1 But o thou our God art sweet and true, patient, and disposing all things in mercy.
1 But thou, our God, art gracious and true, patient, and ordering all things in mercy.
2 For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy greatness: and if we sin not, we know that we are counted with thee.
2 For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy greatness: and if we sin not, we know that we are counted with thee.
3 For to know thee, is absolute justice: and to know justice, and thy power, is the root of immortality.
3 For to know thee is perfect justice: and to know thy justice, and thy power, is the root of immortality.
4 For 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,
4 For the invention of mischievous men hath not deceived us, nor the shadow of a picture, a fruitless labor, a graven figure with divers colors,
5 the sight whereof giveth concupiscence to the senseless, and he loveth the shape without life of a dead image.
5 The sight whereof enticeth the fool to lust after it, and he loveth the lifeless figure of a dead image.
6 The lovers of evils are worthy to have their hope in such things, both they that make them, and that love, and that worship them.
6 The lovers of evil things deserve to have no better things to trust in, both they that make them, and they that love them, and they that worship them.
7 Yea 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.
7 ¹The potter also tempering soft earth, with labor fashioneth every vessel for our service, and of the same clay he maketh both vessels that are for clean uses, and likewise such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of these vessels, the potter is the judge.
8 And 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 exacted the debt of the life which he had.
8 And of the same clay by a vain labor he maketh a god: he who a little before was made of earth himself, and a little after returneth to the same out of which he was taken, when his life, which was lent him, shall be called for again.
9 But his care is, not because he shall labour, nor because he hath a short life, but he contendeth with gold-smiths and silver-smiths: yea and he imitateth the copper-smiths, and counteth it a glory, because he maketh vain things.
9 But his care is, not that he shall labor, nor that his life is short, but he striveth with the goldsmiths and silversmiths: and he endeavoreth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it a glory to make vain things.
10 For his heart is ashes, and his hope vain earth, and his life viler than clay:
10 For his heart is ashes, and his hope vain earth and his life more base than clay:
11 because he was ignorant who made him, and who inspired into him the soul which worketh, & who breathed into him the vital spirit.
11 Forasmuch as he knew not his maker, and him that inspired into him the soul that worketh, and that breathed into him a living spirit.
12 Yea and they esteemed our life to be a pastime, and the conversation of life made for a gain, & that we must get every way even of evil.
12 Yea, and they have counted our life a pastime and the business of life to be gain, and that we must be getting every way, even out of evil.
13 For he knoweth that he offendeth above all men, which of the matter of earth fashioneth frail vessels, and sculptiles.
13 For that man knoweth that he offendeth above all others, who of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels, and graven gods.
14 For all the unwise and unhappy above measure of the soul, proud are the enemies of thy people, and rule over them:
14 But all the enemies of thy people that hold them in subjection, are foolish, and unhappy, and proud beyond measure:
15 because 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.
15 ²For they have esteemed all the idols of the heathens for gods, which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of hands to handle, and as for their feet, they are slow to walk.
16 For a man made them: and he that borrowed breath, the same fashioned them. For no man can make God like to himself.
16 For man made them: and he that borroweth his own breath, fashioned them. For no man can make a god like to himself.
17 For whereas himself is mortal, he maketh a dead thing with his wicked hands. For he is better than they, whom he worshippeth, because he indeed lived, though he were mortal, but they never.
17 For being mortal himself, he formeth a dead thing with his wicked hands. For he is better than they whom he worshippeth, because he indeed hath lived, though he were mortal, but they never.
18 But they worship also most miserable beasts: for the senseless things compared to these, are worse than they.
18 Moreover, they worship also the vilest creatures: but things without sense, compared to these, are worse than they.
19 Yea neither by sight can any man see good of these beasts, But they have fled from the praise of God, and from his blessing.
19 Yea, neither by sight can any man see good of these beasts. But they have fled from the praise of God, and from his blessing.