Wisdom of Solomon, 15

1. But thou, O God, art gracious and true, longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things,

1. But you, our God, are kind and true; you bear evil patiently and order everything with mercy.

2. For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy power: but we will not sin, knowing that we are counted thine.

2. Even when we sin we belong to you and acknowledge your power, but aware that we belong to you, we shall not sin.

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

3. To know you is perfect righteousness and to acknowledge your power is the root of immortality.

4. For neither did the mischievous invention of men deceive us, nor an image spotted with divers colours, the painter's fruitless labour;

4. So we have not been led astray by a deceptive invention of men - the sterile labor of painters - these idols daubed with colors,

5. The sight whereof enticeth fools to lust after it, and so they desire the form of a dead image, that hath no breath.

5. the sight of which stirs yearning in fools attached to the lifeless face of a dead image.

6. Both they that make them, they that desire them, and they that worship them, are lovers of evil things, and are worthy to have such things to trust upon.

6. Really, idol-makers and those who serve and worship them are looking for disgrace and deserve to have false hope.

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

7. The potter, laboriously working the soft clay, fashions each object for our use, and from the same clay he shapes vessels, some for food, and others for what is thrown away. The potter makes vessels for both clean and unclean uses and decides to what purpose each one is shaped.

8. And employing his labours lewdly, he maketh a vain god of the same clay, even he which a little before was made of earth himself, and within a little while after returneth to the same, out when his life which was lent him shall be demanded.

8. The same way and from the same clay he fashions a helpless god; cursed labor of a man recently formed from clay, who will shortly return to clay when he is called to give up his soul.

9. Notwithstanding his care is, not that he shall have much labour, nor that his life is short: but striveth to excel goldsmiths and silversmiths, and endeavoureth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it his glory to make counterfeit things.

9. He has no thought of dying soon, no thought of the short duration of life. None at all. He competes with those who work on silver and gold and, like the smith, he feels proud to make a counterfeit of God.

10. His heart is ashes, his hope is more vile than earth, and his life of less value than clay:

10. Ashes, that is what his heart is; his hope cheaper than dust;

11. Forasmuch as he knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul, and breathed in a living spirit.

11. his life worth as much as clay, for he has not acknowledged his Maker, who has breathed into him an active soul, a living spirit.

12. But they counted our life a pastime, and our time here a market for gain: for, say they, we must be getting every way, though it be by evil means.

12. He looks on life as a game and its duration a market full of bargains, for as he says, "a man must make the most of life whether by fair means or foul."

13. For this man, that of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels and graven images, knoweth himself to offend above all others.

13. This man, more than others, knows that he sins in fashioning with the same clay, vessels and sculptured gods.

14. And all the enemies of thy people, that hold them in subjection, are most foolish, and are more miserable than very babes.

14. But utterly foolish and more pitiable than the soul of a newborn infant were the enemies that oppressed your people.

15. For they counted all the idols of the heathen to be 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 go.

15. They received as gods all the idols of the nations - idols that have no eyes to see, no nostrils to breathe the air, no ears to hear, no fingers to feel with, or feet that are able to walk. For these gods are the work of a man, a creature of borrowed breath made them.

16. For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spirit fashioned them: but no man can make a god like unto himself.

16. Man cannot even make a god that resembles himself;

17. For being mortal, he worketh a dead thing with wicked hands: for he himself is better than the things which he worshippeth: whereas he lived once, but they never.

17. a mortal's unholy hands produce a dead god. He is, in fact, superior to what he worships, since he at least lives, but they will never live.

18. Yea, they worshipped those beasts also that are most hateful: for being compared together, some are worse than others.

18. People worship the most repulsive animals, the most stupid of all who, unlike other animals, are devoid of beauty;

19. Neither are they beautiful, so much as to be desired in respect of beasts: but they went without the praise of God and his blessing.

19. these are unattractive creatures who have missed the blessing of God and are not fit to give him praise.