The beginning of worshipping idols: and the effects thereof.

 1 Again, another designing to sail, and beginning to make his voyage through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more frail than the wood that carrieth him.
Iterum alius navigare cogitans, et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat.

 2 For this the desire of gain devised, and the workman built it by his skill.
Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, et artifex sapientia fabricavit sua.

 3 But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves,
Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat : quoniam dedisti et in mari viam, et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam,

 4 shewing that thou art able to save out of all things, yea though a man went to sea without art.
ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiam si sine arte aliquis adeat mare.

 5 But that the works of thy wisdom might not be idle: therefore men also trust their lives even to a little wood, and passing over the sea by ship are saved.
Sed ut non essent vacua sapientiae tuae opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas, et transeuntes mare per ratem liberati sunt.

 6 And from the beginning also when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world fleeing to a vessel, which was governed by thy hand, left to the world seed of generation.
Sed et ab initio cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, remisit saeculo semen nativitatis quae manu tua erat gubernata.

 7 For blessed is the wood, by which justice cometh.
Benedictum est enim lignum per quod fit justitia;

 8 But the idol that is made by hands, is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he because he made it; and it because being frail it is called a god.
per manus autem quod fit idolum, maledictum est et ipsum, et qui fecit illud; quia ille quidem operatus est, illud autem cum esset fragile, deus cognominatus est.

 9 But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike.
Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus;

 10 For that which is made, together with him that made it, shall suffer torments.
etenim quod factum est, cum illo qui fecit tormenta patietur.

 11 Therefore there shall be no respect had even to the idols of the Gentiles: because the creatures of God are turned to an abomination, and a temptation to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.
Propter hoc et in idolis nationum non erit respectus, quoniam creaturae Dei in odium factae sunt, et in tentationem animabus hominum, et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.

 12 For the beginning of fornication is the devising of idols: and the invention of them is the corruption of life.
Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum; et adinventio illorum corruptio vitae est :

 13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.
neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.

 14 For by the vanity of men they came into the world: and therefore they shall be found to come shortly to an end.
Supervacuitas enim hominum haec advenit in orbem terrarum; et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.

 15 For a father being afflicted with bitter grief, made to himself the image of his son who was quickly taken away: and him who then had died as a man, he began now to worship as a god, and appointed him rites and sacrifices among his servants.
Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem; et illum qui tunc quasi homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere coepit, et constituit inter servos suos sacra et sacrificia.

 16 Then in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants.
Deinde interveniente tempore, convalescente iniqua consuetudine, hic error tamquam lex custoditus est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta.

 17 And those whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they brought their resemblance from afar, and made an express image of the king whom they had a mind to honour: that by this their diligence, they might honour as present, him that was absent.
Et hos quos in palam homines honorare non poterant propter hoc quod longe essent, e longinquo figura eorum allata, evidentem imaginem regis quem honorare volebant fecerunt, ut illum qui aberat, tanquam praesentem colerent sua sollicitudine.

 18 And to worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant.
Provexit autem ad horum culturam et hos qui ignorabant artificis eximia diligentia.

 19 For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner.
Ille enim, volens placere illi qui se assumpsit, elaboravit arte sua ut similitudinem in melius figuraret.

 20 And the multitude of men, carried away by the beauty of the work, took him now for a god that a little before was but honoured as a man.
Multitudo autem hominum, abducta per speciem operis, eum qui ante tempus tanquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum aestimaverunt.

 21 And this was the occasion of deceiving human life: for men serving either their affection, or their kings, gave the incommunicable name to stones and wood.
Et haec fuit vitae humanae deceptio, quoniam aut affectui, aut regibus deservientes homines, incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.

 22 And it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but whereas they lived in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace.
Et non suffecerat errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiae bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.

 23 For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness,
Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes, aut obscura sacrificia facientes, aut insaniae plenas vigilias habentes,

 24 So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one killeth another through envy, or grieveth him by adultery:
neque vitam, neque nuptias mundas jam custodiunt : sed alius alium per invidiam occidit, aut adulterans contristat;

 25 And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good,
et omnia commista sunt : sanguis, homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et perjurium, tumultus bonorum,

 26 Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleanness.
Dei immemoratio, animarum inquinatio. Nativitatis immutatio, nuptiarum inconstantia, inordinatio moechiae et impudicitiae.

 27 For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil.
Infandorum enim idolorum cultura omnis mali causa est, et initium et finis.

 28 For either they are mad when they are merry: or they prophesy lies, or they live unjustly, or easily forswear themselves.
Aut enim dum laetantur insaniunt, aut certe vaticinantur falsa, aut vivunt injuste, aut pejerant cito.

 29 For whilst they trust in idols, which are without life, though they swear amiss, they look not to be hurt.
Dum enim confidunt in idolis quae sine anima sunt, male jurantes noceri se non sperant.

 30 But for two things they shall be justly punished, because they have thought not well of God, giving heed to idols, and have sworn unjustly, in guile despising justice.
Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, et juraverunt injuste, in dolo contemnentes justitiam.

 31 For it is not the power of them, by whom they swear, but the just vengeance of sinners always punisheth the transgression of the unjust.
Non enim juratorum virtus, sed peccantium poena, perambulat semper injustorum praevaricationem.