Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
Because wrath is present, beware lest it take you away with a stroke, and heed the danger beforehand while escape is still possible. Once that stroke falls, even a great ransom cannot deliver the one who is struck. Riches give no safety in the day of divine wrath, so the warning confronts trusting in or clinging to wealth as if it could buy deliverance. The same warning applies to unchastity, so people should be warned plainly to recognize its danger and avoid its ruinous consequences before they are struck down.
Because wrath is present, beware lest it take you away with a stroke, and heed the danger beforehand while escape is still possible. Once that stroke falls, even a great ransom cannot deliver the one who is struck. Riches give no safety in the day of divine wrath, so the warning confronts trusting in or clinging to wealth as if it could buy deliverance. The same warning applies to unchastity, so people should be warned plainly to recognize its danger and avoid its ruinous consequences before they are struck down.