Wisdom of Solomon · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Wisdom of Solomon 13 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 For verily all men by nature [were but ] vain who had no perception of God, And from the good things that are seen they gained not power to know him that is, Neither by giving heed to the works did they recognise the artificer;
1 For truly all men who had no perception of God were foolish by nature, and didn’t gain power to know him who exists from the good things that are seen. They didn’t recognize the architect from his works.
2 But either fire, or wind, or swift air, Or circling stars, or raging water, or luminaries of heaven, They thought to be gods that rule the world.
2 But they thought that either fire, or wind, or swift air, or circling stars, or raging water, or luminaries of heaven were gods that rule the world.
3 And if it was through delight in their beauty that they took them to be gods, Let them know how much better than these is their Sovereign Lord; For the first author of beauty created them:
3 If it was through delight in their beauty that they took them to be gods, let them know how much better their Sovereign Lord is than these, for the first author of beauty created them.
4 But if it was through astonishment at their power and influence, Let them understand from them how much more powerful is he that formed them;
4 But if it was through astonishment at their power and influence, then let them understand from them how much more powerful he who formed them is.
5 For from the greatness of the beauty even of created things In like proportion does man form the image of their first maker.
5 For from the greatness of the beauty of created things, mankind forms the corresponding perception of their Maker.
6 But yet for these men there is but small blame, For they too peradventure do [but ] go astray While they are seeking God and desiring to find him.
6 But yet for these men there is but small blame, for they too perhaps go astray while they are seeking God and desiring to find him.
7 For living among his works they make diligent search, And they yield themselves up to sight, because the things that they look upon are beautiful.
7 For they diligently search while living among his works, and they trust their sight that the things that they look at are beautiful.
8 But again even they are not to be excused.
8 But again even they are not to be excused.
9 For if they had power to know so much, That they should be able to explore the course [of things, ] How is it that they did not sooner find the Sovereign Lord of these [his works? ]
9 For if they had power to know so much, that they should be able to explore the world, how is it that they didn’t find the Sovereign Lord sooner?
10 But miserable [were ] they, and in dead things [were ] their hopes, Who called them gods which are works of men’s hands, Gold and silver, wrought with careful art, and likenesses of animals, Or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.
10 But they were miserable, and their hopes were in dead things, who called them gods which are works of men’s hands, gold and silver, skillfully made, and likenesses of animals, or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.
11 Yea and if some woodcutter, having sawn down a tree that is easily moved, Skilfully strippeth away all its bark, And fashioning it in comely form maketh a vessel useful for the service of life;
11 Yes and some woodcutter might saw down a tree that is easily moved, skillfully strip away all its bark, and fashion it in attractive form, make a useful vessel to serve his life’s needs.
12 And burning the refuse of his handywork to dress his food, eateth his fill;
12 Burning the scraps from his handiwork to cook his food, he eats his fill.
13 And taking the very refuse thereof which served to no use, A crooked piece of wood and full of knots, Carveth it with the diligence of his idleness, And shapeth it by the skill of his indolence; [Then ] he giveth it the semblance of the image of a man,
13 Taking a discarded scrap which served no purpose, a crooked piece of wood and full of knots, he carves it with the diligence of his idleness, and shapes it by the skill of his idleness. He shapes it in the image of a man,
14 Or maketh it like some paltry animal, Smearing it with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red, And smearing over every stain that is therein;
14 or makes it like some worthless animal, smearing it with something red, painting it red, and smearing over every stain in it.
15 And having made for it a chamber worthy of it, He setteth it in a wall, making it fast with iron.
15 Having made a worthy chamber for it, he sets it in a wall, securing it with iron.
16 While then he taketh thought for it that it may not fall down, Knowing that it is unable to help itself; (For verily it is an image, and hath need of help;)
16 He plans for it that it may not fall down, knowing that it is unable to help itself (for truly it is an image, and needs help).
17 When he maketh his prayer concerning goods and his marriage and children, He is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life;
17 When he makes his prayer concerning goods and his marriage and children, he is not ashamed to speak to that which has no life.
18 Yea for health he calleth upon that which is weak, And for life he beseecheth that which is dead, And for aid he supplicateth that which hath least experience. And for a [good ] journey that which cannot so much as move a step,
18 Yes, for health, he calls upon that which is weak. For life, he implores that which is dead. For aid, he supplicates that which has no experience. For a good journey, he asks that which can’t so much as move a step.
19 And for gaining and getting and good success of his hands He asketh ability of that which with its hands is most unable.
19 And for profit in business and good success of his hands, he asks ability from that which has hands with no ability.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… philosophers, I used to compare some teachings of theirs with those long fables of the Manichæans and the former things which they declared, who could only prevail so far as to estimate this lower world, while its lord they could by no means find out, seemed to me the more probable.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… to see with eyes of flesh: but from the works, which are Divine, it is possible to attain to some conception of His power, according to Solomon, who says, For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the Maker of them is seen.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… but, saith He, "he that is able to receive it, let him receive it." Vain, assuredly, are all men in whom the knowledge of God is not, and who could not, out of the good things which are seen, find out Him who is good. But I was no longer in that vanity; I had surmounted it, and by the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… incorporeal and invisible, that thou mayest abhor those who blaspheme the wise and good Artificer, and from what is spoken and read, and whatever thou canst thyself discover or conceive, from the greatness and beauty of the creatures mayest proportionably see the maker of them, and bending the knee with godly reverence to the Maker of the worlds, the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… use of the rules discovered and laid down by those who are rebuked by Holy Writ in these terms: "For if they were able to know so much that they could weigh the world, how did they not more easily find out the Lord thereof?"
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)