¹Vani autem sunt omnes homines in quibus non subest scientia Dei;But all men are vain, who are not under the knowledge of God, and who,et de his quæ videntur bona,from these good things that are seen,non potuerunt intelligere eum qui est,were not able to understand he who is, nor,neque operibus attendentes agnoverunt quis esset artifex:by paying attention to the works, did they acknowledge he who was the artisan.

¹Vani autem sunt omnes homines in quibus non subest scientia Dei;But all men are vain, who are not under the knowledge of God, and who,et de his quæ videntur bona,from these good things that are seen,non potuerunt intelligere eum qui est,were not able to understand he who is, nor,neque operibus attendentes agnoverunt quis esset artifex:by paying attention to the works, did they acknowledge he who was the artisan.

²sed aut ignem, aut spiritum,Instead, they had considered either the fire,aut citatum aërem,or the air, or the atmosphere,aut gyrum stellarum,or the circle of stars,aut nimiam aquam,or the great sea,aut solem et lunam,or the sun and moon,rectores orbis terrarum deos putaverunt.to be the gods that rule the world.

²sed aut ignem, aut spiritum,Instead, they had considered either the fire,aut citatum aërem,or the air, or the atmosphere,aut gyrum stellarum,or the circle of stars,aut nimiam aquam,or the great sea,aut solem et lunam,or the sun and moon,rectores orbis terrarum deos putaverunt.to be the gods that rule the world.

³Quorum si specie delectati,If they, being delighted by such sights,deos putaverunt,supposed them to be gods,sciant quanto his dominator eorum speciosior est:let them know how great the Lord of them is in splendor.speciei enim generator hæc omnia constituit.For he who created all things is the author of beauty.

³Quorum si specie delectati,If they, being delighted by such sights,deos putaverunt,supposed them to be gods,sciant quanto his dominator eorum speciosior est:let them know how great the Lord of them is in splendor.speciei enim generator hæc omnia constituit.For he who created all things is the author of beauty.

⁴Aut si virtutem et opera eorum mirati sunt,Or, if they wondered at their power and their effects,intelligant ab illis quoniam qui hæc fecit fortior est illis:let them understand by these things, that he who created them is mightier than they are.

⁴Aut si virtutem et opera eorum mirati sunt,Or, if they wondered at their power and their effects,intelligant ab illis quoniam qui hæc fecit fortior est illis:let them understand by these things, that he who created them is mightier than they are.

⁵a magnitudine enim speciei et creaturæ cognoscibiliter poterit creator horum videri.For, by the greatness of the creation and its beauty, the creator of these will be able to be seen discernibly.

⁵a magnitudine enim speciei et creaturæ cognoscibiliter poterit creator horum videri.For, by the greatness of the creation and its beauty, the creator of these will be able to be seen discernibly.

⁶Sed tamen adhuc in his minor est querela;Yet, up to this point, the complaint about this is lesser.et hi enim fortasse errant,For perhaps they made a mistake in this,Deum quærentes, et volentes invenire.while desiring and seeking to find God.

⁶Sed tamen adhuc in his minor est querela;Yet, up to this point, the complaint about this is lesser.et hi enim fortasse errant,For perhaps they made a mistake in this,Deum quærentes, et volentes invenire.while desiring and seeking to find God.

⁷Etenim cum in operibus illius conversentur inquirunt, et persuasum habent quoniam bona sunt quæ videntur.And, indeed, having some familiarity with him through his works, they search, and they are persuaded, because the things that they are seeing are good.

⁷Etenim cum in operibus illius conversentur inquirunt, et persuasum habent quoniam bona sunt quæ videntur.And, indeed, having some familiarity with him through his works, they search, and they are persuaded, because the things that they are seeing are good.

⁸Iterum autem nec his debet ignosci.But, then again, neither can their debt be ignored.

⁸Iterum autem nec his debet ignosci.But, then again, neither can their debt be ignored.

⁹Si enim tantum potuerunt scire ut possent æstimare sæculum,For, if they were able to know enough so that they could value the universe,quomodo hujus Dominum non facilius invenerunt?how is it they did not easily discover the Lord of it?

⁹Si enim tantum potuerunt scire ut possent æstimare sæculum,For, if they were able to know enough so that they could value the universe,quomodo hujus Dominum non facilius invenerunt?how is it they did not easily discover the Lord of it?

¹⁰Infelices autem sunt,Yet they are unhappy,et inter mortuos spes illorum est,and their hope is among the dead,qui appellaverunt deos opera manuum hominum:for they have called ‘gods’ the works of the hands of men,aurum et argentum,gold and silver,artis inventionem,the inventions of skill,et similitudines animalium,and the likeness of animals,aut lapidem inutilem,or a useless stone,opus manus antiquæ.the work of an ancient hand.

¹⁰Infelices autem sunt,Yet they are unhappy,et inter mortuos spes illorum est,and their hope is among the dead,qui appellaverunt deos opera manuum hominum:for they have called ‘gods’ the works of the hands of men,aurum et argentum,gold and silver,artis inventionem,the inventions of skill,et similitudines animalium,and the likeness of animals,aut lapidem inutilem,or a useless stone,opus manus antiquæ.the work of an ancient hand.

¹¹Aut si quis artifex faber de silva lignum rectum secuerit, et hujus docte eradat omnem corticem, et arte sua usus diligenter fabricet vas utile in conversationem vitæ;Or, it is as if a craftsman, a workman of the forest, had cut straight wood, and, with his expertise, shaved off all of its bark, and, with his skill, diligently fashioned a vessel, practical for use in life,

¹¹Aut si quis artifex faber de silva lignum rectum secuerit, et hujus docte eradat omnem corticem, et arte sua usus diligenter fabricet vas utile in conversationem vitæ;Or, it is as if a craftsman, a workman of the forest, had cut straight wood, and, with his expertise, shaved off all of its bark, and, with his skill, diligently fashioned a vessel, practical for use in life,

¹²reliquiis autem ejus operis ad præparationem escæ abutatur,and even the remains of his work were exhausted in the preparation of food;

¹²reliquiis autem ejus operis ad præparationem escæ abutatur,and even the remains of his work were exhausted in the preparation of food;

¹³et reliquum horum quod ad nullos usus facit,and, from the remainder of this, which has become useful for nothing,lignum curvum et vorticibus plenum sculpat diligenter per vacuitatem suam,a curved piece of wood and full of knots, he diligently carves it in his spare time,et per scientiam suæ artis figuret illud,and, through the knowledge of his art,et assimilet illud imagini hominis,forms it and makes it in the image of a man,

¹³et reliquum horum quod ad nullos usus facit,and, from the remainder of this, which has become useful for nothing,lignum curvum et vorticibus plenum sculpat diligenter per vacuitatem suam,a curved piece of wood and full of knots, he diligently carves it in his spare time,et per scientiam suæ artis figuret illud,and, through the knowledge of his art,et assimilet illud imagini hominis,forms it and makes it in the image of a man,

¹⁴aut alicui ex animalibus illud comparet:or something comparable to an animal,perliniens rubrica,thoroughly rubbing it with red ochre,et rubicundum faciens fuco colorem illius,to make it red with the color of the pigment,et omnem maculam quæ in illo est perliniens;and to cover every imperfection which is in it;

¹⁴aut alicui ex animalibus illud comparet:or something comparable to an animal,perliniens rubrica,thoroughly rubbing it with red ochre,et rubicundum faciens fuco colorem illius,to make it red with the color of the pigment,et omnem maculam quæ in illo est perliniens;and to cover every imperfection which is in it;

¹⁵et faciat ei dignam habitationem,and it is as if he made a fitting resting place for it,et in pariete ponens illud,even setting it in a wallet confirmans ferroand fastening it with iron,

¹⁵et faciat ei dignam habitationem,and it is as if he made a fitting resting place for it,et in pariete ponens illud,even setting it in a wallet confirmans ferroand fastening it with iron,

¹⁶ne forte cadat,providing for it,prospiciens illi:lest it should fall,sciens quoniam non potest adjuvare se:knowing that it is unable to help itself,imago enim est,for it is an imageet opus est illi adjutorium.and it is in need of help.

¹⁶ne forte cadat,providing for it,prospiciens illi:lest it should fall,sciens quoniam non potest adjuvare se:knowing that it is unable to help itself,imago enim est,for it is an imageet opus est illi adjutorium.and it is in need of help.

¹⁷Et de substantia sua,And then, making an offering,et de filiis suis,he inquires about his wealth,et de nuptiis votum faciens inquirit:and about his sons, and about marriage.non erubescit loqui cum illo qui sine anima est.And he is not ashamed to talk to that which has no soul.

¹⁷Et de substantia sua,And then, making an offering,et de filiis suis,he inquires about his wealth,et de nuptiis votum faciens inquirit:and about his sons, and about marriage.non erubescit loqui cum illo qui sine anima est.And he is not ashamed to talk to that which has no soul.

¹⁸Et pro sanitate quidem infirmum deprecatur,And for health, indeed, something unhealthy is being prayed to,et pro vita rogat mortuum,and for life, he petitions what is dead,et in adjutorium inutilem invocat.and for help, he calls upon something helpless,

¹⁸Et pro sanitate quidem infirmum deprecatur,And for health, indeed, something unhealthy is being prayed to,et pro vita rogat mortuum,and for life, he petitions what is dead,et in adjutorium inutilem invocat.and for help, he calls upon something helpless,

¹⁹Et pro itinere petit ab eo qui ambulare non potest;and for a good journey, he entreats that which is unable to walk,et de acquirendo,and for acquiring,et de operando,and for working,et de omnium rerum eventu,and for success in all things,petit ab eo qui in omnibus est inutilis.he entreats that which is useless in all things.

¹⁹Et pro itinere petit ab eo qui ambulare non potest;and for a good journey, he entreats that which is unable to walk,et de acquirendo,and for acquiring,et de operando,and for working,et de omnium rerum eventu,and for success in all things,petit ab eo qui in omnibus est inutilis.he entreats that which is useless in all things.