English Bible
Wisdom 15
Big screen- 1But you, O God, are gracious and true, longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things,
- 2For if we sin, we are yours, knowing your power: but we will not sin, knowing that we are counted yours.
- 3For to know you is perfect righteousness: yes, to know your power is the root of immortality.
- 4For neither did the mischievous invention of men deceive us, nor an image spotted with various colors, the painter's fruitless labor;
- 5The sight whereof entices fools to lust after it, and so they desire the form of a dead image, that has no breath.
- 6Both they that make them, they that desire them, and they that worship them, are lovers of evil things, and are worthy to have such things to trust upon.
- 7For the potter, tempering soft earth, fashions every vessel with much labor for our service: yes, of the same clay he makes both the vessels that serve for clean uses, and likewise also all such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of either sort, the potter himself is the judge.
- 8And employing his labors lewdly, he makes a vain god of the same clay, even he which a little before was made of earth himself, and within a little while after returns to the same, out when his life which was lent him shall be demanded.
- 9Notwithstanding his care is, not that he shall have much labor, nor that his life is short: but strives to excel goldsmiths and silversmiths, and endeavors to do like the workers in brass, and counts it his glory to make counterfeit things.
- 10His heart is ashes, his hope is more vile than earth, and his life of less value than clay:
- 11Forasmuch as he knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul, and breathed in a living spirit.
- 12But they counted our life a pastime, and our time here a market for gain: for, say they, we must be getting every way, though it be by evil means.
- 13For this man, that of earthly matter makes brittle vessels and graven images, knows himself to offend above all others.
- 14And all the enemies of your people, that hold them in subjection, are most foolish, and are more miserable than very babes.
- 15For they counted all the idols of the heathen to be 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 go.
- 16For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spirit fashioned them: but no man can make a god like to himself.
- 17For being mortal, he works a dead thing with wicked hands: for he himself is better than the things which he worships: whereas he lived once, but they never.
- 18Yes, they worshipped those beasts also that are most hateful: for being compared together, some are worse than others.
- 19Neither are they beautiful, so much as to be desired in respect of beasts: but they went without the praise of God and his blessing.