in on all sides
ἀμφιλαφεῖς
amphilapheis
musical
εὐμελὴς
eumelēs
measured motion
ῥυθμὸς
rhythmos
any loud noise
κτύπος
ktypos
ungentle
ἀπηνὴς
apēnēs
throw down
καταρριπτομένων
katarriptomenōn
stone
πετρῶν
petrōn
Or the mighty noise of stones tumbling down, or the running that could not be seen of beasts playing together, or the roaring voice of wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the highest mountains: these things made them to swoon for fear.
without observation
ἀθεώρητος
atheōrētos
ungentle
ἀπηνεστάτων
apēnestatōn
reflected
ἀντανακλωμένη
antanaklōmenē
hollowness
κοιλότητος
koilotētos
sound
ἠχώ
ēchō
For the whole world was enlightened, with a clear light, and none were hindered in their labours.
But over them only was spread a heavy night, an image of that darkness which was to come upon them. But they were to themselves more grievous than the darkness.
