Wisdom 14
The beginning of worshipping idols: and the effects thereof.
Iterum alius navigare cogitans, et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat.
Again, another designing to sail, and beginning to make his voyage through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more frail than the wood that carrieth him.
Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, et artifex sapientia fabricavit sua.
For this the desire of gain devised, and the workman built it by his skill.
Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat: quoniam dedisti et in mari viam, et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam,
But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves,
ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiam si sine arte aliquis adeat mare.
Shewing that thou art able to save out of all things, yea, though a man went to sea without art.
Sed ut non essent vacua sapientiæ tuæ opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas, et transeuntes mare per ratem liberati sunt.
But that the works of thy wisdom might not be idle: therefore men also trust their lives even to a little wood, and passing over the sea by ship, are saved.
Sed et ab initio cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, remisit sæculo semen nativitatis quæ manu tua erat gubernata.
And from the beginning also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world fleeing to a vessel, which was governed by thy hand, left to the world seed of generation.
Benedictum est enim lignum per quod fit justitia;
For blessed is the wood, by which justice cometh
per manus autem quod fit idolum, maledictum est et ipsum, et qui fecit illud: quia ille quidem operatus est, illud autem cum esset fragile, deus cognominatus est.
But the idol that is made by hands, is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he because he made it; and it because being frail it is called a god.
Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus;
But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike.
etenim quod factum est, cum illo qui fecit tormenta patietur.
For that which is made, together with him that made it, shall suffer torments.
Propter hoc et in idolis nationum non erit respectus, quoniam creaturæ Dei in odium factæ sunt, et in tentationem animabus hominum, et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.
Therefore there shall be no respect had even to the idols of the Gentiles: because the creatures of God are turned to an abomination, and a temptation to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.
Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, et adinventio illorum corruptio vitæ est:
For the beginning of fornication is the devising of idols: and the invention of them is the corruption of life.
neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.
For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.
Supervacuitas enim hominum hæc advenit in orbem terrarum, et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.
For by the vanity of men they came into the world: and therefore they shall be found to come shortly to an end.
Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem; et illum qui tunc quasi homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere cœpit, et constituit inter servos suos sacra et sacrificia.
For a father being afflicted with bitter grief, made to himself the image of his son, who was quickly taken away: and him who then had died as a man, he began now to worship as a god, and appointed him rites and sacrifices among his servants.
Deinde interveniente tempore, convalescente iniqua consuetudine, hic error tamquam lex custoditus est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta.
Then, in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants.
Et hos quos in palam homines honorare non poterant propter hoc quod longe essent, e longinquo figura eorum allata, evidentem imaginem regis quem honorare volebant fecerunt, ut illum qui aberat, tamquam præsentem colerent sua sollicitudine.
And those whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they brought their resemblance from afar, and made an express image of the king, whom they had a mind to honour: that by this their diligence, they might honour as present, him that was absent.
Provexit autem ad horum culturam et hos qui ignorabant artificis eximia diligentia.
And to the worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant.
Ille enim, volens placere illi qui se assumpsit, elaboravit arte sua ut similitudinem in melius figuraret.
For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner.
Multitudo autem hominum, abducta per speciem operis, eum qui ante tempus tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum æstimaverunt.
And the multitude of men, carried away by the beauty of the work, took him now for a god, that little before was but honoured as a man.
Et hæc fuit vitæ humanæ deceptio, quoniam aut affectui aut regibus deservientes homines, incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.
And this was the occasion of deceiving human life: for men serving either their affection, or their kings, gave the incommunicable name to stones and wood.
Et non suffecerat errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiæ bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.
And it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but whereas they lived in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace.
Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes, aut obscura sacrificia facientes, aut insaniæ plenas vigilias habentes,
For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness,
neque vitam, neque nuptias mundas jam custodiunt: sed alius alium per invidiam occidit, aut adulterans contristat,
So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one killeth another through envy, or grieveth him by adultery:
et omnia commista sunt: sanguis, homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et perjurium, tumultus bonorum,
And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft, and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good,
Dei immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, nativitatis immutatio, nuptiarum inconstantia, inordinatio mœchiæ et impudicitiæ.
Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleanness.
Infandorum enim idolorum cultura omnis mali causa est, et initium et finis.
For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil.
Aut enim dum lætantur insaniunt, aut certe vaticinantur falsa, aut vivunt injuste, aut pejerant cito.
For either they are mad when they are merry: or they prophesy lies, or they live unjustly, or easily forswear themselves.
Dum enim confidunt in idolis quæ sine anima sunt, male jurantes noceri se non sperant.
For whilst they trust in idols, which are without life, though they swear amiss, they look not to be hurt.
Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, et juraverunt injuste, in dolo contemnentes justitiam.
But for both these things they shall be justly punished, because they have thought not well of God, giving heed to idols, and have sworn unjustly, in guile despising justice.
Non enim juratorum virtus, sed peccantium pœna, perambulat semper injustorum prævaricationem.
For it is not the power of them, by whom they swear, but the just vengeance of sinners always punisheth the transgression of the unjust.