| 智慧篇 |
Wisdom |
| 1凡不認識天主的人，都是真正的愚人，因為，他們未能從看得見的美物，去發現那自有者；注意了工程，卻不認識工程師； |
1 For all men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan; |
| 2反而認火、風、流動的空氣、運轉的星辰、洪流的巨濤、天上的光體，為統治世界的神。 |
2 But either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods. |
| 3如果有人因這些東西的美麗而着迷，奉之為神；那麼，他們就應知道：這些美物的主宰更是美麗，因為，全是美麗的惟一根源所創造的。 |
3Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them. |
| 4如果有人驚奇這些東西的力量和效能，就應明白：創造這些東西的更有能力； |
4Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them. |
| 5因為，從受造物的偉大和美麗，人可以推想到這些東西的創造者。 |
5For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen. |
| 6不過，這種人的罪尚較輕微，因為，他們尋找天主，也有意找到，卻一時誤入了迷途； |
6 But yet, for these the blame is less; For they indeed have gone astray perhaps, though they seek God and wish to find him. |
| 7這或許是由於他們所見的世物實在美麗，因此在專務研究他的工程時，只追求外表； |
7For they search busily among his works, but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair. |
| 8但他們仍然不能推辭無過； |
8But again, not even these are pardonable. |
| 9因為他們既然能知道的如此淵博，甚至能探究宇宙，為什麼不能及早發現這些東西的主宰？ |
9For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its LORD? |
| 10有些人真是可憐！他們竟將希望寄於死東西上，竟稱人的手工、金銀和藝術的創作、動物的肖像、或古人雕刻的無用石的為神。 |
10But doomed are they, and in dead things are their hopes, who termed gods things made by human hands: Gold and silver, the product of art, and likenesses of beasts, or useless stone, the work of an ancient hand. |
| 11設想：有個木匠，鋸來一棵適用的樹木，精巧地剝淨樹皮，熟練地施展技巧，製成一件日常生活的用具； |
11A carpenter may saw out a suitable tree and skillfully scrape off all its bark, And deftly plying his art, produce something fit for daily use, |
| 12以後用工作剩餘的碎木，煮飯充飢； |
12and use up the refuse from his handiwork in preparing his food, and have his fill; |
| 13後來由那些剩下一無所用的廢木中，取出一塊彎曲多疤的木頭，在閒暇無事時，辛勤地加以雕刻，本着自己熟悉的手藝，按圖樣將它刻成一個人像， |
13Then the good-for-nothing refuse from these remnants, crooked wood grown full of knots, he takes and carves to occupy his spare time. This wood he models with listless skill, and patterns it on the image of a man |
| 14或做成一個卑賤的獸像，塗上丹砂，將外皮漆成紅色，遮住一切疤痕； |
14or makes it resemble some worthless beast. When he has daubed it with red and crimsoned its surface with red stain, and daubed over every blemish in it, |
| 15隨後，為它做一個適宜的居所，把它嵌在牆上，用釘子釘住， |
15He makes a fitting shrine for it and puts it on the wall, fastening it with a nail. |
| 16預先加以照顧，免得它掉下來，因為他知道：這件東西是不能自助的，不過只是偶像，需要人來扶助。 |
16Thus lest it fall down he provides for it, knowing that it cannot help itself; for, truly, it is an image and needs help. |
| 17但是，他反不感羞恥地向這無靈之物禱告，祈賜財富、妻室和子嗣； |
17But when he prays about his goods or marriage or children, he is not ashamed to address the thing without a soul. And for vigor he invokes the powerless; |
| 18向這虛弱的東西，要求健康；向這死物，要求生命；向這無能的東西，要求援助； |
18and for life he entreats the dead; And for aid he beseeches the wholly incompetent, and about travel, something that cannot even walk. |
| 19向這有腳不能行的東西，要求旅行；向這有手而毫無動作的東西，要求發財、工作、事業成功的力量。 |
19And for profit in business and success with his hands he asks facility of a thing with hands completely inert. |
