प्रज्ञा ग्रन्थ 14

1Again, 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.

2For this the desire of gain devised, and the workman built it by his skill.

3But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves,

4Shewing that thou art able to save out of all things, yea though a man went to sea without art.

5But 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.

6And 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.

7For blessed is the wood, by which justice cometh.

8But 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.

9But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike.

10For that which is made, together with him that made it, shall suffer torments.

11Therefore 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.

12For the beginning of fornication is the devising of idols: and the invention of them is the corruption of life.

13For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.

14For by the vanity of men they came into the world: and therefore they shall be found to come shortly to an end.

15For 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.

16Then in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants.

17And 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.

18And to worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant.

19For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner.

20And 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.

21And 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.

22And 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.

23For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness,

24So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one killeth another through envy, or grieveth him by adultery:

25And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good,

26Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleanness.

27For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil.

28For either they are mad when they are merry: or they prophesy lies, or they live unjustly, or easily forswear themselves.

29For whilst they trust in idols, which are without life, though they swear amiss, they look not to be hurt.

30But 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.

31For it is not the power of them, by whom they swear, but the just vengeance of sinners always punisheth the transgression of the unjust.

1[Iterum alius navigare cogitans, et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat.

2Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, et artifex sapientia fabricavit sua.

3Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat: quoniam dedisti et in mari viam, et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam,

4ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiam si sine arte aliquis adeat mare.

5Sed ut non essent vacua sapientiæ tuæ opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas, et transeuntes mare per ratem liberati sunt.

6Sed et ab initio cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, remisit sæculo semen nativitatis quæ manu tua erat gubernata.

7Benedictum est enim lignum per quod fit justitia;

8per 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.

9Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus;

10etenim quod factum est, cum illo qui fecit tormenta patietur.

11Propter hoc et in idolis nationum non erit respectus, quoniam creaturæ Dei in odium factæ sunt, et in tentationem animabus hominum, et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.

12Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, et adinventio illorum corruptio vitæ est:

13neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.

14Supervacuitas enim hominum hæc advenit in orbem terrarum, et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.]

15[Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem; et illum qui tunc quasi homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere cœpit, et constituit inter servos suos sacra et sacrificia.

16Deinde interveniente tempore, convalescente iniqua consuetudine, hic error tamquam lex custoditus est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta.

17Et 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, tamquam præsentem colerent sua sollicitudine.

18Provexit autem ad horum culturam et hos qui ignorabant artificis eximia diligentia.

19Ille enim, volens placere illi qui se assumpsit, elaboravit arte sua ut similitudinem in melius figuraret.

20Multitudo autem hominum, abducta per speciem operis, eum qui ante tempus tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum æstimaverunt.

21Et hæc fuit vitæ humanæ deceptio, quoniam aut affectui aut regibus deservientes homines, incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.]

22[Et non suffecerat errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiæ bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.

23Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes, aut obscura sacrificia facientes, aut insaniæ plenas vigilias habentes,

24neque vitam, neque nuptias mundas jam custodiunt: sed alius alium per invidiam occidit, aut adulterans contristat,

25et omnia commista sunt: sanguis, homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et perjurium, tumultus bonorum,

26Dei immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, nativitatis immutatio, nuptiarum inconstantia, inordinatio mœchiæ et impudicitiæ.

27Infandorum enim idolorum cultura omnis mali causa est, et initium et finis.

28Aut enim dum lætantur insaniunt, aut certe vaticinantur falsa, aut vivunt injuste, aut pejerant cito.

29Dum enim confidunt in idolis quæ sine anima sunt, male jurantes noceri se non sperant.

30Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, et juraverunt injuste, in dolo contemnentes justitiam.

31Non enim juratorum virtus, sed peccantium pœna, perambulat semper injustorum prævaricationem.]

1Again, another, thinking to sail, and beginning to make his voyage through the raging waves, calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the wood that carries him.

2For this is what desire has contrived to be acquired, and the craftsman has formed its understanding.

3But your providence, O Father, governs, because you have provided for both a way in the sea and a very reliable path among the waves,

4revealing that you are able to save out of all things, even if someone were to go to sea without skill.

5But, so that the works of your wisdom might not be empty, therefore, men trust their souls even to a little piece of wood, and, crossing over the sea by raft, they are set free.

6But, from the beginning, when the proud giants were perishing, the hope of the world, fleeing by boat, gave back to future ages a seed of birth, which was governed by your hand.

7For blessed is the wood through which justice is made.

8But, through the hand that makes the idol, both it, and he who made it, is accursed: he, indeed, because it has been served by him, and it, because, though it is fragile, it is called ‘god.’

9But the impious and his impiety are similarly offensive to God.

10For that which is made, together with him who made it, will suffer torments.

11Because of this, and according to the idolatries of the nations, there will be no refuge, for the things created by God have been made into hatred, and into a temptation to the souls of men, and into a snare for the feet of the foolish.

12For the beginning of fornication is the search for idols, and from their invention comes corruption of life.

13For they neither existed from the beginning, nor will they exist forever.

14For by the great emptiness of men they came into the world, and therefore their end is soon discovered.

15For a father, embittered with the suffering of grief, made an image of his son, who had been suddenly taken away from him, and then, he who had died as a man, now begins to be worshiped as if a god, and so rites and sacrifices are established among his servants.

16Then, in the course of time, iniquity gains strength within this erroneous custom, so that this error has been observed as if it were a law, and this figment has been worshiped at the command of tyrants.

17And those, whom men could not openly honor because they were far off, a likeness of them was carried from far off, and from it they made a similar image of the king that they wanted to honor, so that, by their solicitude, they might worship he who was absent, just as if he were present.

18Yet, it passes into their care, and those whom they did not know, they love because of the excellence of the artist.

19For he, wishing to please the one who hired him, embellished his art, so as to fashion a better likeness.

20But the multitude of men, brought together by the beauty of the work, now considered him to be a god, whom they had formerly honored as a man.

21And this was the deception of human life: that men, serving either their own inclination or their kings, assigned the unutterable name to stones and wood.

22And it was not enough for them to go astray concerning the knowledge of God, but also, while living in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and such great evils ‘peace.’

23For either they sacrifice their own sons, or they make dark sacrifices, or they hold vigils full of madness,

24so that now they neither protect life, nor preserve a clean marriage, but one kills another through envy, or grieves him by adultery.

25And all things are mixed together: blood, murder, theft and fraud, corruption and infidelity, disturbances and perjury, disorder within good things,

26forgetfulness of God, pollution of souls, alteration of procreation, inconstancy of marriage, unnatural adultery and homosexuality.

27For the worship of unspeakable idols is the cause, and the beginning and the end, of all evil.

28For they either act with madness while happy, or they insistently speak wild lies, or they live unjustly, or they are quick to commit perjury.

29For, while they trust in idols, which are without a soul, vowing evil, they hope not to be harmed themselves.

30Therefore, from both sides it will fittingly happen, because they have thought evil of God, paying attention to idols, and because they have sworn unjustly, in guile despising justice.

31For swearing is not virtue, but sinning always comes around to a punishment according to the transgression of the unjust.