1Led by mistaken reasons they think, “Life is short and sad and there is no cure for death. It was never heard that anyone came back from the netherworld.
2By chance we were born; when life is over, it will be as if we never existed. The breath in our nostrils is like a puff of smoke, and thought is no more than a spark resulting from the movement of the heart. 3Put this out and the body turns to ashes, the spirit melts away like idle air.
4In time our name will be forgotten, no one will remember what we did. 5Life passes like the shadow of a cloud, disappears like mist chased by the sun and overpowered by its heat. Our days are like the passing of a shadow; from death there is no turning back, the seal is set: no one returns.
6Come then and enjoy all the good things; let us use creation with the zest of youth, 7making the most of choicest wines and perfumes and not passing by any flower of spring. 8Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they fade.
9Let everyone take part in our orgy; let us post everywhere the signs of our joy, for that is our due, the lot assigned to us.
10Let us oppress the upright man who is poor, and have no thought for the widow, or respect for the white hair of old age.
11Let our strength be our right, since it is proved that weakness is useless. 12Let us set a trap for the righteous, for he annoys us and opposes our way of life; he reproaches us for our breaches of the Law and accuses us of being false to our upbringing.
13He claims knowledge of God and calls himself son of the Lord. 14He has become a reproach to our way of thinking; even to meet him is burdensome to us. 15He does not live like others and behaves strangely.
16According to him we have low standards, so he keeps aloof from us as if we were unclean. He emphasizes the happy end of the righteous and boasts of having God as father.
17Let us see the truth of what he says and find out what his end will be. 18If the righteous is a son of God, God will defend him and deliver him from his adversaries.
19Let us humble and torture him to prove his self-control and test his patience. 20When we have condemned him to a shameful death, we may test his words.”
21This is the way they reason, but they are mistaken, blinded by their malice. 22They do not know the mysteries of God nor do they hope for the reward of a holy life; they do not believe that the blameless will be recompensed.
23Indeed God created man to be immortal in the likeness of his own nature, 24but the envy of the devil brought death to the world, and those who take his side shall experience death.
