The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Solomon 13
1 For truly all men who had no perception
of God were foolish by nature,
and didn’t gain power to know him
who exists from the good things that
are seen. They didn’t recognize the architect
from his works.
2 But they thought that either fire, or wind,
or swift air, or circling stars, or raging water, or
luminaries of heaven were gods that rule the world.
3 If it was through delight in their beauty
that they took them to be gods,
let them know how much better their
Sovereign Lord is than these,
for the first author of beauty created
them.
4 But if it was through astonishment at
their power and influence,
then let them understand from them
how much more powerful he who
formed them is.
5 For from the greatness of the beauty of
created things, mankind forms the corresponding
perception of their Maker.†
6 But yet for these men there is but small
blame, for they too perhaps go astray
while they are seeking God and desiring to find him.
7 For they diligently search while living
among his works, and they trust their sight that the
things that they look at are beautiful.
8 But again even they are notto be excused.
9 For if they had power to know so much,
that they should be able to explore the
world, how is it that they didn’t find the
Sovereign Lord sooner?
10 But they were miserable, and their
hopes were in dead things, who called them gods which are
works of men’s hands, gold and silver, skillfully made, and
likenesses of animals, or a useless
stone, the work of an ancient hand.
11 Yes and some‡ woodcutter might saw
down a tree that is easily moved,
skillfully strip away all its bark,
and fashion it in attractive form, make
a useful vessel to serve his life’s needs.
12 Burning the scraps from his handiwork
to cook his food, he eats his fill.
13 Taking a discarded scrap which served
no purpose, a crooked piece of wood and full of
knots, he carves it with the diligence of his
idleness, and shapes it by the skill of his idleness.
He shapes it in the image of a man,
14 or makes it like some worthless animal,
smearing it with something red, painting it red,
and smearing over every stain in it.
15 Having made a worthy chamber for it,
he sets it in a wall, securing it with
iron.
16 He plans for it that it may not fall down,
knowing that it is unable to help itself
(for truly it is an image, and needs
help).
17 When he makes his prayer concerning
goods and his marriage and children,
he is not ashamed to speak to that
which has no life.
18 Yes, for health, he calls upon that which
is weak. For life, he implores that which is
dead. For aid, he supplicates that which has
no experience. For a good journey, he asks that which
can’t so much as move a step.
19 And for profit in business and good success of his hands,
he asks ability from that which has
hands with no ability.