Scrutatio

Sabato, 4 maggio 2024 - San Ciriaco ( Letture di oggi)

Wisdom 13


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KING JAMES BIBLENOVA VULGATA
1 Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster;1 Vani autem sunt natura omnes homines,
in quibus non subest scientia Dei;
et de his, quae videntur bonis,
non potuerunt intellegere eum, qui est,
neque operibus attendentes agnoverunt artificem.
2 But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world.2 Sed aut ignem aut spiritum aut citatum aerem
aut gyrum stellarum aut violentam aquam aut luminaria caeli,
rectores orbis terrarum, deos putaverunt.
3 With whose beauty if they being delighted took them to be gods; let them know how much better the Lord of them is: for the first author of beauty hath created them.3 Quorum si specie delectati, illa deos putaverunt,
sciant quanto his dominator eorum melior est:
speciei enim principium et auctor constituit ea.
4 But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them.4 Si autem virtutem et operationem eorum mirati,
intellegant ab illis quanto, qui haec fecit, fortior est illis:
5 For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen.5 a magnitudine enim et pulchritudine creaturarum
cognoscibiliter potest creator horum videri.
6 But yet for this they are the less to be blamed: for they peradventure err, seeking God, and desirous to find him.6 Sed tamen in his minor est querela, et hi enim fortasse errant
Deum quaerentes et volentes invenire.
7 For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen.7 Etenim, cum in operibus illius conversentur, inquirunt
et credunt visui,
quoniam pulchra sunt, quae videntur.
8 Howbeit neither are they to be pardoned.8 Iterum autem nec his potest ignosci:
9 For if they were able to know so much, that they could aim at the world; how did they not sooner find out the Lord thereof?9 si enim tantum valuerunt scire, ut possent aestimare saeculum,
quomodo huius Dominum non facilius invenerunt?
10 But miserable are they, and in dead things is their hope, who call them gods, which are the works of men's hands, gold and silver, to shew art in, and resemblances of beasts, or a stone good for nothing, the work of an ancient hand.10 Infelices autem, et in rebus mortuis sunt spes illorum,
qui appellaverunt deos opera manuum hominum,
aurum et argentum, artis inventionem
et similitudines animalium
aut lapidem inutilem, opus manus antiquae.
11 Now a carpenter that felleth timber, after he hath sawn down a tree meet for the purpose, and taken off all the bark skilfully round about, and hath wrought it handsomely, and made a vessel thereof fit for the service of man's life;11 Aut si quis artifex faber de silva tractabile lignum secuerit
C huius docte erasit omnem corticem
et arte sua usus diligenter
fabricavit vas utile in conversationem vitae;
12 And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, hath filled himself;12 reliquiis autem eius operis
ad praeparationem escae abusus, satiatus est,
13 And taking the very refuse among those which served to no use, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, hath carved it diligently, when he had nothing else to do, and formed it by the skill of his understanding, and fashioned it to the image of a man;13 et reliquum horum, quod ad nullos usus facit,
lignum curvum et nodis concretum accipiens,
sculpsit diligenter per vacuitatem suam
et per scientiam tempore requiei figuravit illud -
assimilavit illud imagini hominis
14 Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red, and covering every spot therein;14 aut alicui ex vilibus animalibus illud comparavit,
perliniens rubrica et rubicundum faciens fuco colorem illius
et omnem maculam, quae in illo erat, perliniens
15 And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron:15 et faciens ei dignam habitationem
in pariete posuit illud, confirmans ferro.
16 For he provided for it that it might not fall, knowing that it was unable to help itself; for it is an image, and hath need of help:16 Ne igitur forte caderet providit illi,
sciens quoniam non potest se ipsum adiuvare:
imago enim est, et opus est illi adiutorium.
17 Then maketh he prayer for his goods, for his wife and children, and is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life.17 Et de substantiis et de nuptiis et de filiis votum faciens,
non erubescit loqui cum illo, quod sine anima est,
et pro sanitate quidem infirmum deprecatur
18 For health he calleth upon that which is weak: for life prayeth to that which is dead; for aid humbly beseecheth that which hath least means to help: and for a good journey he asketh of that which cannot set a foot forward:18 et pro vita rogat mortuum
et in adiutorium rem omnino inutilem invocat,
et pro itinere petit ab eo, quod ambulare non potest,
19 And for gaining and getting, and for good success of his hands, asketh ability to do of him, that is most unable to do any thing.19 et de acquirendo et de operando et de bono manuum eventu
petit utilitatem ab eo, quod prorsus inutile est manibus.