1 Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster;

1 Vani autem sunt omnes homines
in quibus non subest scientia Dei;
et de his quæ videntur bona,
non potuerunt intelligere eum qui est,
neque operibus attendentes agnoverunt quis esset artifex:

2 But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world.

2 sed aut ignem, aut spiritum, aut citatum aërem,
aut gyrum stellarum, aut nimiam aquam, aut solem et lunam,
rectores orbis terrarum deos putaverunt.

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.

3 Quorum si specie delectati, deos putaverunt,
sciant quanto his dominator eorum speciosior est:
speciei enim generator hæc omnia constituit.

4 But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them.

4 Aut si virtutem et opera eorum mirati sunt,
intelligant ab illis quoniam qui hæc fecit fortior est illis:

5 For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen.

5 a magnitudine enim speciei et creaturæ
cognoscibiliter poterit creator horum videri.

6 But yet for this they are the less to be blamed: for they peradventure err, seeking God, and desirous to find him.

6 Sed tamen adhuc in his minor est querela;
et hi enim fortasse errant,
Deum quærentes, et volentes invenire.

7 For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen.

7 Etenim cum in operibus illius conversentur inquirunt,
et persuasum habent quoniam bona sunt quæ videntur.

8 Howbeit neither are they to be pardoned.

8 Iterum autem nec his debet ignosci.

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?

9 Si enim tantum potuerunt scire
ut possent æstimare sæculum,
quomodo hujus Dominum non facilius invenerunt?

10 But miserable are they, and in dead things is their hope, who called 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.

10 ¶ Infelices autem sunt,
et inter mortuos spes illorum est,
qui appellaverunt deos opera manuum hominum:
aurum et argentum, artis inventionem,
et similitudines animalium, aut lapidem inutilem,
opus manus antiquæ.

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;

11 Aut si quis artifex faber de silva lignum rectum secuerit,
et hujus docte eradat omnem corticem,
et arte sua usus
diligenter fabricet vas utile in conversationem vitæ;

12 And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, hath filled himself;

12 reliquiis autem ejus operis
ad præparationem escæ abutatur,

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;

13 et reliquum horum quod ad nullos usus facit,
lignum curvum et vorticibus plenum
sculpat diligenter per vacuitatem suam,
et per scientiam suæ artis figuret illud,
et assimilet illud imagini hominis,

14 Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red, and covering every spot therein;

14 aut alicui ex animalibus illud comparet:
perliniens rubrica, et rubicundum faciens fuco colorem illius,
et omnem maculam quæ in illo est perliniens;

15 And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron:

15 et faciat ei dignam habitationem,
et in pariete ponens illud,
et confirmans ferro

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:

16 ne forte cadat,
prospiciens illi:
sciens quoniam non potest adjuvare se:
imago enim est, et opus est illi adjutorium.

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.

17 Et de substantia sua, et de filiis suis,
et de nuptiis votum faciens inquirit:
non erubescit loqui cum illo qui sine anima est.

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:

18 Et pro sanitate quidem infirmum deprecatur,
et pro vita rogat mortuum,
et in adjutorium inutilem invocat.

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.

19 Et pro itinere petit ab eo qui ambulare non potest;
et de acquirendo, et de operando,
et de omnium rerum eventu,
petit ab eo qui in omnibus est inutilis.