Wisdom 14

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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, one preparing for a voyage and about to traverse the wild waves cries out to wood more unsound than the boat that bears him.
2 For verily desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill.	2 For the urge for profits devised this latter, and Wisdom the artificer produced it.
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! guides it, for you have furnished even in the sea a road, and through the waves a steady path,
4 Shewing that thou canst save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art.	4 Showing that you can save from any danger, so that even one without skill may embark.
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 you will that the products of your Wisdom be not idle; therefore men trust their lives even to frailest wood, and have been safe crossing the surge on a raft.
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 For of old, when the proud giants were being destroyed, the hope of the universe, who took refuge on a raft, left to the world a future for his race, under the guidance of your hand.
7 For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.	7 For blest is the wood through which justice comes about;
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 the handmade idol is accursed, and its maker as well: he for having produced it, and it, because though corruptible, it was termed a god.
9 For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God.	9 Equally odious to God are the evildoer and his evil deed;
10 For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it.	10 and the thing made shall be punished with its contriver.
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 Therefore upon even the idols of the nations shall a visitation come, since they have become abominable amid God's works, Snares for the souls of men and a trap for the feet of the senseless.
12 For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life.	12 For the source of wantoness is the devising of idols; and their invention was a corruption of life.
13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.	13 For in the beginning they were not, nor shall they continue 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 vanity of men they came into the world, and therefore a sudden end is devised for them.
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, afflicted with untimely mourning, made an image of the child so quickly taken from him, And now honored as a god what was formerly a dead man and handed down to his subjects mysteries and sacrifices.
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 time, the impious practice gained strength and was observed as law, and graven things were worshiped by princely decrees.
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 Men who lived so far away that they could not honor him in his presence copied the appearance of the distant king And made a public image of him they wished to honor, out of zeal to flatter him when absent, as though present.
18 Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.	18 And to promote this observance among those to whom it was strange, the artisan's ambition provided a stimulus.
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, mayhap in his determination to please the ruler, labored over the likeness to the best of his skill;
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 And the masses, drawn by the charm of the workmanship, soon thought he should be worshiped who shortly before was 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 became a snare for mankind, that men enslaved to either grief or tyranny conferred the incommunicable Name on stocks and stones.
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 Then it was not enough for them to err in their knowledge of God; but even though they live in a great war of ignorance, they call such evils peace.
23 For whilst they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites;	23 For while they celebrate either child-slaying sacrifices or clandestine mysteries, or frenzied carousals in unheard-of rites,
24 They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traiterously, or grieved him by adultery.	24 They no longer safeguard either lives or pure wedlock; but each either waylays and kills his neighbor, or aggrieves 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 is confusion-blood and murder, theft and guile, corruption, faithlessness, turmoil, perjury,
26 Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness.	26 Disturbance of good men, neglect of gratitude, besmirching of souls, unnatural lust, disorder in marriage, adultery and shamelessness.
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 infamous idols is the reason and source and extremity 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 go mad with enjoyment, or prophesy lies, or live lawlessly or lightly forswear themselves.
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 as their trust is in soulless idols, they expect no harm when they have sworn falsely.
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 But on both counts shall justice overtake them: because they thought ill of God and devoted themselves to idols, and because they deliberately swore false oaths, despising piety.
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 not the might of those that are sworn by but the retribution of sinners ever follows upon the transgression of the wicked.