Wisdom 14

Again, another designing to sail, and beginning to make his voyage through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more frail than the wood that carrieth him.

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

πλοῦν τις πάλιν στελλόμενος καὶ ἄγρια μέλλων διοδεύειν κύματα τοῦ φέροντος αὐτὸν πλοίου σαθρότερον ξύλον ἐπιβοᾶται

For this the desire of gain devised, and the workman built it by his skill.

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

ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ ὄρεξις πορισμῶν ἐπενόησεν τεχνῖτις δὲ σοφία κατεσκεύασεν

But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves,

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

ἡ δὲ σή πάτερ διακυβερνᾷ πρόνοια ὅτι ἔδωκας καὶ ἐν θαλάσσῃ ὁδὸν καὶ ἐν κύμασι τρίβον ἀσφαλῆ

Showing that thou art able to save out of all things, yea, though a man went to sea without art.

ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiam si sine arte aliquis adeat mare.

δεικνὺς ὅτι δύνασαι ἐκ παντὸς σῴζειν ἵνα κἂν ἄνευ τέχνης τις ἐπιβῇ

But that the works of thy wisdom might not be idle: therefore men also trust their lives even to a little wood, and passing over the sea by ship, are saved.

Sed ut non essent vacua sapientiæ tuæ opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas, et transeuntes mare per ratem liberati sunt.

θέλεις δὲ μὴ ἀργὰ εἶναι τὰ τῆς σοφίας σου ἔργα διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐλαχίστῳ ξύλῳ πιστεύουσιν ἄνθρωποι ψυχὰς καὶ διελθόντες κλύδωνα σχεδίᾳ διεσώθησαν

And from the beginning also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world fleeing to a vessel, which was governed by thy hand, left to the world seed of generation.

Sed et ab initio cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, remisit sæculo semen nativitatis quæ manu tua erat gubernata.

καὶ ἀρχῆς γὰρ ἀπολλυμένων ὑπερηφάνων γιγάντων ἡ ἐλπὶς τοῦ κόσμου ἐπὶ σχεδίας καταφυγοῦσα ἀπέλιπεν αἰῶνι σπέρμα γενέσεως τῇ σῇ κυβερνηθεῖσα χειρί

For blessed is the wood, by which justice cometh

Benedictum est enim lignum per quod fit justitia;

εὐλόγηται γὰρ ξύλον δι' οὗ γίνεται δικαιοσύνη

But the idol that is made by hands, is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he because he made it; and it because being frail it is called a god.

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

τὸ χειροποίητον δέ ἐπικατάρατον αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ ποιήσας αὐτό ὅτι ὁ μὲν ἠργάζετο τὸ δὲ φθαρτὸν θεὸς ὠνομάσθη

But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike.

Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus;

ἐν ἴσῳ γὰρ μισητὰ θεῷ καὶ ὁ ἀσεβῶν καὶ ἡ ἀσέβεια αὐτοῦ

For that which is made, together with him that made it, shall suffer torments.

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

καὶ γὰρ τὸ πραχθὲν σὺν τῷ δράσαντι κολασθήσεται

Therefore there shall be no respect had even to the idols of the Gentiles: because the creatures of God are turned to an abomination, and a temptation to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.

Propter hoc et in idolis nationum non erit respectus, quoniam creaturæ Dei in odium factæ sunt, et in tentationem animabus hominum, et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.

διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν εἰδώλοις ἐθνῶν ἐπισκοπὴ ἔσται ὅτι ἐν κτίσματι θεοῦ εἰς βδέλυγμα ἐγενήθησαν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλα ψυχαῖς ἀνθρώπων καὶ εἰς παγίδα ποσὶν ἀφρόνων

For the beginning of fornication is the devising of idols: and the invention of them is the corruption of life.

Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, et adinventio illorum corruptio vitæ est :

ἀρχὴ γὰρ πορνείας ἐπίνοια εἰδώλων εὕρεσις δὲ αὐτῶν φθορὰ ζωῆς

For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.

neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.

οὔτε γὰρ ἦν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς οὔτε εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔσται

For by the vanity of men they came into the world: and therefore they shall be found to come shortly to an end.

Supervacuitas enim hominum hæc advenit in orbem terrarum, et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.

κενοδοξίᾳ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον καὶ διὰ τοῦτο σύντομον αὐτῶν τὸ τέλος ἐπενοήθη

For a father being afflicted with bitter grief, made to himself the image of his son, who was quickly taken away: and him who then had died as a man, he began now to worship as a god, and appointed him rites and sacrifices among his servants.

Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem; et illum qui tunc quasi homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere cœpit, et constituit inter servos suos sacra et sacrificia.

ἀώρῳ γὰρ πένθει τρυχόμενος πατὴρ τοῦ ταχέως ἀφαιρεθέντος τέκνου εἰκόνα ποιήσας τόν ποτε νεκρὸν ἄνθρωπον νῦν ὡς θεὸν ἐτίμησεν καὶ παρέδωκεν τοῖς ὑποχειρίοις μυστήρια καὶ τελετάς

Then, in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants.

Deinde interveniente tempore, convalescente iniqua consuetudine, hic error tamquam lex custoditus est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta.

εἶτα ἐν χρόνῳ κρατυνθὲν τὸ ἀσεβὲς ἔθος ὡς νόμος ἐφυλάχθη

And those whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they brought their resemblance from afar, and made an express image of the king, whom they had a mind to honour: that by this their diligence, they might honour as present, him that was absent.

Et hos quos in palam homines honorare non poterant propter hoc quod longe essent, e longinquo figura eorum allata, evidentem imaginem regis quem honorare volebant fecerunt, ut illum qui aberat, tamquam præsentem colerent sua sollicitudine.

καὶ τυράννων ἐπιταγαῖς ἐθρησκεύετο τὰ γλυπτά οὓς ἐν ὄψει μὴ δυνάμενοι τιμᾶν ἄνθρωποι διὰ τὸ μακρὰν οἰκεῖν τὴν πόρρωθεν ὄψιν ἀνατυπωσάμενοι ἐμφανῆ εἰκόνα τοῦ τιμωμένου βασιλέως ἐποίησαν ἵνα ὡς παρόντα τὸν ἀπόντα κολακεύωσιν διὰ τῆς σπουδῆς

And to the worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant.

Provexit autem ad horum culturam et hos qui ignorabant artificis eximia diligentia.

εἰς ἐπίτασιν δὲ θρησκείας καὶ τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας ἡ τοῦ τεχνίτου προετρέψατο φιλοτιμία

For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner.

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

ὁ μὲν γὰρ τάχα κρατοῦντι βουλόμενος ἀρέσαι ἐξεβιάσατο τῇ τέχνῃ τὴν ὁμοιότητα ἐπὶ τὸ κάλλιον

And the multitude of men, carried away by the beauty of the work, took him now for a god, that little before was but honoured as a man.

Multitudo autem hominum, abducta per speciem operis, eum qui ante tempus tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum æstimaverunt.

τὸ δὲ πλῆθος ἐφελκόμενον διὰ τὸ εὔχαρι τῆς ἐργασίας τὸν πρὸ ὀλίγου τιμηθέντα ἄνθρωπον νῦν σέβασμα ἐλογίσαντο

And this was the occasion of deceiving human life: for men serving either their affection, or their kings, gave the incommunicable name to stones and wood.

Et hæc fuit vitæ humanæ deceptio, quoniam aut affectui aut regibus deservientes homines, incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.

καὶ τοῦτο ἐγένετο τῷ βίῳ εἰς ἔνεδρον ὅτι ἢ συμφορᾷ ἢ τυραννίδι δουλεύσαντες ἄνθρωποι τὸ ἀκοινώνητον ὄνομα λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις περιέθεσαν

And it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but whereas they lived in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace.

Et non suffecerat errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiæ bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.

εἶτ' οὐκ ἤρκεσεν τὸ πλανᾶσθαι περὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ γνῶσιν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ ζῶντες ἀγνοίας πολέμῳ τὰ τοσαῦτα κακὰ εἰρήνην προσαγορεύουσιν

For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness,

Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes, aut obscura sacrificia facientes, aut insaniæ plenas vigilias habentes,

ἢ γὰρ τεκνοφόνους τελετὰς ἢ κρύφια μυστήρια ἢ ἐμμανεῖς ἐξάλλων θεσμῶν κώμους ἄγοντες

So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one killeth another through envy, or grieveth him by adultery:

neque vitam, neque nuptias mundas jam custodiunt : sed alius alium per invidiam occidit, aut adulterans contristat,

οὔτε βίους οὔτε γάμους καθαροὺς ἔτι φυλάσσουσιν ἕτερος δ' ἕτερον ἢ λοχῶν ἀναιρεῖ ἢ νοθεύων ὀδυνᾷ

And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft, and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good,

et omnia commista sunt : sanguis, homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et perjurium, tumultus bonorum,

πάντα δ' ἐπιμὶξ ἔχει αἷμα καὶ φόνος κλοπὴ καὶ δόλος φθορά ἀπιστία τάραχος ἐπιορκία

Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleanness.

Dei immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, nativitatis immutatio, nuptiarum inconstantia, inordinatio mœchiæ et impudicitiæ.

θόρυβος ἀγαθῶν χάριτος ἀμνηστία ψυχῶν μιασμός γενέσεως ἐναλλαγή γάμων ἀταξία μοιχεία καὶ ἀσέλγεια

For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil.

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

ἡ γὰρ τῶν ἀνωνύμων εἰδώλων θρησκεία παντὸς ἀρχὴ κακοῦ καὶ αἰτία καὶ πέρας ἐστίν

For either they are mad when they are merry: or they prophesy lies, or they live unjustly, or easily forswear themselves.

Aut enim dum lætantur insaniunt, aut certe vaticinantur falsa, aut vivunt injuste, aut pejerant cito.

ἢ γὰρ εὐφραινόμενοι μεμήνασιν ἢ προφητεύουσιν ψευδῆ ἢ ζῶσιν ἀδίκως ἢ ἐπιορκοῦσιν ταχέως

For whilst they trust in idols, which are without life, though they swear amiss, they look not to be hurt.

Dum enim confidunt in idolis quæ sine anima sunt, male jurantes noceri se non sperant.

ἀψύχοις γὰρ πεποιθότες εἰδώλοις κακῶς ὀμόσαντες ἀδικηθῆναι οὐ προσδέχονται

But for both these things they shall be justly punished, because they have thought not well of God, giving heed to idols, and have sworn unjustly, in guile despising justice.

Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, et juraverunt injuste, in dolo contemnentes justitiam.

ἀμφότερα δὲ αὐτοὺς μετελεύσεται τὰ δίκαια ὅτι κακῶς ἐφρόνησαν περὶ θεοῦ προσέχοντες εἰδώλοις καὶ ἀδίκως ὤμοσαν ἐν δόλῳ καταφρονήσαντες ὁσιότητος

For it is not the power of them, by whom they swear, but the just vengeance of sinners always punisheth the transgression of the unjust.

Non enim juratorum virtus, sed peccantium pœna, perambulat semper injustorum prævaricationem.

οὐ γὰρ ἡ τῶν ὀμνυμένων δύναμις ἀλλ' ἡ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων δίκη ἐπεξέρχεται ἀεὶ τὴν τῶν ἀδίκων παράβασιν