Wisdom of Solomon, 13

1. Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster;

1. The natural helplessness of men is seen in their ignorance of God. The experience of good things did not lead them to the knowledge of Him who is. They were interested in his works, but they did not recognize the author of them.

2. But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world.

2. Fire, wind, air, the sphere of the stars, rushing water and the lights in the sky were held as the rulers of the world.

3. With whose beauty if they being delighted took them to be gods; let them know how much better the Lord of them is: for the first author of beauty hath created them.

3. If, charmed by such beauty, they took them for gods, let them know how far superior is their sovereign.

4. But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them.

4. And if they were impressed by their power and activity, let them understand from this how much mightier is he who formed them.

5. For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen.

5. For the grandeur and beauty of creatures lead us to ponder on their Author, greater and more magnificent.

6. But yet for this they are the less to be blamed: for they peradventure err, seeking God, and desirous to find him.

6. No doubt these men are not to be blamed severely, for possibly they strayed though they searched for God and desired to find him.

7. For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen.

7. They pondered over the created things that surrounded them and were captivated by the sight of such beauty.

8. Howbeit neither are they to be pardoned.

8. Even so they are not to be excused,

9. For if they were able to know so much, that they could aim at the world; how did they not sooner find out the Lord thereof?

9. for if they were able to explore the world, why did they not discover first the world's Sovereign?

10. But miserable are they, and in dead things is their hope, who call them gods, which are the works of men's hands, gold and silver, to shew art in, and resemblances of beasts, or a stone good for nothing, the work of an ancient hand.

10. But unhappy, indeed, are those people who give to man-made artifacts the title of gods! Cursed is their hope in dead things, objects worked in gold and silver, likenesses of animals, and even useless stones carved long ago!

11. Now a carpenter that felleth timber, after he hath sawn down a tree meet for the purpose, and taken off all the bark skilfully round about, and hath wrought it handsomely, and made a vessel thereof fit for the service of man's life;

11. Take a woodcutter - he fells a tree that is easy to move, expertly strips off all the bark and with the wood makes a utensil needed in daily life;

12. And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, hath filled himself;

12. he uses the bits left over as fuel for cooking his food and he has a good meal.

13. And taking the very refuse among those which served to no use, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, hath carved it diligently, when he had nothing else to do, and formed it by the skill of his understanding, and fashioned it to the image of a man;

13. Then he picks up an utterly useless left-over piece, all gnarled and knotted, and carves it in his leisure time, using his professional skill to give it the shape of a man or

14. Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red, and covering every spot therein;

14. maybe of a worthless animal. He covers it with ochre and paints the surface red, covering all its blemishes.

15. And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron:

15. He then makes a suitable niche for it in the wall and fastens it in place with iron nails.

16. For he provided for it that it might not fall, knowing that it was unable to help itself; for it is an image, and hath need of help:

16. The craftsman is careful to keep it from falling, knowing that it is unable to help itself. It needs help because it is no more than an image.

17. Then maketh he prayer for his goods, for his wife and children, and is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life.

17. Even so, when it is a matter of his marriage, his children and his household, the man is not ashamed to pray to this lifeless object. He prays for his health to something without strength;

18. For health he calleth upon that which is weak: for life prayeth to that which is dead; for aid humbly beseecheth that which hath least means to help: and for a good journey he asketh of that which cannot set a foot forward:

18. for life he prays to what is dead, for help he implores something insensitive, for a successful journey he has recourse to what cannot walk,

19. And for gaining and getting, and for good success of his hands, asketh ability to do of him, that is most unable to do any thing.

19. for his profit, his concerns and success in his craft he asks help of something that has no skill whatever in its hands.