Sapienza 15

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Tu autem, Deus noster, suavis et verus es, patiens et in misericordia disponens omnia.	1 But you, our God, are good and true, slow to anger, and governing all with mercy.
2 Etenim, si peccaverimus, tui sumus, scientes potentiam tuam; non peccabimus autem, scientes quoniam apud te sumus computati.	2 For even if we sin, we are yours, and know your might; but we will not sin, knowing that we belong to you.
3 Nosse enim te consummata iustitia est, et scire virtutem tuam radix est immortalitatis.	3 For to know you well is complete justice, and to know your might is the root of immortality.
4 Nec enim in errorem induxit nos hominum malae artis excogitatio, nec adumbrantium labor sine fructu, effigies maculata per varios colores,	4 For neither did the evil creation of men's fancy deceive us, nor the fruitless labor of painters, A form smeared with varied colors,
5 cuius aspectus insensatis in concupiscentiam venit, et diligit mortuae imaginis effigiem sine anima.	5 the sight of which arouses yearning in the senseless man, till he longs for the inanimate form of a dead image.
6 Malorum amatores digni sunt, qui spem habeant in talibus et qui faciunt illos et qui diligunt et qui colunt.	6 Lovers of evil things, and worthy of such hopes are they who make them and long for them and worship them.
7 Sed et figulus, mollem terram premens laboriose, fingit ad usus nostros unumquodque vas; et de eodem luto fingit, quae mundis operibus in usum sunt, vasa, et quae his sunt contraria, omnia similiter; horum autem singulorum vasorum quis utriusque sit usus, iudex est figulus.	7 For truly the potter, laboriously working the soft earth, molds for our service each several article: Both the vessels that serve for clean purposes and their opposites, all alike; As to what shall be the use of each vessel of either class the worker in clay is the judge.
8 Et cum malo labore deum vanum fingit de eodem luto ille, qui paulo ante de terra factus fuerat, et post pusillum reducit se, unde acceptus est, repetitus animae debitum.	8 And with misspent toil he molds a meaningless god from the selfsame clay; though he himself shortly before was made from the earth And after a little, is to go whence he was taken, when the life that was lent him is demanded back.
9 Sed cura est illi, non quia laboraturus est, nec quoniam brevis illi vita est, sed concertatur aurificibus et argentariis et aerarios imitatur et gloriam praefert, quoniam res supervacuas fingit.	9 But his concern is not that he is to die nor that his span of life is brief; Rather, he vies with goldsmiths and silversmiths and emulates molders of bronze, and takes pride in modeling counterfeits.
10 Cinis est cor eius, et terra despectior spes illius, et luto vilior vita eius,	10 Ashes his heart is! more worthless than earth is his hope, and more ignoble than clay his life;
11 quoniam ignoravit, qui se finxit et qui inspiravit illi animam, quae operatur, et qui insufflavit ei spiritum vitalem.	11 Because he knew not the one who fashioned him, and breathed into him a quickening soul, and infused a vital spirit.
12 Sed et aestimavit lusum esse vitam nostram et conversationem vitae compositam ad lucrum; oportere enim dicit undecumque etiam ex malo acquirere.	12 Instead, he esteemed our life a plaything, and our span of life a holiday for gain; "For one must," says he, "make profit every way, be it even out of evil."
13 Hic enim scit se super omnes delinquere, qui ex terrae materia fragilia vasa et sculptilia fingit.	13 For this man more than any knows that he is sinning, when out of earthen stuff he creates fragile vessels and idols alike.
14 Omnes enim insipientes et infelices supra modum animae infantis sunt inimici populi tui et per potentiam opprimentes illum.	14 But all quite senseless, and worse than childish in mind, are the enemies of your people who enslaved them.
15 Quoniam omnia idola nationum deos aestimaverunt, quibus neque oculorum usus est ad videndum, neque nares ad percipiendum spiritum, neque aures ad audiendum, neque digiti manuum ad tractandum, sed et pedes eorum pigri ad ambulandum.	15 For they esteemed all the idols of the nations gods, which have no use of the eyes for vision, nor nostrils to snuff the air, Nor ears to hear, nor fingers on their hands for feeling; even their feet are useless to walk with.
16 Homo enim fecit illos, et, qui spiritum mutuatus est, is finxit illos; nemo enim sibi similem homo poterit deum fingere:	16 For a man made them; one whose spirit has been lent him fashioned them. For no man succeeds in fashioning a god like himself;
17 cum autem sit mortalis, mortuum fingit manibus iniquis. Melior enim est ipse his, quos colit, quia ipse quidem vixit, cum esset mortalis, illi autem numquam.	17 being mortal, he makes a dead thing with his lawless hands. For he is better than the things he worships; he at least lives, but never they.
18 Sed et animalia miserrima colunt; in insipientia enim, aliis comparata, his sunt deteriora.	18 And besides, they worship the most loathsome beasts-- for compared as to folly, these are worse than the rest,
19 Nec pulchra in his inveniuntur, quantum desiderari possit, ut fit in animalium conspectu; effugerunt autem et Dei laudem et benedictionem eius.	19 Nor for their looks are they good or desirable beasts, but they have escaped both the approval of God and his blessing.