King Solomon - Wisdom of Solomon (Wis. 14) lyrics

[1] Again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship which carries him. [2] For it was desire for gain that planned that vessel, and wisdom was the craftsman who built it; [3] but it is thy providence, O Father, that steers its course, because thou hast given it a path in the sea, and a safe way through the waves, [4] showing that thou canst save from every danger, so that even if a man lacks sk**, he may put to sea. [5] It is thy will that works of thy wisdom should not be without effect; therefore men trust their lives even to the smallest piece of wood, and pa**ing through the billows on a raft they come safely to land. [6] For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing, the hope of the world took refuge on a raft, and guided by thy hand left to the world the seed of a new generation. [7] For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes. [8] But the idol made with hands is accursed, and so is he who made it; because he did the work, and the perishable thing was named a god. [9] For equally hateful to God are the ungodly man and his ungodliness, [10] for what was done will be punished together with him who did it. [11] Therefore there will be a visitation also upon the heathen idols, because, though part of what God created, they became an abomination, and became traps for the souls of men and a snare to the feet of the foolish. [12] For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them was the corruption of life, [13] for neither have they existed from the beginning nor will they exist for ever. [14] For through the vanity of men they entered the world, and therefore their speedy end has been planned. [15] For a father, consumed with grief at an untimely bereavement, made an image of his child, who had been suddenly taken from him; and he now honored as a god what was once a dead human being, and handed on to his dependents secret rites and initiations. [16] Then the ungodly custom, grown strong with time, was kept as a law, and at the command of monarchs graven images were worshiped. [17] When men could not honor monarchs in their presence, since they lived at a distance, they imagined their appearance far away, and made a visible image of the king whom they honored, so that by their zeal they might flatter the absent one as though present. [18] Then the ambition of the craftsman impelled even those who did not know the king to intensify their worship. [19] For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler, skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form, [20] and the multitude, attracted by the charm of his work, now regarded as an object of worship the one whom shortly before they had honored as a man. [21] And this became a hidden trap for mankind, because men, in bondage to misfortune or to royal authority, bestowed on objects of stone or wood the name that ought not to be shared. [22] Afterward it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but they live in great strife due to ignorance, and they call such great evils peace. [23] For whether they k** children in their initiations, or celebrate secret mysteries, or hold frenzied revels with strange customs, [24] they no longer keep either their lives or their marriages pure, but they either treacherously k** one another, or grieve one another by adultery, [25] and all is a raging riot of blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult, perjury, [26] confusion over what is good, forgetfulness of favors, pollution of souls, s** perversion, disorder in marriage, adultery, and debauchery. [27] For the worship of idols not to be named is the beginning and cause and end of every evil. [28] For their worshipers either rave in exultation, or prophesy lies, or live unrighteously, or readily commit perjury; [29] for because they trust in lifeless idols they swear wicked oaths and expect to suffer no harm. [30] But just penalties will overtake them on two counts: because they thought wickedly of God in devoting themselves to idols, and because in deceit they swore unrighteously through contempt for holiness. [31] For it is not the power of the things by which men swear, but the just penalty for those who sin, that always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous.