Iterum alius navigare cogitans, et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat.

Again, another designing to sail, and beginning to make his voyage through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more frail than the wood that carrieth him.

Nay, here is one that will go a-voyaging, the wild waves for his pathway, and perishable wood to carry him, yet he makes his prayer to a piece of wood more perishable yet!

Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, et artifex sapientia fabricavit sua.

For this the desire of gain devised, and the workman built it by his skill.

As for the ship’s timbers, it was man’s covetousness that made the need for them, and man’s skill that fashioned them;

Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat: quoniam dedisti et in mari viam, et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam,

But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves,

but it is thy fatherly Providence that brings her safe to port; thou hast made the sea into a high road men may travel by without harm,

ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiam si sine arte aliquis adeat mare.

Shewing that thou art able to save out of all things, yea though a man went to sea without art.

as if thou wouldst prove to us how strong is thy protection, though the sailor have little skill.

Sed ut non essent vacua sapientiæ tuæ opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas, et transeuntes mare per ratem liberati sunt.

But that the works of thy wisdom might not be idle: therefore men also trust their lives even to a little wood, and passing over the sea by ship are saved.

So careful art thou that the gifts thy wisdom affords us should not go unused; man ventures his life on a few planks, and the frail barque gives him safe conduct across the waves.

Sed et ab initio cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, remisit sæculo semen nativitatis quæ manu tua erat gubernata.

And from the beginning also when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world fleeing to a vessel, which was governed by thy hand, left to the world seed of generation.

And what marvel? At the beginning of all, when the giants perished in their pride, was not such a barque the refuge of all the world’s hopes? Yet thy hand was at the helm, and the seed of life was saved for posterity.

Benedictum est enim lignum per quod fit justitia;

For blessed is the wood, by which justice cometh

A blessing on the wood that can so procure salvation!

per manus autem quod fit idolum, maledictum est et ipsum, et qui fecit illud: quia ille quidem operatus est, illud autem cum esset fragile, deus cognominatus est.

But the idol that is made by hands, is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he because he made it; and it because being frail it is called a god.

But yonder idol is accursed, no less than the man who made it; he for his wicked design, and the lifeless thing for the legend of divinity that was attached to it.

Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus;

But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike.

Sinner and sin, God hates both;

etenim quod factum est, cum illo qui fecit tormenta patietur.

For that which is made, together with him that made it, shall suffer torments.

pardon is none for deed or doer.

Propter hoc et in idolis nationum non erit respectus, quoniam creaturæ Dei in odium factæ sunt, et in tentationem animabus hominum, et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.

Therefore there shall be no respect had even to the idols of the Gentiles: because the creatures of God are turned to an abomination, and a temptation to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.

Thus it is that a time of reckoning will come for these idols the Gentiles make; part of God’s creation though they be, he detests them, so have they entangled men’s souls, and laid a trap for fools.

Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, et adinventio illorum corruptio vitæ est:

For the beginning of fornication is the devising of idols: and the invention of them is the corruption of life.

When idols were first devised, then began unfaithfulness; there was death in the invention of them.

neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.

For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.

For indeed they were no part of man’s life from the first, nor shall be at the last;

Supervacuitas enim hominum hæc advenit in orbem terrarum, et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.

For by the vanity of men they came into the world: and therefore they shall be found to come shortly to an end.

it was but man’s folly brought them into the world, and there shall be a short way with them yet.

Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem; et illum qui tunc quasi homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere cœpit, et constituit inter servos suos sacra et sacrificia.

For a father being afflicted with bitter grief, made to himself the image of his son who was quickly taken away: and him who then had died as a man, he began now to worship as a god, and appointed him rites and sacrifices among his servants.

Here was some father, bowed with sorrow before his time, his child untimely lost; the likeness of those features once made, to mortal man (that was dead besides) he would pay divine honours, and with that, rites of initiation must become the tradition of his clan.

Deinde interveniente tempore, convalescente iniqua consuetudine, hic error tamquam lex custoditus est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta.

Then in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants.

As time went on, impious habit grew into impious custom. A king would have his own likeness adored,

Et hos quos in palam homines honorare non poterant propter hoc quod longe essent, e longinquo figura eorum allata, evidentem imaginem regis quem honorare volebant fecerunt, ut illum qui aberat, tamquam præsentem colerent sua sollicitudine.

And those whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they brought their resemblance from afar, and made an express image of the king whom they had a mind to honour: that by this their diligence, they might honour as present, him that was absent.

and his subjects, living far away, so that they could not do obeisance to him in person, would have his present image set up in their view, eager to pay his absent royalty their adulation.

Provexit autem ad horum culturam et hos qui ignorabant artificis eximia diligentia.

And to the worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant.

And if any spur were needed yet for their ignorant superstition, the rivalry of craftsmen afforded it;

Ille enim, volens placere illi qui se assumpsit, elaboravit arte sua ut similitudinem in melius figuraret.

For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner.

each of these sought to please his master by improving the portrait, with the utmost abuse of his skill,

Multitudo autem hominum, abducta per speciem operis, eum qui ante tempus tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum æstimaverunt.

And the multitude of men, carried away by the beauty of the work, took him now for a god that a little before was but honoured as a man.

till at last the vulgar, carried away by so much grace of art, would account him a god whom yesterday they reverenced as mortal man.

Et hæc fuit vitæ humanæ deceptio, quoniam aut affectui aut regibus deservientes homines, incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.

And this was the occasion of deceiving human life: for men serving either their affection, or their kings, gave the incommunicable name to stones and wood.

So, unawares, the world was caught in the ambush; under the stress, now of bereavement, now of royal policy, men imparted to stocks and stones the incommunicable name of God.

Et non suffecerat errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiæ bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.

And it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but whereas they lived in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace.

Nor were they content with these false notions of God’s nature; living in a world besieged by doubt, they misnamed its innumerable disorders a state of peace.

Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes, aut obscura sacrificia facientes, aut insaniæ plenas vigilias habentes,

For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness,

Peace, amidst their rites of child-murder, their dark mysteries, their vigils consecrated to frenzy!

neque vitam, neque nuptias mundas jam custodiunt: sed alius alium per invidiam occidit, aut adulterans contristat,

So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one killeth another through envy, or grieveth him by adultery:

Peace, while there is no respect for life, or for wedlock undefiled; always the murderous ambush, the jealous pangs of a husband betrayed!

et omnia commista sunt: sanguis, homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et perjurium, tumultus bonorum,

And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good,

All is a welter of bloodshed and murder, theft and fraud, corruption and disloyalty, sedition and perjury;

Dei immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, nativitatis immutatio, nuptiarum inconstantia, inordinatio mœchiæ et impudicitiæ.

Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleanness.

honest men are assailed, kindnesses forgotten, souls defiled, breeds confused, marriages unsettled; adultery reigns and wantonness.

Infandorum enim idolorum cultura omnis mali causa est, et initium et finis.

For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil.

Name we all these, name we never the idols whose worship is the cause, the beginning and end, of all these!

Aut enim dum lætantur insaniunt, aut certe vaticinantur falsa, aut vivunt injuste, aut pejerant cito.

For either they are mad when they are merry: or they prophesy lies, or they live unjustly, or easily forswear themselves.

Their ecstasies are but raving, their prophecies are but lies; ill live their worshippers, and lightly forswear themselves.

Dum enim confidunt in idolis quæ sine anima sunt, male jurantes noceri se non sperant.

For whilst they trust in idols, which are without life, though they swear amiss, they look not to be hurt.

And no marvel; what hurt should they take from the oath falsely sworn, since all their faith is in dead gods?

Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, et juraverunt injuste, in dolo contemnentes justitiam.

But for two things they shall be justly punished, because they have thought not well of God, giving heed to idols, and have sworn unjustly, in guile despising justice.

But indeed they shall pay both scores, idolaters that thought so ill of God, and perjurers that by their treason slighted all honour;

Non enim juratorum virtus, sed peccantium pœna, perambulat semper injustorum prævaricationem.

For it is not the power of them, by whom they swear, but the just vengeance of sinners always punisheth the transgression of the unjust.

not the power he swore by, but the justice that keeps watch over sinners, walks ever close on the heels of ill-doing.