Wisdom 14

KING JAMES BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him.	1 Again, another, thinking to sail, and beginning to make his voyage through the raging waves, calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the wood that carries him.
2 For verily desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill.	2 For this is what desire has contrived to be acquired, and the craftsman has formed its understanding.
3 But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves;	3 But your providence, O Father, governs, because you have provided for both a way in the sea and a very reliable path among the waves,
4 Shewing that thou canst save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art.	4 revealing that you are able to save out of all things, even if someone were to go to sea without skill.
5 Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved.	5 But, so that the works of your wisdom might not be empty, therefore, men trust their souls even to a little piece of wood, and, crossing over the sea by raft, they are set free.
6 For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by thy hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation.	6 But, from the beginning, when the proud giants were perishing, the hope of the world, fleeing by boat, gave back to future ages a seed of birth, which was governed by your hand.
7 For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.	7 For blessed is the wood through which justice is made.
8 But that which is made with hands is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible, it was called god.	8 But, through the hand that makes the idol, both it, and he who made it, is accursed: he, indeed, because it has been served by him, and it, because, though it is fragile, it is called ‘god.’
9 For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God.	9 But the impious and his impiety are similarly offensive to God.
10 For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it.	10 For that which is made, together with him who made it, will suffer torments.
11 Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a visitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and stumblingblocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.	11 Because of this, and according to the idolatries of the nations, there will be no refuge, for the things created by God have been made into hatred, and into a temptation to the souls of men, and into a snare for the feet of the foolish.
12 For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life.	12 For the beginning of fornication is the search for idols, and from their invention comes corruption of life.
13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.	13 For they neither existed from the beginning, nor will they exist forever.
14 For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end.	14 For by the great emptiness of men they came into the world, and therefore their end is soon discovered.
15 For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices.	15 For a father, embittered with the suffering of grief, made an image of his son, who had been suddenly taken away from him, and then, he who had died as a man, now begins to be worshiped as if a god, and so rites and sacrifices are established among his servants.
16 Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the commandments of kings.	16 Then, in the course of time, iniquity gains strength within this erroneous custom, so that this error has been observed as if it were a law, and this figment has been worshiped at the command of tyrants.
17 Whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to the end that by this their forwardness they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present.	17 And those, whom men could not openly honor because they were far off, a likeness of them was carried from far off, and from it they made a similar image of the king that they wanted to honor, so that, by their solicitude, they might worship he who was absent, just as if he were present.
18 Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.	18 Yet, it passes into their care, and those whom they did not know, they love because of the excellence of the artist.
19 For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion.	19 For he, wishing to please the one who hired him, embellished his art, so as to fashion a better likeness.
20 And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a god, which a little before was but honoured.	20 But the multitude of men, brought together by the beauty of the work, now considered him to be a god, whom they had formerly honored as a man.
21 And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name.	21 And this was the deception of human life: that men, serving either their own inclination or their kings, assigned the unutterable name to stones and wood.
22 Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace.	22 And it was not enough for them to go astray concerning the knowledge of God, but also, while living in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and such great evils ‘peace.’
23 For whilst they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites;	23 For either they sacrifice their own sons, or they make dark sacrifices, or they hold vigils full of madness,
24 They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traiterously, or grieved him by adultery.	24 so that now they neither protect life, nor preserve a clean marriage, but one kills another through envy, or grieves him by adultery.
25 So that there reigned in all men without exception blood, manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury,	25 And all things are mixed together: blood, murder, theft and fraud, corruption and infidelity, disturbances and perjury, disorder within good things,
26 Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness.	26 forgetfulness of God, pollution of souls, alteration of procreation, inconstancy of marriage, unnatural adultery and homosexuality.
27 For the worshipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil.	27 For the worship of unspeakable idols is the cause, and the beginning and the end, of all evil.
28 For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves.	28 For they either act with madness while happy, or they insistently speak wild lies, or they live unjustly, or they are quick to commit perjury.
29 For insomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt.	29 For, while they trust in idols, which are without a soul, vowing evil, they hope not to be harmed themselves.
30 Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness.	30 Therefore, from both sides it will fittingly happen, because they have thought evil of God, paying attention to idols, and because they have sworn unjustly, in guile despising justice.
31 For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the ungodly.	31 For swearing is not virtue, but sinning always comes around to a punishment according to the transgression of the unjust.