The Wisdom of Solomon
Chapter 13
1. By nature humans are egotistical
and do not know God
and from the things that are seen
they cannot know Him
nor from understanding events
can they know who is Master.
2. But whether by fire or wind
or a stormy wind
or the dome of stars
or the rushing water
the gods that govern this world
3. Due to their beauty and delight
they understood them to be gods.
Let them know how much
better the Lord of them is
for the original Creator of beauty
did indeed create them.
4. If they were astonished
at their power and virtue
let us understand
how much mightier
He who created them is.
5. For by the greatness and beauty
relative to the creatures
their Creator is perceived.
6. There is therefore no blame
for those who err in their ways
as they seek God
being desirous to find Him.
7. People carefully search for Him
because they know His actions
and believe what they see
because His creations are beautiful.
8. Yet they may never find mercy.
9. For if they knew so much
they could search the world
and still they could not
find the Almighty there?
10. But they remain in misery
as their hope is in dead things
and they call them gods
though they are human made
even in gold and silver
and shown as art
resembling beasts or stone
but they are good for nothing
and works of ancient hands.
11. The wood workers saw a tree
that would work for the task
after taking off all the bark
with significant skill
chiseled it beautifully
and made a vessel from it
ready for the service of someone.
12. And after expending
the remainder of their efforts
to feed themselves
they have completed it.
13. Then working on a piece
of that which served no one
taken from crooked wood
that was full of knots
they carved it diligently
when they had nothing else to do
forming it though their skill
fashioning an image of a human.
14. Or they carved it like
some hostile creature
laying it over with red paint
and covering all the spots.
15. Then they made an access room
and set it into a wall
and fastened it with iron.
16. Thus they installed it such
that it would not fall over
understanding it could not help itself
because after all it was an image
in need of assistance.
17. Then they prayed for things
for their wife and children
and were not ashamed
to speak to something dead.
18. To heal they called on weakness
to live they prayed to the dead
for aid they humbly called upon
those with the least ability to help.
And asked for their safe journeys
from that who never traveled.
19. Then to achieve their results
and succeed in their work
they asked that from which
had no ability to do anything.
