The Wisdom of Solomon

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

The beginning of worshipping idols: and the effects thereof.

Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him.

For verily desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill.

But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves;

Shewing that thou canst save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art.

Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved.

For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by thy hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation.

For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.

But that which is made with hands is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible, it was called god.

For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God.

For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it.

Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a visitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and stumblingblocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.

For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life.

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

For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end.

For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices.

Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the commandments of kings.

Whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to the end that by this their forwardness they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present.

Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.

For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion.

And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a god, which a little before was but honoured.

And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name.

Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace.

For whilst they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites;

They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traitorously, or grieved him by adultery.

So that there reigned in all men without exception blood, manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury,

Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness.

For the worshipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil.

For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves.

For insomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt.

Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness.

For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the ungodly.

The beginning of worshipping idols: and the effects thereof.

Again, one preparing to sail, and about to journey over raging waves, calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the vessel that carries him.

For the hunger for profit planned it, and wisdom was the craftsman who built it.

Your providence, O Father, guides it along, because even in the sea you gave a way, and in the waves a sure path,

showing that you can save out of every danger, that even a man without skill may put to sea.

It is your will that the works of your wisdom should not be ineffective. Therefore men also entrust their lives to a little piece of wood, and passing through the surge on a raft come safely to land.

For(a) in the old time also, when proud giants were perishing, the hope of the world, taking refuge on a raft, your hand guided the seed of generations of the race of men.

For blessed is wood through which comes righteousness;

but the idol made with hands is accursed, itself and he that made it; because his was the working, and the corruptible thing was called a god.

For both the ungodly and his ungodliness are alike hateful to God;

for truly the deed will be punished together with him who committed it.

Therefore also there will be a visitation among the idols of the nation, because, though formed of things which God created, they were made an abomination, stumbling blocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the foolish.

For the devising of idols was the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life.

For they didn’t exist from the beginning, and they won’t exist forever.

For by the boastfulness of men they entered into the world, and therefore a speedy end was planned for them.

For a father worn with untimely grief, making an image of the child quickly taken away, now honored him as a god which was then a dead human being, and delivered to those that were under him mysteries and solemn rites.

Afterward the ungodly custom, in process of time grown strong, was kept as a law, and the engraved images received worship by the commandments of princes.

And when men could not honor them in presence because they lived far off, imagining the likeness from afar, they made a visible image of the king whom they honored, that by their zeal they might flatter the absent as if present.

But worship was raised to a yet higher pitch, even by those who didn’t know him, urged forward by the ambition of the architect;

for he, wishing perhaps to please his ruler, used his art to force the likeness toward a greater beauty.

So the multitude, allured by reason of the grace of his handiwork, now consider an object of devotion him that a little before was honored as a man.

And this became an ambush, because men, in bondage either to calamity or to tyranny, invested stones and stocks with the Name that shouldn’t be shared.

Afterward it was not enough for them to go astray concerning the knowledge of God, but also, while they live in a great war of ignorance, they call a multitude of evils peace.

For either slaughtering children in solemn rites, or celebrating secret mysteries, or holding frenzied revels of strange customs,

no longer do they guard either life or purity of marriage, but one brings upon another either death by treachery, or anguish by adultery.

And all things confusedly are filled with blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult, perjury,

confusion about what is good, forgetfulness of favors, ingratitude for benefits, defiling of souls, confusion of sex, disorder in marriage, adultery and wantonness.

For the worship of idols that may not be named (b) is a beginning and cause and end of every evil.

For their worshipers either make merry to madness, or prophesy lies, or live unrighteously, or lightly commit perjury.

For putting their trust in lifeless idols, when they have sworn a wicked oath, they expect not to suffer harm.

But on both counts, the just doom will pursue them, because they had evil thoughts of God by giving heed to idols, and swore unrighteously in deceit through contempt for holiness.

For it is not the power of things by which men swear, but it is the just penalty for those who sin that always visits the transgression of the unrighteous.

Footnotes

(a)14:6 The Greek text here may be corrupt.

(b)14:27 ℘ Exodus 23:13; Psalms 16:4; Hosea 2:17; Wisdom 14:21