Sapientia 13

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Vani autem sunt omnes homines in quibus non subest scientia Dei ; et de his quæ videntur bona, non potuerunt intelligere eum qui est, neque operibus attendentes agnoverunt quis esset artifex :	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 aërem, aut gyrum stellarum, aut nimiam aquam, aut solem et lunam, 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, deos putaverunt, sciant quanto his dominator eorum speciosior est : speciei enim generator hæc omnia constituit.	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 Aut si virtutem et opera eorum mirati sunt, intelligant ab illis quoniam qui hæc 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 speciei et creaturæ cognoscibiliter poterit creator horum videri.	5 For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.
6 Sed tamen adhuc in his minor est querela ; et hi enim fortasse errant, Deum quærentes, 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 persuasum habent quoniam bona sunt quæ 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 debet ignosci.	8 But again, not even these are pardonable.
9 Si enim tantum potuerunt scire ut possent æstimare sæculum, quomodo hujus 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 sunt, et inter mortuos spes illorum est, qui appellaverunt deos opera manuum hominum : aurum et argentum, artis inventionem, et similitudines animalium, aut lapidem inutilem, opus manus antiquæ.	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 lignum rectum secuerit, et hujus docte eradat omnem corticem, et arte sua usus diligenter fabricet vas utile in conversationem vitæ ;	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 ejus operis ad præparationem escæ abutatur,	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 vorticibus plenum sculpat diligenter per vacuitatem suam, et per scientiam suæ artis figuret illud, et assimilet 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 animalibus illud comparet : perliniens rubrica, et rubicundum faciens fuco colorem illius, et omnem maculam quæ in illo est 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 faciat ei dignam habitationem, et in pariete ponens illud, et confirmans ferro	15 He makes a fitting shrine for it and puts it on the wall, fastening it with a nail.
16 ne forte cadat, prospiciens illi : sciens quoniam non potest adjuvare se : imago enim est, et opus est illi adjutorium.	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 substantia sua, et de filiis suis, et de nuptiis votum faciens inquirit : non erubescit loqui cum illo qui sine anima est.	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 sanitate quidem infirmum deprecatur, et pro vita rogat mortuum, et in adjutorium inutilem invocat.	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 pro itinere petit ab eo qui ambulare non potest ; et de acquirendo, et de operando, et de omnium rerum eventu, petit ab eo qui in omnibus est inutilis.	19 And for profit in business and success with his hands he asks facility of a thing with hands completely inert.