Wisdom

1But thou, our God, art gracious and true, patient, and ordering all things in mercy.

2For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy greatness: and if we sin not, we know that we are counted with thee.

3For to know thee is perfect justice: and to know thy justice, and thy power, is the root of immortality.

4For the invention of mischievous men hath not deceived us, nor the shadow of a picture, a fruitless labour, a graven figure with divers colours,

5The sight whereof enticeth the fool to lust after it, and he loveth the lifeless figure of a dead image.

6The lovers of evil things deserve to have no better things to trust in, both they that make them, and they that love them, and they that worship them.

7The potter also tempering soft earth, with labour fashioneth every vessel for our service, and of the same clay he maketh both vessels that are for clean uses, and likewise such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of these vessels, the potter is the judge.

8And of the same clay by a vain labour he maketh a god: he who a little before was made of earth himself, and a little after returneth to the same out of which he was taken, when his life which was lent him shall be called for again.

9But his care is, not that he shall labour, nor that his life is short, but he striveth with the goldsmiths and silversmiths: and he endeavoureth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it a glory to make vain things.

10For his heart is ashes, and his hope vain earth, and his life more base than clay:

11Forasmuch as he knew not his maker and him that inspired into him the soul that worketh, and that breathed into him a living spirit.

12Yea and they have counted our life a pastime, and the business of life to be gain, and that we must be getting every way, even out of evil.

13For that man knoweth that he offendeth above all others, who of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels, and graven gods.

14But all the enemies of thy people that hold them in subjection, are foolish, and unhappy, and proud beyond measure:

15For they have esteemed all the idols of the heathens for gods, which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of hands to handle, and as for their feet, they are slow to walk.

16For man made them: and he that borroweth his own breath, fashioned them. For no man can make a god like to himself.

17For being mortal himself, he formeth a dead thing with his wicked hands. For he is better than they whom he worshippeth, because he indeed hath lived, though he were mortal, but they never.

18Moreover they worship also the vilest creatures: but things without sense compared to these, are worse than they.

19Yea, neither by sight can any man see good of these beasts. But they have fled from the praise of God, and from his blessing.

1lấy lòng thương xót mà cai quản muôn loài.

2vì nhìn nhận chúng con thuộc về Ngài.

3nhìn nhận quyền năng Ngài là đạt được nguồn ơn bất tử.

4những thứ đó không thể mê hoặc chúng con.

5ham thích những chân dung bất động, những hình ảnh vô hồn.

6đều là người say mê sự dữ, hy vọng chuyện hão huyền.

7chính anh thợ là người ấn định.

8khi anh phải hoàn trả sự sống người ta cho anh vay.

9đi bắt chước thợ đồng, vênh vang vì nặn ra đồ mã.

10cuộc đời của anh tệ hơn bùn.

11phú cho anh một làn sinh khí.

12cách xấu cũng chẳng sao.”

13khi dùng đất cát làm ra cả bình dễ vỡ lẫn tượng thần.

14tất cả đều ngu xuẩn, tâm trí kém cỏi hơn đứa trẻ con,

15không có ngón tay để sờ, có hai chân mà không thể đi lại.

16một thần minh giống như mình.

17còn những vật kia thì chẳng bao giờ.

18những loài ngu si hơn so với các loài khác.

19hay phúc lành của Thiên Chúa.