Wisdom of Solomon 13
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1SVrely all men are vaine by nature, and are ignorant of God, and colde not knowe him that is, by the good things that are sene, nether consider by the workes the worke master. 2But thei thoght the fyre, or the winde or the swift aire, or the course of the starres, or the raging water, or the lights of heauen to be gouernours of the worlde, and gods. 3Thogh they had suche pleasure in their beautie that they thoght them gods, yet shulde they haue knowen, how muche more excellent he is that made them: for the first autor of beautie hathe created these things. 4Or if they marueiled at the power, and operation of them, yet shulde they haue perceiued thereby, how muche he that made these things, is mightier. 5For by the greatnes of their beautie, and of the creatures, the Creator being compared with them, may be considered. 6But yet the blame is lesse in these, that seke God and wolde finde him, & yet peraduenture do erre. 7For they go about by his workes to seke him, and are persuaded by the sight, because the things are beautiful that are sene. 8Howbeit they are not to be excused. 9For if they can knowe so muche, that they can discerne the worlde, why do they not rather finde out the Lord thereof? 10But miserable are they, and among the dead is their hope, that call them gods which are the workes of mens hands, golde, and siluer, and the thing that is inuented by arte, and the similitude of beasts, or anie vaine stone that hathe bene made by the hand of antiquitie. 11Or as when a carpenter cutteth downe a tre mete for the worke, and pareth of all the barke thereof cunningly, and by arte maketh a vessel profitable for the vse of life. 12And the things that are cut of from his worke, he bestoweth to dresse his meat to fil him self, 13And that which is left of these things, which is profitable for nothing (for it is a croked piece of wood and ful of knobbes) he carueth it diligently at his leasure, and according as he is expert in cunning, he giueth it a proporcion, and facioneth it after the similitude of a man, 14Or maketh it like some vile beast, and straketh it ouer with red, and painteth it, and couereth euerie spotte that is in it. 15And when he hathe made a conuenient tabernacle for it, he setteth it in a wall, and maketh it fast with yron, 16Prouiding so for it, lest it fall: for he knoweth that it can not helpe it self, because it is an image, which hathe nede of helpe. 17Then he prayeth for his goods, and for his mariage and for children: he is not ashamed to speake vnto it, that hath no life. 18He calleth on him that is weake for health: he prayeth vnto him that is dead for life: he requireth him of helpe that hathe no experience at all. 19And for his iourney, him that is not able to go, and for gaine, and worke, and successe of his affaires he requireth furtherance of him, that hathe no maner of power.