The servants of God praise him who hath delivered them from idolatry; condemning both the makers and the worshippers of idols.

 1 But thou, our God, art gracious and true, patient, and ordering all things in mercy.
Tu autem, Deus noster, suavis et verus es, patiens, et in misericordia disponens omnia.

 2 For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy greatness: and if we sin not, we know that we are counted with thee.
Etenim si peccaverimus, tui sumus scientes magnitudinem tuam; et si non peccaverimus, scimus quoniam apud te sumus computati.

 3 For to know thee is perfect justice: and to know thy justice, and thy power, is the root of immortality.
Nosse enim te, consummata justitia est; et scire justitiam et virtutem tuam, radix est immortalitatis.

 4 For the invention of mischievous men hath not deceived us, nor the shadow of a picture, a fruitless labour, a graven figure with divers colours,
Non enim in errorem induxit nos hominum malae artis excogitatio, nec umbra picturae labor sine fructu, effigies sculpta per varios colores,

 5 The sight whereof enticeth the fool to lust after it, and he loveth the lifeless figure of a dead image.
cujus aspectus insensato dat concupiscentiam, et diligit mortuae imaginis effigiem sine anima.

 6 The lovers of evil things deserve to have no better things to trust in, both they that make them, and they that love them, and they that worship them.
Malorum amatores digni sunt qui spem habeant in talibus, et qui faciunt illos, et qui diligunt, et qui colunt.

 7 The potter also tempering soft earth, with labour fashioneth every vessel for our service, and of the same clay he maketh both vessels that are for clean uses, and likewise such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of these vessels, the potter is the judge.
Sed et figulus mollem terram premens, laboriose fingit ad usus nostros unumquodque vas; et de eodem luto fingit quae munda sunt in usum vasa, et similiter quae his sunt contraria; horum autem vasorum quis sit usus, judex est figulus.

 8 And of the same clay by a vain labour he maketh a god: he who a little before was made of earth himself, and a little after returneth to the same out of which he was taken, when his life which was lent him shall be called for again.
Et cum labore vano deum fingit de eodem luto, ille qui paulo ante de terra factus fuerat, et post pusilum reducit se unde acceptus est, repetitus animae debitum quam habebat.

 9 But his care is, not that he shall labour, nor that his life is short, but he striveth with the goldsmiths and silversmiths: and he endeavoureth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it a glory to make vain things.
Sed cura est illi non quia laboraturus est, nec quoniam brevis illi vita est; sed concertatur aurificibus et argentariis; sed et aerarios imitatur, et gloriam praefert, quoniam res supervacuas fingit.

 10 For his heart is ashes, and his hope vain earth, and his life more base than clay:
Cinis est enim cor ejus, et terra supervacua spes illius, et luto vilior vita ejus;

 11 Forasmuch as he knew not his maker and him that inspired into him the soul that worketh, and that breathed into him a living spirit.
quoniam ignoravit qui se finxit, et qui inspiravit illi animam quae operatur, et qui insufflavit ei spiritum vitalem.

 12 Yea and they have counted our life a pastime, and the business of life to be gain, and that we must be getting every way, even out of evil.
Sed et aestimaverunt ludum esse vitam nostram, et conversationem vitae compositam ad lucrum, et oportere undecumque etiam ex malo acquirere.

 13 For that man knoweth that he offendeth above all others, who of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels, and graven gods.
Hic enim scit se super omnes delinquere, qui ex terrae materia fragilia vasa et sculptilia fingit.

 14 But all the enemies of thy people that hold them in subjection, are foolish, and unhappy, and proud beyond measure:
Omnes enim insipientes, et infelices supra modum animae superbi, sunt inimici populi tui, et imperantes illi :

 15 For they have esteemed all the idols of the heathens for 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 walk.
quoniam omnia idola nationum deos aestimaverunt, quibus neque oculorum usus est ad videndum, neque nares ad percipiendum spiritum, neque aures ad audiendum, neque digiti manuum ad tractandum, sed et pedes eorum pigri ad ambulandum.

 16 For man made them: and he that borroweth his own breath, fashioned them. For no man can make a god like to himself.
Homo enim fecit illos; et qui spiritum mutuatus est, is finxit illos. Nemo enim sibi similem homo poterit deum fingere.

 17 For being mortal himself, he formeth a dead thing with his wicked hands. For he is better than they whom he worshippeth, because he indeed hath lived, though he were mortal, but they never.
Cum enim sit mortalis, mortuum fingit manibus iniquis. Melior enim est ipse his quos colit, quia ipse quidem vixit, cum esset mortalis, illi autem numquam.

 18 Moreover they worship also the vilest creatures: but things without sense compared to these, are worse than they.
Sed et animalia miserrima colunt; insensata enim comparata his, illis sunt deteriora.

 19 Yea, neither by sight can any man see good of these beasts. But they have fled from the praise of God, and from his blessing.
Sed nec aspectu aliquis ex his animalibus bona potest conspicere; effugerunt autem Dei laudem et benedictionem ejus.