Sapientia 15

VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Tu autem, Deus noster, suavis et verus es, patiens, et in misericordia disponens omnia.	1 But you, our God, are gracious and true, patient, and in mercy ordering all things.
2 Etenim si peccaverimus, tui sumus, scientes magnitudinem tuam ; et si non peccaverimus, scimus quoniam apud te sumus computati.	2 And, indeed, if we sin, we are yours, knowing your greatness; and, if we do not sin, we know that we are counted with you.
3 Nosse enim te, consummata justitia est ; et scire justitiam et virtutem tuam, radix est immortalitatis.	3 For to have known you is perfect justice, and to know justice and your virtue is the root of immortality.
4 Non enim in errorem induxit nos hominum malæ artis excogitatio, nec umbra picturæ labor sine fructu, effigies sculpta per varios colores :	4 For the skillful planning of evil men has not led us into error, nor the shadow of a picture, a fruitless labor, an image having been sculpted through the use of diverse colors,
5 cujus aspectus insensato dat concupiscentiam, et diligit mortuæ imaginis effigiem sine anima.	5 the sight of which gives desire to the foolish, and he loves the likeness of a lifeless image without a soul.
6 Malorum amatores digni sunt qui spem habeant in talibus, et qui faciunt illos, et qui diligunt, et qui colunt.	6 Deserving are the lovers of evil, those who hope in such things, and those who make them, and those who love them, and those who promote them.
7 Sed et figulus mollem terram premens, laboriose fingit ad usus nostros unumquodque vas ; et de eodem luto fingit quæ munda sunt in usum vasa, et similiter quæ his sunt contraria : horum autem vasorum quis sit usus, judex est figulus.	7 But even the potter, pressing laboriously, molds the soft earth into vessels, each one for our use. And from the same clay he molds vessels, those which are for clean use, and similarly, those which are for the opposite. But, as to what is the use of a vessel, the potter is the judge.
8 Et cum labore vano deum fingit de eodem luto ille qui paulo ante de terra factus fuerat, et post pusillum reducit se unde acceptus est, repetitus animæ debitum quam habebat.	8 And with effort he molds an empty god of the same clay, he who a little before had been made from the earth, and, after brief time, he himself returns from whence he came, to be claimed by he who holds the debt of his soul.
9 Sed cura est illi non quia laboraturus est, nec quoniam brevis illi vita est : sed concertatur aurificibus et argentariis ; sed et ærarios imitatur, et gloriam præfert, quoniam res supervacuas fingit.	9 Yet his concern is, not what his work will be, nor that his life is short, but that he is being contested by those who work with gold and silver, yet he also does the same to those who work with copper, and he glories that he makes worthless things.
10 Cinis est enim cor ejus, et terra supervacua spes illius, et luto vilior vita ejus :	10 For his heart is ashes, and his hope is worthless dirt, and his life is more common than clay,
11 quoniam ignoravit qui se finxit, et qui inspiravit illi animam quæ operatur, et qui insufflavit ei spiritum vitalem.	11 because he ignores the One who molded him, and who instilled in him a working soul, and who breathed into him a living spirit.
12 Sed et æstimaverunt ludum esse vitam nostram, et conversationem vitæ compositam ad lucrum, et oportere undecumque etiam ex malo acquirere.	12 Yet they even considered our life to be a plaything, and the usefulness of life to be the accumulation of wealth, and that we must be acquiring things in every possible way, even from evil.
13 Hic enim scit se super omnes delinquere, qui ex terræ materia fragilia vasa et sculptilia fingit.	13 For, above all else, he knows himself to be lacking, who, from fragile material of the earth forms vessels and graven images.
14 Omnes enim insipientes, et infelices supra modum animæ superbi, sunt inimici populi tui, et imperantes illi :	14 For all the foolish and unhappy, in charge of the way of the arrogant soul, are enemies of your people and rule over them,
15 quoniam omnia idola nationum deos æstimaverunt, 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 because they have esteemed all the idols of the nations as gods, which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor the fingers of hands to grasp, and even their feet are slow to walk.
16 Homo enim fecit illos ; et qui spiritum mutuatus est, is finxit illos. Nemo enim sibi similem homo poterit deum fingere.	16 For man made them, and he who borrowed his own breath, formed them. For no man will be able to form God in the likeness of himself.
17 Cum enim sit mortalis, mortuum fingit manibus iniquis. Melior enim est ipse his quos colit, quia ipse quidem vixit, cum esset mortalis, illi autem numquam.	17 For, being mortal, he forms a dead thing with his unjust hands. Yet, he is better than those things that he worships, because he indeed has lived, though he is mortal, but they never have.
18 Sed et animalia miserrima colunt ; insensata enim comparata his, illis sunt deteriora.	18 Moreover, they worship the most miserable animals, for, to make a foolish comparison, these others are worse.
19 Sed nec aspectu aliquis ex his animalibus bona potest conspicere : effugerunt autem Dei laudem et benedictionem ejus.	19 But not even from their appearance can anyone discern anything good in these animals. Yet they have fled from the praise of God, and from his blessing.