[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.
[4] εἰ δὲ δύναμιν καὶ ἐνέργειαν ἐκπλαγέντες, νοησάτωσαν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν πόσῳ ὁ κατασκευάσας αὐτὰ δυνα τώτερός ἐστιν·
[4] But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them.
[5] ἐκ γὰρ μεγέθους καὶ καλλονῆς κτισμάτων ἀναλόγως ὁ γενεσιουργὸς αὐτῶν θεωρεῖται.
[5] For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen.
[6] ἀλλ’ ὅμως ἐπὶ τούτοις μέμψις ἐστὶν ὀλίγη, καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ τάχα πλανῶνται θεὸν ζητοῦντες καὶ θέλοντες εὑρεῖν·
[6] But yet for this they are the less to be blamed: for they peradventure err, seeking God, and desirous to find him.
[7] ἐν γὰρ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ ἀναστρεφόμενοι διερευνῶσιν καὶ πείθονται τῇ ὄψει, ὅτι καλὰ τὰ βλεπόμενα.
[7] For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen.
[8] πάλιν δ’ οὐδ’ αὐτοὶ συγγνωστοί·
[8] Howbeit neither are they to be pardoned.
[9] εἰ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἴσχυσαν εἰδέναι ἵνα δύνωνται στοχάσασθαι τὸν αἰῶνα, τὸν τούτων δεσπότην πῶς τάχιον οὐχ εὗρον;
[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?
[10] Ταλαίπωροι δὲ καὶ ἐν νεκροῖς αἱ ἐλπίδες αὐτῶν, οἵτινες ἐκάλεσαν θεοὺς ἔργα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων, χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον τέχνης ἐμμελέτημα καὶ ἀπεικάσματα ζῴων ἢ λίθον ἄχρηστον χειρὸς ἔργον ἀρχαίας.
[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.
[11] εἰ δὲ καί τις ὑλοτόμος τέκτων εὐκίνητον φυτὸν ἐκπρίσας περιέξυσεν εὐμαθῶς πάντα τὸν φλοιὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ τεχνησάμενος εὐπρεπῶς κατεσκεύασεν χρήσιμον σκεῦος εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν ζωῆς,
[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;
[12] τὰ δὲ ἀποβλήματα τῆς ἐργασίας εἰς ἑτοιμασίαν τροφῆς ἀναλώσας ἐνεπλήσθη,
[12] And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, hath filled himself;
[13] τὸ δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπόβλημα εἰς οὐθὲν εὔχρηστον, ξύλον σκολιὸν καὶ ὄζοις συμπεφυκός, λαβὼν ἔγλυψεν ἐν ἐπιμελείᾳ ἀργίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐμπειρίᾳ συνέσεως ἐτύπωσεν αὐτό, ἀπείκασεν αὐτὸ εἰκόνι ἀνθρώπου
[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;
[14] ἢ ζῴῳ τινὶ εὐτελεῖ ὡμοίωσεν αὐτὸ καταχρίσας μίλτῳ καὶ φύκει ἐρυθήνας χρόαν αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶσαν κηλῖδα τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ καταχρίσας
[14] Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red, and covering every spot therein;
[15] καὶ ποιήσας αὐτῷ αὐτοῦ ἄξιον οἴκημα ἐν τοίχῳ ἔθηκεν αὐτὸ ἀσφαλισάμενος σιδήρῳ.
[15] And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron:
[16] ἵνα μὲν οὖν μὴ καταπέσῃ, προενόησεν αὐτοῦ εἰδὼς ὅτι ἀδυνατεῖ ἑαυτῷ βοηθῆσαι· καὶ γάρ ἐστιν εἰκὼν καὶ χρείαν ἔχει βοηθείας.
[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:
[17] περὶ δὲ κτημάτων καὶ γάμων αὐτοῦ καὶ τέκνων προσευχόμενος οὐκ αἰσχύνεται τῷ ἀψύχῳ προσλαλῶν καὶ περὶ μὲν ὑγιείας τὸ ἀσθενὲς ἐπικαλεῖται,
[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.
[18] περὶ δὲ ζωῆς τὸ νεκρὸν ἀξιοῖ, περὶ δὲ ἐπικουρίας τὸ ἀπειρότατον ἱκετεύει, περὶ δὲ ὁδοιπορίας τὸ μηδὲ βάσει χρῆσθαι δυνάμενον,
[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:
[19] περὶ δὲ πορισμοῦ καὶ ἐργασίας καὶ χειρῶν ἐπιτυχίας τὸ ἀδρανέστατον ταῖς χερσὶν εὐδράνειαν αἰτεῖται.
[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.
CHAPTER 14
[1] Πλοῦν τις πάλιν στελλόμενος καὶ ἄγρια μέλλων διοδεύειν κύματα τοῦ φέροντος αὐτὸν πλοίου σαθρότερον ξύλον ἐπιβοᾶται.
[1] Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him.
[2] ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ ὄρεξις πορισμῶν ἐπενόησεν, τεχνῖτις δὲ σοφία κατεσκεύασεν·
[2] For verily desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill.
[3] ἡ δὲ σή, πάτερ, διακυβερνᾷ πρόνοια, ὅτι ἔδωκας καὶ ἐν θαλάσσῃ ὁδὸν καὶ ἐν κύμασι τρίβον ἀσφαλῆ
[3] But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves;
[4] δεικνὺς ὅτι δύνασαι ἐκ παντὸς σῴζειν, ἵνα κἂν ἄνευ τέχνης τις ἐπιβῇ.
[4] Shewing that thou canst save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art.
[5] θέλεις δὲ μὴ ἀργὰ εἶναι τὰ τῆς σοφίας σου ἔργα· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐλαχίστῳ ξύλῳ πιστεύουσιν ἄνθρωποι ψυχὰς καὶ διελθόντες κλύδωνα σχεδίᾳ διεσώθησαν.
[5] Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved.
[6] καὶ ἀρχῆς γὰρ ἀπολλυμένων ὑπερηφάνων γιγάντων ἡ ἐλπὶς τοῦ κόσμου ἐπὶ σχεδίας καταφυγοῦσα ἀπέλιπεν αἰῶνι σπέρμα γενέσεως τ
ῇ σῇ κυβερνηθεῖσα χειρί.
[6] For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by thy hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation.
[7] εὐλόγηται γὰρ ξύλον, δι’ οὗ γίνεται δικαιοσύνη·
[7] For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.
[8] τὸ χειροποίητον δέ, ἐπικατάρατον αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ ποιήσας αὐτό, ὅτι ὁ μὲν ἠργάζετο, τὸ δὲ φθαρτὸν θεὸς ὠνομάσθη.
[8] But that which is made with hands is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible, it was called god.
[9] ἐν ἴσῳ γὰρ μισητὰ θεῷ καὶ ὁ ἀσεβῶν καὶ ἡ ἀσέβεια αὐτοῦ·
[9] For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God.
[10] καὶ γὰρ τὸ πραχθὲν σὺν τῷ δράσαντι κολασθήσεται.
[10] For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it.
[11] 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.
[11] Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a visitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and stumblingblocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.
[12] Ἀρχὴ γὰρ πορνείας ἐπίνοια εἰδώλων, εὕρεσις δὲ αὐτῶν φθορὰ ζωῆς.
[12] For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life.
[13] οὔτε γὰρ ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς οὔτε εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔσται·
[13] For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.
[14] κενοδοξίᾳ γὰρ ἀνθρώπων εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο σύντομον αὐτῶν τὸ τέλος ἐπενοήθη.
[14] For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end.
[15] 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·
[15] For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices.
[16] εἶτα ἐν χρόνῳ κρατυνθὲν τὸ ἀσεβὲς ἔθος ὡς νόμος ἐφυλάχθη.
[16] Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the commandments of kings.
[17] 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.
[17] Whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to the end that by this their forwardness they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present.
[18] εἰς ἐπίτασιν δὲ θρησκείας καὶ τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας ἡ τοῦ τεχνίτου προετρέψατο φιλοτιμία·
[18] Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.
[19] ὁ μὲν γὰρ τάχα κρατοῦντι βουλόμενος ἀρέσαι ἐξεβιάσατο τῇ τέχνῃ τὴν ὁμοιότητα ἐπὶ τὸ κάλλιον·
[19] For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion.
[20] τὸ δὲ πλῆθος ἐφελκόμενον διὰ τὸ εὔχαρι τῆς ἐργασίας τὸν πρὸ ὀλίγου τιμηθέντα ἄνθρωπον νῦν σέβασμα ἐλογίσαντο.
[20] And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a god, which a little before was but honoured.
[21] καὶ τοῦτο ἐγένετο τῷ βίῳ εἰς ἔνεδρον, ὅτι ἢ συμφορᾷ ἢ τυραννίδι δουλεύσαντες ἄνθρωποι τὸ ἀκοινώνητον ὄνομα λίθοις καὶ ξύλοις περιέθεσαν.
[21] And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name.
[22] Εἶτ οὐκ ἤρκεσεν τὸ πλανᾶσθαι περὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ γνῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ ζῶντες ἀγνοίας πολέμῳ τὰ τοσαῦτα κακὰ εἰρήνην προσαγορεύουσιν.
[22] Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace.
[23] ἢ γὰρ τεκνοφόνους τελετὰς ἢ κρύφια μυστήρια ἢ ἐμμανεῖς ἐξάλλων θεσμῶν κώμους ἄγοντες
[23] For whilst they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites;
[24] οὔτε βίους οὔτε γάμους καθαροὺς ἔτι φυλάσσουσιν, ἕτερος δ’ ἕτερον ἢ λοχῶν ἀναιρεῖ ἢ νοθεύων ὀδυνᾷ.
[24] They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traitorously, or grieved him by adultery.
[25] πάντα δ’ ἐπιμὶξ ἔχει αἷμα καὶ φόνος, κλοπὴ καὶ δόλος, φθορά, ἀπιστία, τάραχος, ἐπιορκία,
[25] So that there reigned in all men without exception blood, manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury,
[26] θόρυβος ἀγαθῶν, χάριτος ἀμνηστία, ψυχῶν μιασμός, γενέσεως ἐναλλαγή, γάμων ἀταξία, μοιχεία καὶ ἀσέλγεια.
[26] Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness.
[27] ἡ γὰρ τῶν ἀνωνύμων εἰδώλων θρησκεία παντὸς ἀρχὴ κακοῦ καὶ αἰτία καὶ πέρας ἐστίν·
[27] For the worshipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil.
[28] ἢ γὰρ εὐφραινόμενοι μεμήνασιν ἢ προφητεύουσιν ψευδῆ ἢ ζῶσιν ἀδίκως ἢ ἐπιορκοῦσιν ταχέως·
[28] For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves.
[29] ἀψύχοις γὰρ πεποιθότες εἰδώλοις κακῶς ὀμόσαντες ἀδικηθῆναι οὐ προσδέχονται.
[29] For insomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt.
[30] ἀμφότερα δὲ αὐτοὺς μετελεύσεται τὰ δίκαια,
ὅτι κακῶς ἐφρόνησαν περὶ θεοῦ προσέχοντες εἰδώλοις καὶ ἀδίκως ὤμοσαν ἐν δόλῳ καταφρονήσαντες ὁσιότητος·
[30] Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness.
[31] οὐ γὰρ ἡ τῶν ὀμνυμένων δύναμις, ἀλλ’ ἡ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων δίκη ἐπεξέρχεται ἀεὶ τὴν τῶν ἀδίκων παράβασιν.
[31] For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the ungodly.
CHAPTER 15
[1] Σὺ δέ, ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν, χρηστὸς καὶ ἀληθής, μακρόθυμος καὶ ἐλέει διοικῶν τὰ πάντα.
[1] But thou, O God, art gracious and true, longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things,
[2] καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἁμάρτωμεν, σοί ἐσμεν, εἰδότες σου τὸ κράτος· οὐχ ἁμαρτησόμεθα δέ, εἰδότες ὅτι σοὶ λελογίσμεθα.
[2] For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy power: but we will not sin, knowing that we are counted thine.
[3] τὸ γὰρ ἐπίστασθαί σε ὁλόκληρος δικαιοσύνη, καὶ εἰδέναι σου τὸ κράτος ῥίζα ἀθανασίας.
[3] For to know thee is perfect righteousness: yea, to know thy power is the root of immortality.
[4] οὔτε γὰρ ἐπλάνησεν ἡμᾶς ἀνθρώπων κακότεχνος ἐπίνοια οὐδὲ σκιαγράφων πόνος ἄκαρπος, εἶδος σπιλωθὲν χρώμασιν διηλλαγμένοις,
[4] For neither did the mischievous invention of men deceive us, nor an image spotted with divers colours, the painter’s fruitless labour;
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