The wise gratefully praise the sweetness, and mercy of God, by whom they are delivered from idolatry: 6. detesting the makers, and worshippers of idols.The wise gratfully praise the swetenes, and mercie of God, by whom they are deliuered from idolatrie: 6. detesting the makers, & worshippers of idols.✦
But O thou our God, art sweet, and true, patient, and disposing all things in mercy:BVT ô thou our God, art sweete, and true, patient, and disposing al thinges in mercie:Tu autem, Deus noster, suavis et verus es, patiens, et in misericordia disponens omnia.
2For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy greatness: and if we sin not we know that we are counted with thee.For if we sinne, we are thine, knowing thy greatnes: and if we sinne not we know that we are counted with thee.Etenim si peccaverimus, tui sumus, scientes magnitudinem tuam ; et si non peccaverimus, scimus quoniam apud te sumus computati.
3For to know thee, is consummata: perfect (consummate) justice: and to know justice, and thy power, is the root of immortality.For to know thee, is absolute iustice: and to know iustice, and thy powre, is the roote of immortalitie.Nosse enim te, consummata justitia est ; et scire justitiam et virtutem tuam, radix est immortalitatis.
4For men's invention of evil art hath not brought us into error, nor the shadow of a picture being a labour without fruit, a shape graven by diverse colours,For mens invention of euil art hath not brought vs into errour, nor the shadow of a picture being a labour without fruite, a shape grauen by diuerse colours,Non enim in errorem induxit nos hominum malæ artis excogitatio, nec umbra picturæ labor sine fructu, effigies sculpta per varios colores :
5the sight whereof giveth concupiscence to the senseless, and he loveth the shape without life of a dead image.the sight wherof geueth concupiscence to the sensles, and he loueth the shape without life of a deade image.cujus aspectus insensato dat concupiscentiam, et diligit mortuæ imaginis effigiem sine anima.
6The lovers of evils, are worthy to have their hope in such things, both they that make them, and that love, and that worship them.The louers of euils, are worthie to haue their hope in such thinges, both they that make them, and that loue, and that worshippe them.Malorum amatores digni sunt qui spem habeant in talibus, et qui faciunt illos, et qui diligunt, et qui colunt.
7Yea and the potter pressing soft earth, with labour fashioneth every vessel to our uses, and of the same clay maketh the vessels, that are clean to use, and in like manner them, that are contrary to these: but what the use of these vessels is, the potter is judge.Yea and the potter pressing softe earth, with labour fashioneth euerie vessel to our vses, and of the same clay maketh the vessels, that are cleane to vse, and in like maner them, that are contrarie to these: but what the vse of these vessels is, the potter is iudge.Sed et figulus mollem terram premens, laboriose fingit ad usus nostros unumquodque vas ; et de eodem luto fingit quæ munda sunt in usum vasa, et similiter quæ his sunt contraria : horum autem vasorum quis sit usus, judex est figulus.
8And with vain labour he fashioneth a god of the same clay; he which a little before was made of earth, and a little after returneth back whence he was taken, being repetitus: required back (recalled) the debt of the life which he had.And with vaine labour he fashioneth a god of the same clay; he which a litle before was made of earth, and a litle after returneth backe whence he was taken, being exacted the debte of the life which he had.Et cum labore vano deum fingit de eodem luto ille qui paulo ante de terra factus fuerat, et post pusillum reducit se unde acceptus est, repetitus animæ debitum quam habebat.
9But his care is, not because he shall labour, nor because he hath a short life, but he concertatur: striveth, disputeth; vieth, competeth (with) with goldsmiths and silver smiths: yea and he imitateth the copper smiths, and counteth it a glory; because he maketh vain things.But his care is, not because he shal labour, nor because he hath a short life, but he contendeth with goldsmithes and siluer smithes: yea and he imitateth the copper smithes, and counteth it a glorie; because he maketh vaine thinges.Sed cura est illi non quia laboraturus est, nec quoniam brevis illi vita est : sed concertatur aurificibus et argentariis ; sed et ærarios imitatur, et gloriam præfert, quoniam res supervacuas fingit.
10For his heart is ashes, and his hope vain earth, and his life viler than clay:For his hart is ashes, and his hope vaine earth, and his life viler then clay:Cinis est enim cor ejus, et terra supervacua spes illius, et luto vilior vita ejus :
11because he was ignorant who made him, and who inspired into him the soul which worketh, and who breathed into him the vital spirit.because he was ignorant who made him, and who inspired into him the soule which worketh, and who breathed into him the vital spirite.quoniam ignoravit qui se finxit, et qui inspiravit illi animam quæ operatur, et qui insufflavit ei spiritum vitalem.
12Yea and they esteemed our life to be a pastime, and the conversationem: manner of life, conduct: not talk of life made for a gain; and that we must get every way even of evil.Yea and they estemed our life to be a pastime, and the conuersation of life made for a gayne; & that we must get euerie way euen of euil.Sed et æstimaverunt ludum esse vitam nostram, et conversationem vitæ compositam ad lucrum, et oportere undecumque etiam ex malo acquirere.
13For he knoweth that he offendeth above all men, which of the matter of earth fashioneth frail vessels, and sculptilia: graven things (carved idols).For he knoweth that he offendeth aboue al men, which of the matter of earth fashioneth frayle vessels, and sculptils.Hic enim scit se super omnes delinquere, qui ex terræ materia fragilia vasa et sculptilia fingit.
14For all the unwise, and unhappy above measure of the soul, proud are the enemies of thy people, and rule over them:For al the vnwise, and vnhappie aboue measure of the soule, proude are the enemies of thy people, and rule ouer them:Omnes enim insipientes, et infelices supra modum animæ superbi, sunt inimici populi tui, et imperantes illi :
15because they have esteemed all the idols of the nations for gods; which neither have use of eyes to see, nor nostrils to take breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of the hands to handle, yea and their feet are slow to walk.because they haue estemed al the idols of the nations for goddes; which neither haue vse of eies to see, nor nosthrels to take breath, nor eares to heare, nor fingers of the hands to handle, yea and their feete are slow to walke.quoniam omnia idola nationum deos æstimaverunt, quibus neque oculorum usus est ad videndum, neque nares ad percipiendum spiritum, neque aures ad audiendum, neque digiti manuum ad tractandum, sed et pedes eorum pigri ad ambulandum.
16For a man made them: and he that borrowed breath, the same fashioned them. For no man can make God like to himself.For a man made them: and he that borowed breath, the same fashioned them. For no man can make God like to himself.Homo enim fecit illos ; et qui spiritum mutuatus est, is finxit illos. Nemo enim sibi similem homo poterit deum fingere.
17For whereas himself is mortal, he maketh a dead thing with his wicked hands. For he is better than they, whom he worshippeth, because he in deed lived, though he were mortal, but they never.For wheras him self is mortal, he maketh a dead thing with his wicked handes. For he is better then they, whom he worshippeth, because he in deede liued, though he were mortal, but they neuer.Cum enim sit mortalis, mortuum fingit manibus iniquis. Melior enim est ipse his quos colit, quia ipse quidem vixit, cum esset mortalis, illi autem numquam.
18But they worship also most miserable beasts: for the senseless things compared to these, are worse than they.But they worship also most miserable beasts: for the senslesse thinges compared to these, are worse then they.Sed et animalia miserrima colunt ; insensata enim comparata his, illis sunt deteriora.
19Yea neither by sight can any man see good of these beasts. But they have fled from the praise of God, and from his blessing.Yea neither by sight can any man see good of these beasts. But they haue fled from the prayse of God, and from his blessing.Sed nec aspectu aliquis ex his animalibus bona potest conspicere : effugerunt autem Dei laudem et benedictionem ejus.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.