Sapientia 14

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Iterum alius navigare cogitans, et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat.	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 Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, et artifex sapientia fabricavit sua.	2 For the urge for profits devised this latter, and Wisdom the artificer produced it.
3 Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat : quoniam dedisti et in mari viam, et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam,	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 ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiam si sine arte aliquis adeat mare.	4 Showing that you can save from any danger, so that even one without skill may embark.
5 Sed ut non essent vacua sapientiæ tuæ opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas, et transeuntes mare per ratem liberati sunt.	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 Sed et ab initio cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, remisit sæculo semen nativitatis quæ manu tua erat gubernata.	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 Benedictum est enim lignum per quod fit justitia ;	7 For blest is the wood through which justice comes about;
8 per manus autem quod fit idolum, maledictum est et ipsum, et qui fecit illud : quia ille quidem operatus est, illud autem cum esset fragile, deus cognominatus est.	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 Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus ;	9 Equally odious to God are the evildoer and his evil deed;
10 etenim quod factum est, cum illo qui fecit tormenta patietur.	10 and the thing made shall be punished with its contriver.
11 Propter hoc et in idolis nationum non erit respectus, quoniam creaturæ Dei in odium factæ sunt, et in tentationem animabus hominum, et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.	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 Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, et adinventio illorum corruptio vitæ est :	12 For the source of wantoness is the devising of idols; and their invention was a corruption of life.
13 neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.	13 For in the beginning they were not, nor shall they continue forever;
14 Supervacuitas enim hominum hæc advenit in orbem terrarum, et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.	14 for by the vanity of men they came into the world, and therefore a sudden end is devised for them.
15 Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem ; et illum qui tunc quasi homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere cœpit, et constituit inter servos suos sacra et sacrificia.	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 Deinde interveniente tempore, convalescente iniqua consuetudine, hic error tamquam lex custoditus est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta.	16 Then, in time, the impious practice gained strength and was observed as law, and graven things were worshiped by princely decrees.
17 Et hos quos in palam homines honorare non poterant propter hoc quod longe essent, e longinquo figura eorum allata, evidentem imaginem regis quem honorare volebant fecerunt, ut illum qui aberat, tamquam præsentem colerent sua sollicitudine.	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 Provexit autem ad horum culturam et hos qui ignorabant artificis eximia diligentia.	18 And to promote this observance among those to whom it was strange, the artisan's ambition provided a stimulus.
19 Ille enim, volens placere illi qui se assumpsit, elaboravit arte sua ut similitudinem in melius figuraret.	19 For he, mayhap in his determination to please the ruler, labored over the likeness to the best of his skill;
20 Multitudo autem hominum, abducta per speciem operis, eum qui ante tempus tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum æstimaverunt.	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 Et hæc fuit vitæ humanæ deceptio, quoniam aut affectui aut regibus deservientes homines, incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.	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 Et non suffecerat errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiæ bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.	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 Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes, aut obscura sacrificia facientes, aut insaniæ plenas vigilias habentes,	23 For while they celebrate either child-slaying sacrifices or clandestine mysteries, or frenzied carousals in unheard-of rites,
24 neque vitam, neque nuptias mundas jam custodiunt : sed alius alium per invidiam occidit, aut adulterans contristat,	24 They no longer safeguard either lives or pure wedlock; but each either waylays and kills his neighbor, or aggrieves him by adultery.
25 et omnia commista sunt : sanguis, homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et perjurium, tumultus bonorum,	25 And all is confusion-blood and murder, theft and guile, corruption, faithlessness, turmoil, perjury,
26 Dei immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, nativitatis immutatio, nuptiarum inconstantia, inordinatio mœchiæ et impudicitiæ.	26 Disturbance of good men, neglect of gratitude, besmirching of souls, unnatural lust, disorder in marriage, adultery and shamelessness.
27 Infandorum enim idolorum cultura omnis mali causa est, et initium et finis.	27 For the worship of infamous idols is the reason and source and extremity of all evil.
28 Aut enim dum lætantur insaniunt, aut certe vaticinantur falsa, aut vivunt injuste, aut pejerant cito.	28 For they either go mad with enjoyment, or prophesy lies, or live lawlessly or lightly forswear themselves.
29 Dum enim confidunt in idolis quæ sine anima sunt, male jurantes noceri se non sperant.	29 For as their trust is in soulless idols, they expect no harm when they have sworn falsely.
30 Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, et juraverunt injuste, in dolo contemnentes justitiam.	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 Non enim juratorum virtus, sed peccantium pœna, perambulat semper injustorum prævaricationem.	31 For not the might of those that are sworn by but the retribution of sinners ever follows upon the transgression of the wicked.