1 Bet tu, mūsu Dievs, esi labs un patiess,
iecietīgs un žēlojot valdi visu,
2 jo, pat ja mēs grēkotu,
mēs esam tavi, apzinoties tavu spēku;
bet, zinot, ka tev piederam,
mēs negrēkosim;
3 tādēļ ka tevi pazīt – pilnīgs taisnīgums
un tavu spēku zināt – nemirstības avots.
4 Mūs neieveda maldos nedz cilvēku nekrietnā izdoma,
nedz ainu gleznotāju neauglīgie pūliņi –
tēls, notriepts daždažādām krāsām,
5 kā izskats uzbudina nesaprātīgos – viņš tvīkst pēc tēla,
kurā ietverts nedzīvais atveids un kurā nav dvašas.
6 Nelāgajā iemīlējušies un iecerēto paši pelnījuši
ir tie, kas tādu darina, kas alkst un godina.
7 Tā podnieks, mīkstu mālu mīcot, pūlēdamies
ik trauku veido mūsu vajadzībām,
no viena un tā paša māla visus vienādi darinot,
gan tīriem darbiem paredzētos, gan citur izmantojamos;
bet, kādai vajadzībai kalpos katrs, to izlemj podnieks.
8 Un, tukši pūlēdamies, no tā paša māla
viņš izveido muļķīgu dievu,
lai gan tik tikko pats no zemes radīts
un drīz vien atgriezīsies tajā, no kā ņemts,
kad dvēsele, ko viņš ir parādā, tiks atprasīta.
9 Bet viņam rūp ne tas, ka jāmirst,
ka īss ir viņa dzīves laiks,
bet gan kas cits – ar zeltkaļiem un sudrabkaļiem sacensties
un atdarināt bronzas lējējus,
par godu uzskata viņš veidot viltojumus.
10 Vien pelni – viņa sirds,
par smilti mazāk vērta cerība,
par māliem necilāka dzīve,
11 jo tas nepazina savu veidotāju,
kas darboties spējīgu dvēseli viņā iedvesis,
ar dzīvības garu piepildījis.
12 Turpretim viņi uzskatīja mūsu dzīvi par rotaļu
un mūžu par ienesīgiem svētkiem:
lai vai ar ļaunu, šis saka, ir jāpelnās.
13 Viņš pats gan labāk par citiem zina, ka grēko,
no zemes vielas darinādams veidolus,
ne trauslus traukus vien.
Elku un dzīvnieku pielūgsme Ēģiptē
14 Tomēr visnegudrākie,
vēl nožēlojamāki nekā bērna prātā,
ir tavas tautas naidnieki, tās apspiedēji.
15 Par dieviem viņi ieskatīja visus cittautiešu elkus,
kas nevar izmantot acis, lai redzētu,
nedz nāsis, lai ievilktu dvašu,
nedz ausis, lai dzirdētu,
nedz taustīšanai roku pirkstus,
bet kājas nav derīgas staigāšanai,
16 tādēļ ka tos ir darinājis cilvēks,
veidojis tāds, kam pašam ir aizdots gars, –
neviens cilvēks taču nespēj veidot dievu pēc savas līdzības.
17 Ar savām likuma nepazinējām rokām,
pats mirstīgs būdams, tas darina vienīgi nedzīvo
un pats ir pārāks par priekšmetiem, kurus godina,
jo viņš aizsāka dzīvot, bet tie ne.
18 Un vēl viņi godina dzīvo radību, turklāt visnīstamāko,
kas visu pārējo saprāta trūkumā pārspēj,
19 kam nav pat skaista, pievilcīga izskata,
kāds dzīvniekiem mēdz gadīties,
un kas no Dieva nav saņēmusi
nedz atzinību, nedz svētību.
1 But thou, O God, art gracious and true, longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things,
2 For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy power: but we will not sin, knowing that we are counted thine.
3 For to know thee is perfect righteousness: yea, to know thy power is the root of immortality.
4 For neither did the mischievous invention of men deceive us, nor an image spotted with divers colours, the painter’s fruitless labour;
5 The sight whereof enticeth fools to lust after it, and so they desire the form of a dead image, that hath no breath.
6 Both they that make them, they that desire them, and they that worship them, are lovers of evil things, and are worthy to have such things to trust upon.
7 For the potter, tempering soft earth, fashioneth every vessel with much labour for our service: yea, of the same clay he maketh both the vessels that serve for clean uses, and likewise also all such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of either sort, the potter himself is the judge.
8 And employing his labours lewdly, he maketh a vain god of the same clay, even he which a little before was made of earth himself, and within a little while after returneth to the same, out when his life which was lent him shall be demanded.
9 Notwithstanding his care is, not that he shall have much labour, nor that his life is short: but striveth to excel goldsmiths and silversmiths, and endeavoureth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it his glory to make counterfeit things.
10 His heart is ashes, his hope is more vile than earth, and his life of less value than clay:
11 Forasmuch as he knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul, and breathed in a living spirit.
12 But they counted our life a pastime, and our time here a market for gain: for, say they, we must be getting every way, though it be by evil means.
13 For this man, that of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels and graven images, knoweth himself to offend above all others.
14 And all the enemies of thy people, that hold them in subjection, are most foolish, and are more miserable than very babes.
15 For they counted all the idols of the heathen to be gods: which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of hands to handle; and as for their feet, they are slow to go.
16 For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spirit fashioned them: but no man can make a god like unto himself.
17 For being mortal, he worketh a dead thing with wicked hands: for he himself is better than the things which he worshippeth: whereas he lived once, but they never.
18 Yea, they worshipped those beasts also that are most hateful: for being compared together, some are worse than others.
19 Neither are they beautiful, so much as to be desired in respect of beasts: but they went without the praise of God and his blessing.
