Wisdom 13

¹But all men be vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God: and of these good things which are seen they could not understand him that is, neither attending to the works have they agnised who was the workman:

²but either the fire, or the wind, or the swift air, or a circle of stars, or exceeding much water, or the sun and moon, they thought to be gods, rulers of the world.

³With whose beauty if being delighted they thought them gods: let them know how much the Lord of them is more beautiful than they. For the author of beauty made all those things.

⁴Or if they marveled at their virtue, & operations, let them understand by them, that he which made these, is stronger than they:

⁵for by the greatness of the beauty, and of the creature, the Creator of them may be seen, to be known thereby.

⁶But notwithstanding there is yet in these less complaint. For they also perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him.

⁷For whereas they converse in his works, they inquire: & they are persuaded that the things be good which are seen.

⁸But again neither ought these to be pardoned.

⁹For if they could know so much, that they were able to estimate the world: how did they not more easily find the Lord thereof?

¹⁰But they are unhappy, & their hope is among the dead, who have called the works of men's hands gods, gold & silver, the invention of art, and the similitudes of beasts, or an unprofitable stone the work of an old hand.

¹¹Or if an artificer a carpenter, cut straight timber out of the wood, & pare off all the bark thereof cunningly, and using his art diligently frameth a vessel profitable for the common use of this life,

¹²and useth the chips of that work to dress his meat:

¹³and maketh that which is left thereof, which is for no uses, but being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knobs, carveth it diligently in the hollowness thereof, and by the skill of his art fashioneth it, and maketh it like to the image of a man,

¹⁴or compareth it to some beast, straking it over with red, and with painting making the colour thereof ruddy, and layeth a colour over every spot that is in it:

¹⁵and maketh a worthy habitation for it, and setting it in a wall, and fastening it with iron

¹⁶lest perhaps it fall, providing for it, knowing that it cannot help itself: for it is an image, and it needeth help.

¹⁷And concerning his substance, & his children, & for marriage, making a vow he seeketh to it. He is not ashamed to speak with him, that is without soul:

¹⁸and for health certes he beseecheth the weak, and for life asketh the dead, and for help invocateth him that is unprofitable:

¹⁹and for a journey asketh him, that cannot walk: and for getting, and for working, and for the event of all things he asketh him, that in all is unprofitable.