Liber Sapientiae, 14

1. Iterum alius navigare cogitans et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat.

1. Again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship which carries him.

2. Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, et artifex sapientia fabricavit.

2. For it was desire for gain that planned that vessel, and wisdom was the craftsman who built it;

3. Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat, quoniam dedisti et in mari viam et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam,

3. but it is thy providence, O Father, that steers its course, because thou hast given it a path in the sea, and a safe way through the waves,

4. ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiamsi sine arte aliquis adeat mare.

4. showing that thou canst save from every danger, so that even if a man lacks skill, he may put to sea.

5. Tu autem vis, ut non sint vacua sapientiae tuae opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas et, transeuntes fluctus per ratem, liberati sunt.

5. It is thy will that works of thy wisdom should not be without effect; therefore men trust their lives even to the smallest piece of wood, and passing through the billows on a raft they come safely to land.

6. Sed et ab initio, cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, reliquit saeculo semen nativitatis, quae manu tua erat gubernata.

6. For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing, the hope of the world took refuge on a raft, and guided by thy hand left to the world the seed of a new generation.

7. Benedictum est enim lignum, per quod fit iustitia;

7. For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes.

8. per manus autem, quod fit, maledictum et ipsum et qui fecit illud, quia ille quidem operatus est, illud autem, cum esset corruptibile, deus cognominatus est.

8. But the idol made with hands is accursed, and so is he who made it; because he did the work, and the perishable thing was named a god.

9. Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas eius:

9. For equally hateful to God are the ungodly man and his ungodliness,

10. etenim, quod factum est, cum illo, qui fecit, tormenta patietur.

10. for what was done will be punished together with him who did it.

11. Propter hoc et in idolis nationum erit visitatio, quoniam in creatura Dei in abominationem facta sunt et in tentationem animabus hominum et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.

11. Therefore there will be a visitation also upon the heathen idols, because, though part of what God created, they became an abomination, and became traps for the souls of men and a snare to the feet of the foolish.

12. Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, et adinventio illorum corruptio vitae est;

12. For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them was the corruption of life,

13. neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.

13. for neither have they existed from the beginning nor will they exist for ever.

14. Supervacuitate enim hominum haec advenerunt in orbem terrarum, et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.

14. For through the vanity of men they entered the world, and therefore their speedy end has been planned.

15. Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem et illum, qui tunc homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere coepit et tradidit subiectis sacra et sacrificia.

15. For a father, consumed with grief at an untimely bereavement, made an image of his child, who had been suddenly taken from him; and he now honored as a god what was once a dead human being, and handed on to his dependents secret rites and initiations.

16. Deinde, interveniente tempore, convalescens iniqua consuetudo tamquam lex custodita est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta;

16. Then the ungodly custom, grown strong with time, was kept as a law, and at the command of monarchs graven images were worshiped.

17. quos cum in palam homines honorare non possent, propter hoc quod longe essent, e longinquo figura eorum efficta, evidentem imaginem regis, quem honorare volebant, fecerunt, ut illum, qui aberat, tamquam praesentem colerent sua sollicitudine.

17. When men could not honor monarchs in their presence, since they lived at a distance, they imagined their appearance far away, and made a visible image of the king whom they honored, so that by their zeal they might flatter the absent one as though present.

18. Ad incrementum autem huius culturae provexit et hos, qui ignorabant, artificis eximia diligentia;

18. Then the ambition of the craftsman impelled even those who did not know the king to intensify their worship.

19. ille enim volens forsitan placere illi, qui se assumpsit, elaboravit arte sua, ut similitudinem in melius figuraret.

19. For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,

20. Multitudo autem hominum abducta per speciem operis eum, qui paulo ante tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum aestimaverunt.

20. and the multitude, attracted by the charm of his work, now regarded as an object of worship the one whom shortly before they had honored as a man.

21. Et haec fuit vitae humanae deceptio, quoniam aut necessitati aut regibus deservientes homines incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.

21. And this became a hidden trap for mankind, because men, in bondage to misfortune or to royal authority, bestowed on objects of stone or wood the name that ought not to be shared.

22. Postea non suffecit errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiae bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.

22. Afterward it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but they live in great strife due to ignorance, and they call such great evils peace.

23. Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes aut obscura sacrificia facientes aut insaniae plenas peregrinorum rituum vigilias habentes,

23. For whether they kill children in their initiations, or celebrate secret mysteries, or hold frenzied revels with strange customs,

24. neque vitam neque nuptias mundas iam custodiunt, sed alius alium per insidias occidit aut adulterans contristat.

24. they no longer keep either their lives or their marriages pure, but they either treacherously kill one another, or grieve one another by adultery,

25. Et omnia commixta sunt: sanguis et homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et periurium,

25. and all is a raging riot of blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult, perjury,

26. tumultus bonorum, gratiarum immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, generis immutatio, nuptiarum inordinatio, moechia et impudicitia.

26. confusion over what is good, forgetfulness of favors, pollution of souls, sex perversion, disorder in marriage, adultery, and debauchery.

27. Infandorum enim idolorum cultura omnis mali initium et causa est et finis.

27. For the worship of idols not to be named is the beginning and cause and end of every evil.

28. Aut enim, dum laetantur, insaniunt aut vaticinantur falsa aut vivunt iniuste aut peierant cito.

28. For their worshipers either rave in exultation, or prophesy lies, or live unrighteously, or readily commit perjury;

29. Dum enim confidunt in idolis, quae sine anima sunt, male iurantes noceri se non sperant.

29. for because they trust in lifeless idols they swear wicked oaths and expect to suffer no harm.

30. Utraque autem illis evenient digne, quoniam male censerunt de Deo attendentes idolis et iuraverunt iniuste in dolo contemnentes sanctitatem.

30. But just penalties will overtake them on two counts: because they thought wickedly of God in devoting themselves to idols, and because in deceit they swore unrighteously through contempt for holiness.

31. Non enim iuratorum virtus, sed peccantium poena perambulat semper iniustorum praevaricationem.

31. For it is not the power of the things by which men swear, but the just penalty for those who sin, that always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous.