Baruc 6

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Exemplum epistulae, quam mi sit Ieremias ad abducendos cap tivos inBabyloniam a rege Babyloniorum, ut nuntiaret illis secundum quod praeceptum estei a Deo. Propter peccata, quae peccastis ante Deum, abducemini in Babyloniam captivi aNabuchodonosor rege Babyloniorum.	1 'Because of the sins which you have committed before God you are to be deported to Babylon byNebuchadnezzar king of the Babylonians.
2 Ingressi itaque in Babylonem, eritis illicannis pluribus et tempus longum usque ad generationes septem; post hoc autemeducam vos inde cum pace.	2 Once you have reached Babylon you wil stay there for many years, as long as seven generations; afterwhich I shall bring you home in peace.
3 Nunc autem videbitis in Babylone deos argenteos etaureos et ligneos in umeris portari, ostentantes metum gentibus.	3 Now in Babylon you wil see gods made of silver, of gold, of wood, being carried shoulder-high, andfilling the gentiles with fear.
4 Cavete ergo,ne et vos assimilati assimilemini alienigenis, et metus vos capiat in ipsis.	4 Be on your guard! Do not imitate the foreigners, do not have any fear of their gods
5 Videntes turbam ante et retro adorantem eos, dicite autem in corde vestro: “Te oportet adorare, Domine ”.	5 as you see their worshippers prostrating themselves before and behind them. Instead, say in yourhearts, "Master, it is you that we must worship."
6 Angelus enim meus vobiscum est; ipse autemexquiret animas vestras.	6 For my angel is with you; your lives wil be in his care.
7 Nam lingua eorum polita a fabro; ipsa etiam inaurataet inargentata falsa sunt et non possunt loqui.	7 'Overlaid with gold and silver, their tongues polished smooth by a craftsman, they are counterfeit andhave no power to speak.
8 Et sicut virgini ornatumamanti, accepto auro fabricantur	8 As though for a girl fond of finery, these people take gold and make crowns for the heads of their gods.
9 coronas super capita deorum suorum. Interdumautem accidit etiam, ut sacerdotes, subtrahentes a diis aurum et argentum,erogent illud in semetipsos	9 And sometimes, the priests filch gold and silver from their gods to spend on themselves, even givingsome of it to the prostitutes on the terrace.
10 et dent ex ipso et prostitutis in lupanari. Etornant illos ut homines vestimentis, deos argenteos et aureos et ligneos.	10 They dress up these gods of silver, gold and wood, in clothes, like human beings; on their own theycannot protect themselves from either tarnish or woodworm;
11 Hiautem non liberantur ab aerugine et tinea.	11 when they have been dressed in purple cloaks, their faces have to be dusted, because of the templedust which settles thick on them.
12 Opertis illis veste purpurea,extergunt faciem eorum propter pulverem domus, qui est plurimus super eos.	12 One holds a sceptre like the governor of a province, yet is powerless to put to death anyone whooffends him;
13 Etsceptrum habet ut homo, iudex regionis, qui in se peccantem non interficiet.	13 another holds sword and mace in his right hand, yet is powerless to defend himself against war orthieves.
14 Habet etiam gladium in manu dextera et securim, se autem de bello et alatronibus non liberabit. Unde notum est quia non sunt dii;	14 From this it is evident that they are not gods; do not be afraid of them.
15 non ergotimueritis eos. Sicut enim vas hominis confractum inutile fit, tales sunt dii eorum.	15 'Just as a pot in common use becomes useless once it is broken, so are these gods enshrined insidetheir temples.
16 Collocatis illis in domo, oculi eorum pleni sunt pulvere ex pedibusintroeuntium.	16 Their eyes are ful of dust raised by the feet of those who enter.
17 Et sicut alicui, qui regem offendit, circumsaeptae sunt aulae,tamquam ad mortem ducto, domus eorum muniunt sacerdotes ostiis et clausuris etseris, ne a latronibus exspolientur.	17 Just as the doors are locked on al sides on someone who has offended a king and is under sentenceof death, so the priests secure the temples of these gods with gates and bolts and bars for fear of burglary.
18 Lucernas accendunt et quidem plures quamsibi ipsis, quarum nullam videre possunt.	18 They light more lamps for them than they do for themselves, and the gods see none of them.
19 Sunt autem sicut trabes in domo;corda vero eorum dicunt elingere serpentes, qui de terra sunt; dum comedunt eoset vestimentum eorum, non sentiunt.	19 They are like one of the temple beams, which are said to be gnawed away from within; the termitescreep out of the ground and eat them and their clothes too, and they feel nothing.
20 Nigrae fiunt facies eorum a fumo, qui indomo fit.	20 Their faces are blackened by the smoke that rises from the temple.
21 Super corpus eorum et super caput volitant noctuae et hirundines etaves, similiter et cattae.	21 Bats, swal ows, birds of every kind perch on their bodies and heads, and so do cats.
22 Unde scietis quia non sunt dii; non ergotimueritis eos.	22 From this, you can see for yourselves that they are not gods; do not be afraid of them.
23 Aurum enim, quod circa se habent ad speciem, nisi aliquis exterseritaeruginem, non fulgebit; neque enim, cum conflabantur, sentiebant.	23 'The gold with which they are parading their futility before the world is supposed to make them lookbeautiful, but if someone does not rub off the tarnish, these gods wil not be shining much on their own, and evenwhile they were being cast, they felt nothing.
24 Ex omnipretio empta sunt, in quibus spiritus non est.	24 However much was paid for them, there is still no breath of life in them.
25 Sine pedibus, in umerisportantur, ostentantes ignobilitatem suam hominibus; confunduntur et, quiexcolunt ea,	25 Being unable to walk, they have to be carried on men's shoulders, which shows how futile they are. Itis humiliating for their worshippers, too, who have to stand them up again if they fal over.
26 propter quod, ne forte cadat in terram, per ipsos erigetur.Neque, si quis illud erectum statuerit, per semetipsum movebitur neque, siinclinatum fuerit, erigetur; sed sicut mortuis munera illis apponuntur.	26 Once they have been stood up, they cannot move on their own; if they tilt askew, they cannot rightthemselves; offerings made to them might as wel be made to the dead.
27 Hostias vero eorum sacerdotes eorum vendunt et abutuntur; similiter et uxoreseorum, ex ipsis partes sale condientes, neque mendico neque infirmo aliquidimpertiunt. De sacrificiis eorum menstruatae et fetae contingunt.	27 Whatever is sacrificed to them, the priests re-sel and pocket the profit; while their wives salt down partof it, but give nothing to the poor or to the helpless. As to the sacrifices themselves, why, women during theirperiods and women in childbed are not afraid to touch them!
28 Scientesitaque ex his quia non sunt dii, ne timueritis eos.	28 From all this you can tel that they are not gods; do not be afraid of them.
29 Unde enim vocabuntur dii? Quia mulieres apponunt diis argenteis et aureis etligneis,	29 'Indeed, how can they even be cal ed gods, when women do the offering to these gods of silver, goldand wood?
30 et in domibus illorum sacerdotes sedent habentes tunicas scissas etcapita et barbam rasam, quorum capita nuda sunt.	30 In their temples, the priests stay sitting down, their garments torn, heads and beard shaved and headsuncovered;
31 Rugiunt autem clamantescoram diis suis sicut in cena mortui.	31 they roar and shriek before their gods as people do at funeral feasts.
32 A vestimento eorum auferunt sacerdoteset vestiunt uxores suas et filios suos.	32 The priests take robes from the gods to clothe their own wives and children.
33 Neque si quid mali patiantur abaliquo neque si bonum, poterint retribuere; neque constituere regem possuntneque auferre.	33 Whether these gods are treated badly or well, they are incapable of paying back either treatment; asincapable too of making or unmaking kings,
34 Similiter neque divitias neque aes poterunt dare. Si quisillis votum voverit nec reddiderit, non requirent.	34 equal y incapable of distributing wealth or money. If anyone fails to honour a vow he has made tothem, they cannot cal him to account.
35 De morte hominem nonliberabunt neque infirmiorem a potentiore eripient.	35 They can neither save anyone from death nor rescue the weak from the strong,
36 Hominem caecum ad visumnon restituent, de necessitate hominem non liberabunt.	36 nor restore sight to the blind, nor save anyone in trouble,
37 Viduae nonmiserebuntur neque orphano benefacient.	37 nor take pity on a widow, nor be generous to an orphan.
38 Lapidibus de monte similes sunt,lignea et inaurata et inargentata; qui autem excolunt illa, confundentur.	38 These wooden gods overlaid with gold and silver are about as much use as rocks cut out of themountain side. Their worshippers wil be confounded!
39 Quomodo ergo aestimandum aut dicendum est esse illos deos?	39 So how can anyone think or say that they are gods?
40 Adhuc etiam ipsi Chaldaei non honorant ea; qui cum viderint mutum non posseloqui, afferunt Bel postulantes illum loqui,	40 'The Chaldaeans themselves do them no honour; if they find someone who is dumb and cannot speak,they present him to Bel, entreating him for the gift of speech, as though he could perceive it!
41 quasi ipse possit sentire. Etnon possunt ipsi, cum intellexerint, relinquere ea; sensum enim non habent.	41 And they are incapable of drawing the conclusion and abandoning those gods -- such is their lack ofperception.
42 Mulieres autem circumdatae funibus in viis sedent succendentes furfurem;	42 Women with strings round their waists sit in the streets, burning bran like incense;
43 cumautem aliqua ex ipsis, attracta ab aliquo transeunte, dormierit cum eo, proximaesuae exprobrat quod ea non sit digna habita, sicut ipsa, neque funis eiusdiruptus.	43 when one of these has been picked up by a passer-by and been to bed with him, she then gloats overher neighbour for not having been thought as worthy as herself and for not having had her string broken.
44 Omnia autem, quae illis fiunt, falsa sunt; quomodo ergo aestimandumest aut dicendum illos esse deos?	44 Whatever is done for them is spurious. So how can anyone think or say that they are gods?
45 A fabris et ab aurificibus facti sunt; nihil aliud erunt, nisi id quod voluntartifices.	45 'Made by woodworkers and goldsmiths, they are only what those workmen decide to make them.
46 Ipsi etiam, qui ea faciunt, non erunt multi temporis; itaquenumquid possunt, quae ab ipsis fabricata sunt, esse dii?	46 Their makers have not long to live themselves, so how can the things they make be gods?
47 Reliquerunt enimfalsa et opprobrium postea futuris.	47 Their legacy to their descendants is nothing but delusion and dishonour.
48 Nam cum supervenerit illis proelium etmala, cogitant apud se sacerdotes, ubi se abscondant cum illis.	48 If war or disasters befal them, the priests discuss where best to hide themselves and these gods;
49 Quomodo ergonon est sentiendum quia non sunt dii, qui nec liberant se de bello nec de malis?	49 how can anyone fail to realise that they are not gods, if they cannot save themselves from war or fromdisasters?
50 Nam cum sint lignea et inaurata et inargentata, scietur postea quia falsasunt; gentibus universis et regibus manifestum erit quia non sunt dii sed operamanuum hominum, et nullum Dei opus in illis est.	50 And since they are only made of wood overlaid with gold or silver, it wil later become apparent thatthey are spurious; it wil be obvious to everyone, to nations as to kings, that they are not gods but the work ofhuman hands, and that there is no divine activity in them.
51 Cui ergo non notum est quodnon sunt dii?	51 Does anyone still need convincing that they are not gods?
52 Regem enim regioni non suscitabunt neque pluviam hominibus dabunt.	52 'They can neither appoint a king over a country, nor give rain to humankind,
53 Iudicium quoque eorum non discernent nec regiones liberabunt iniuriam patientes,quia nihil possunt sicut corniculae inter medium caeli et terrae.	53 nor regulate their own affairs, nor rescue anyone who suffers a wrong; they are as helpless as crowsbetween sky and ground.
54 Etenim cuminciderit in domum deorum ligneorum vel inauratorum vel inargentatorum ignis,sacerdotes quidem ipsorum fugient et liberabuntur; ipsi vero sicut trabes inmedio comburentur.	54 If fire fal s on the temple of these wooden gods overlaid with gold or silver, their priests fly to safetywhile they for their part stay there like beams, to be burnt.
55 Regi autem et hostibus non resistent. Quomodo ergoaestimandum est aut recipiendum quia dii sunt?	55 They cannot put up any resistance to a king or to enemies.
56 Neque a furibus neque a latronibus se liberabunt dii lignei et inaurati etinargentati;	56 So how can anyone think or say that they are gods?
57 quibus hi fortiores sunt, quia aurum et argentum et vestimentum,quo operti sunt, auferent illis et abibunt; nec illi sibi auxilium ferent.	57 'These wooden gods overlaid with gold or silver cannot evade thieves or marauders; strong men mayrob them of their gold and silver and make off with the robes they are dressed in; yet they are powerless to helpeven themselves.
58 Itaque melius est esse regem ostentantem virtutem suam aut vas in domo utile,quo uti potest is, qui possidet illud, quam falsi dii, aut etiam ostium in domo,quod custodit, quae in ea sunt, quam falsi dii, et columna lignea in regiis quamfalsi dii.	58 Better to be a king displaying his prowess, a household pot of use to its owner, than to be thesecounterfeit gods; or merely the door of a house, protecting what is inside, than these counterfeit gods; or awooden pil ar in a palace than these counterfeit gods.
59 Sol quidem et luna et sidera, cum sint splendida et emissa adutilitates, oboediunt;	59 The sun, the moon and the stars, which shine and have been given work to do, are obedient;
60 similiter et fulgur cum apparuerit, perspicuum est;eodem modo et spiritus in omni regione spirat;	60 similarly, the lightning, as it flashes, is a fine sight; in the same way, the wind blows across everycountry,
61 et nubes, quibus cum imperatumfuerit a Deo perambulare universum orbem, perficiunt, quod imperatum est;	61 the clouds execute the order God gives them to pass over the whole earth, and the fire, sent fromabove to consume mountain and forest, carries out its orders.
62 ignis etiam missus desuper, ut consumat montes et silvas, facit, quod praeceptumest: haec autem neque speciebus neque virtutibus uni eorum similia sunt.	62 Now these gods are not their equals, either in beauty or in power.
63 Undeneque aestimandum est neque dicendum illos esse deos, quando non possunt nequeiudicium iudicare neque benefacere hominibus.	63 So, no one can think or say that they are gods, powerless as they are to administer justice or to doanyone any good.
64 Scientes itaque quia non suntdii, ne timueritis eos.	64 Therefore, knowing that they are not gods, do not be afraid of them.
65 Neque enim regibus maledicent neque benedicent.	65 'For they can neither curse nor bless kings,
66 Signa in caelo gentibusnon ostendent neque ut sol lucebunt neque illuminabunt sicut luna.	66 nor produce signs in heaven for the nations, nor shine like the sun, nor shed light like the moon.
67 Bestiaemeliores sunt illis, quae possunt, fugientes sub tegumentum, prodesse sibi.	67 The animals are better off than they are, being able to look after themselves by making for cover.
68 Nullo itaque modo nobis est manifestum quia sunt dii; propter quod ne timueritiseos.	68 There is not the slightest shred of evidence that they are gods; so do not be afraid of them!
69 Nam sicut in cucumerario formido nihil custodit, ita sunt dii illorumlignei et inaurati et inargentati.	69 'Their wooden gods overlaid with gold and silver are like a scarecrow in a field of cucumbers --protecting nothing.
70 Eodem modo et in horto spinae albae, superquam omnis avis sedet; similiter et mortuo proiecto in tenebris similes sunt diieorum lignei et inaurati et inargentati.	70 Or again, their wooden gods overlaid with gold and silver are like a thorn-bush in a garden -- any kind of bird may perch on it -- or like a corpse thrown out into the dark.
71 A purpura et bysso, quae super illostineant, scietis quia non sunt dii; ipsa etiam postremo comeduntur, et eritopprobrium in regione.	71 From the purple and linen rotting on their backs you can tell that they are not gods; and in the end,eaten away, they wil be the dishonour of the country.
72 Melior est ergo homo iustus, qui non habet simulacra,nam erit longe ab opprobriis.	72 Better, then, someone upright who has no idols; dishonour wil never come near him.'