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Wisdom of Solomon 13
Septuagint (LXX2012) compared with World English Bible
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Septuagint (LXX2012)
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1Surely 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;
1For 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.
2But 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.
2But 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.
3With 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 has created them.
3If 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.
4But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them .
4But 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.
5For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen.
5For from the greatness of the beauty of created things, mankind forms the corresponding perception of their Maker.
6But yet for this they are the less to be blamed: for they perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him.
6But 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.
7For being conversant in his works they search him diligently , and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen.
7For they diligently search while living among his works, and they trust their sight that the things that they look at are beautiful.
8Howbeit neither are they to be pardoned.
8But again even they are not to be excused.
9For 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?
9For 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?
10But miserable are they , and in dead things is their hope, who call them gods, which are the works of men's hands, gold and silver, to show are in, and resemblances of beasts, or a stone good for nothing, the work of an ancient hand.
10But 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.
11Now a carpenter that fells timber, after he has sawn down a tree meet for the purpose, and taken off all the bark skilfully round about, and has wrought it handsomely, and made a vessel thereof fit for the service of man's life;
11Yes 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.
12And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, has filled himself;
12Burning the scraps from his handiwork to cook his food, he eats his fill.
13And taking the very refuse among those which served to no use, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, has 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;
13Taking 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,
14Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red, and covering every spot therein;
14or makes it like some worthless animal, smearing it with something red, painting it red, and smearing over every stain in it.
15And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron:
15Having made a worthy chamber for it, he sets it in a wall, securing it with iron.
16For he provided for it that it might not fall , knowing that it was unable to help itself; for it is an image, and has need of help:
16He 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).
17Then makes he prayer for his goods, for his wife and children, and is not ashamed to speak to that which has no life.
17When he makes his prayer concerning goods and his marriage and children, he is not ashamed to speak to that which has no life.
18For healthhe calls upon that which is weak: for life prays to that which is dead; for aid humbly implores that which has least means to help: and for a good journeyhe asks of that which can’t set a foot forward:
18Yes, 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.
19And for gaining and getting, and for good success of his hands, asks ability to do of him, that is most unable to do any thing.
19And for profit in business and good success of his hands, he asks ability from that which has hands with no ability.