Sapienza 13

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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.	1 For all men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan;
2 Sed aut ignem aut spiritum aut citatum aerem aut gyrum stellarum aut violentam aquam aut luminaria caeli, rectores orbis terrarum, deos putaverunt.	2 But either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods.
3 Quorum si specie delectati, illa deos putaverunt, sciant quanto his dominator eorum melior est: speciei enim principium et auctor constituit ea.	3 Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them.
4 Si autem virtutem et operationem eorum mirati, intellegant ab illis quanto, qui haec fecit, fortior est illis:	4 Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them.
5 a magnitudine enim et pulchritudine creaturarum cognoscibiliter potest creator horum videri.	5 For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.
6 Sed tamen in his minor est querela, et hi enim fortasse errant Deum quaerentes et volentes invenire.	6 But yet, for these the blame is less; For they indeed have gone astray perhaps, though they seek God and wish to find him.
7 Etenim, cum in operibus illius conversentur, inquirunt et credunt visui, quoniam pulchra sunt, quae videntur.	7 For they search busily among his works, but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair.
8 Iterum autem nec his potest ignosci:	8 But again, not even these are pardonable.
9 si enim tantum valuerunt scire, ut possent aestimare saeculum, quomodo huius Dominum non facilius invenerunt?	9 For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its LORD?
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.	10 But doomed are they, and in dead things are their hopes, who termed gods things made by human hands: Gold and silver, the product of art, and likenesses of beasts, or useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.
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;	11 A carpenter may saw out a suitable tree and skillfully scrape off all its bark, And deftly plying his art, produce something fit for daily use,
12 reliquiis autem eius operis ad praeparationem escae abusus, satiatus est,	12 and use up the refuse from his handiwork in preparing his food, and have his fill;
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	13 Then the good-for-nothing refuse from these remnants, crooked wood grown full of knots, he takes and carves to occupy his spare time. This wood he models with listless skill, and patterns it on the image of a man
14 aut alicui ex vilibus animalibus illud comparavit, perliniens rubrica et rubicundum faciens fuco colorem illius et omnem maculam, quae in illo erat, perliniens	14 or makes it resemble some worthless beast. When he has daubed it with red and crimsoned its surface with red stain, and daubed over every blemish in it,
15 et faciens ei dignam habitationem in pariete posuit illud, confirmans ferro.	15 He makes a fitting shrine for it and puts it on the wall, fastening it with a nail.
16 Ne igitur forte caderet providit illi, sciens quoniam non potest se ipsum adiuvare: imago enim est, et opus est illi adiutorium.	16 Thus lest it fall down he provides for it, knowing that it cannot help itself; for, truly, it is an image and needs help.
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	17 But when he prays about his goods or marriage or children, he is not ashamed to address the thing without a soul. And for vigor he invokes the powerless;
18 et pro vita rogat mortuum et in adiutorium rem omnino inutilem invocat, et pro itinere petit ab eo, quod ambulare non potest,	18 and for life he entreats the dead; And for aid he beseeches the wholly incompetent, and about travel, something that cannot even walk.
19 et de acquirendo et de operando et de bono manuum eventu petit utilitatem ab eo, quod prorsus inutile est manibus.	19 And for profit in business and success with his hands he asks facility of a thing with hands completely inert.