1. AGAYNE an other thinking to sayle, and begynning to make a iourney through the fierce waues, inuocateth wood more fraile then the wood that carieth him.
2. For couetousnes of getting inuented it, and the craftesman by his wisdom framed it.
3. But thy prouidence, o Father, doth gouerne: because thou hast geuen a way euen in the sea, and among the waues a most sure path,
4. shewing that thou art able to saue out of al thinges, yea if a man goe to the sea without art.
5. But that thy workes might not be voyde of wisdom: for this cause also men commit their liues euen to a little wood, and passing ouer the sea are deliuered by shippe.
6. But from the begynning also when the prowde giants perished, the hope of the world fleing to a shippe, rendered to the world seede of natiuitie, which was gouerned by thy hand.
7. For blessed is the wood, by the which iustice is made.
8. But the idol that is made by handes, cursed is both it, and he that made it: because he in deede wrought it: and the same being fraile, was called god.
9. But to God the impious and his impietie are odious alike.
10. For that which is made, with him that made it, shal suffer torments.
11. For this cause also in the idol of the nations there shal be no respect: because the creatures of God were made to hatred, and for tentation to the soules of men, and for a snare to the feete of the vnwise.
12. For the begynning of fornication is the deuising of idols: and the inuenting of them is the corruption of life.
13. For neither were they from the begynning, neither shal they be for euer.
14. For this vanitie of men came into the world: and therfore there is found a short end of them.
15. For the father being sorowful with bitter moorning, made vnto himselfe the image of his sonne quickly taken away: and him, that then was a dead man, now he began to worshipe as god, and appointed holie thinges and sacrifices among his seruants.
16. Afterward by succession of time, the wicked custom preuayling, this errour was kept as a law, and thinges grauen were worshipped by the commandement of tyrants.
17. And those, whom openly men could not honour, for that they were far of, their figure being brought from a far, they made an euident image of the king, whom they would honour: that by their carefulnes they might honour as present, him that was absent.
18. And to the worshipping of these, the excellent diligence also of the artificer, holpe them forward, that were ignorant.
19. For he willing to please him, that entertained him, laboured by his art, to fashion the similitude in better sort.
20. And the multitude of men caried away by the beautie of the worke, him that a little before had bene honoured as a man, now they estemed for a god.
21. And this was the deceyuing of mans life: because men seruing either affection, or kinges, gaue the name that is not communicable to stones and wood.
22. And it was not sufficient that they erred about the knowledge of God, but also liuing in a great battail of ignorance so manie and so great euils they cal peace.
23. For either sacrificing their children, or making abscure sacrifices, or hauing watches ful of madnes,
24. they now neither keepe life, nor mariage cleane, but one killeth an other by enuie, or playing the adulterer maketh him sorowful:
25. and al thinges are mingled together, bloud, manslaughter, theft and fiction, corruption, and infidelitie, truble, and periurie, disquieting of the good,
26. forgetfulnes of God, inquination of soules, immutation of natiuitie, inconstancie of mariage, disorder of adulterie, and vnchastnes.
27. For the worshippe of idols not to be named, is the cause of al euil, and the beginning and end.
28. For either when they reioyce, they are madde: or certes prophecie false thinges, or liue vniustly, or quickly forsweare themselues.
29. For whiles they trust in idols, which are without soule, swearing amisse they hope not to be hurt.
30. Two euil thinges therfore shal happen to them worthely, because they haue thought euil of God, attending to idols, and haue sworne vniustly, in guile contemning iustice.
31. For it is not the powre of them that are sworne by, but the punishment of them that sinne, goeth alwayes through the trangression of the vniust.