14 — Wisdom

1Again, 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.Parimente un altro, che pensa di navigare, e stando per fare viaggio per mezzo ai flutti tempestosi invoca un legno più fragile, che quel, che lo porta.AGAYNE an other thinking to sayle, and begynning to make a iorney through the fierce waues, inuocateth wood more fraile then the wood that carieth him.Iterum alius navigare cogitans, / et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, / ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat. 2For this the desire of gain devised, and the workman built it by his skill.Perocché questo fu inventato dalla cupidità del guadagno, e fabbricato dall'artefice col suo sapere.For couetousnes of getting inuented it, and the craftesman by his wisdom framed it.Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, / et artifex sapientia fabricavit sua. 3But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves,Ma dalla tua previdenza, o Padre, egli è governato, perché tu apristi anche nel mare una strada, e passaggio fermissimo per mezzo ai flutti.But thy prouidence, ô Father, doth gouerne: because thou hast geuen a way euen in the sea, and among the waues a most sure path,Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat: / quoniam dedisti et in mari viam, / et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam, 4Shewing that thou art able to save out of all things, yea, though a man went to sea without art.Facendo vedere come da qualunque pericolo tu puoi salvare anche quando senz'arte uno entri nel mare.shewing that thou art able to saue out of al thinges, yea if a man goe to the sea without art.ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, / etiam si sine arte aliquis adeat mare. 5But 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.Ma affinchè non restassero inutili le opere di tua sapienza, per questo ancora gli uomini affidano ad un legno le loro vite, e valicano il mare sopra una barca, e si salvano.But that thy workes might not be voyde of wisdom: for this cause also men commit their liues euen to a little wood, and passing ouer the sea are deliuered by shippe.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. 6And 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.E ancor da principio allorché i superbi giganti perirono, si rifugiò la speranza del mondo in una nave, la quale governata dalla tua mano rendette al secolo la semenza di suo rinascimento;But from the begynning also when the prowde giants perished, the hope of the world fleing to a shippe, rendered to the world feede of natiuitie, which was gouerned by thy hand.Sed et ab initio cum perirent superbi gigantes, / spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, / remisit sæculo semen nativitatis quæ manu tua erat gubernata.

7For blessed is the wood, by which justice comethPerocché benedetto è il legno, che serve alla giustizia.For blessed is the wood, by the which iustice is made.Benedictum est enim lignum per quod fit justitia; 8But 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.Ma il legno manofatto di un idolo, è maledetto, ed egli, e l'artefice; questi perché lo formò, e quello perché essendo cosa frale portò il nome di dio.But the idol that is made by handes, cursed is both it, and he that made it: because he in deede wrought it: and the same being fraile, was called god.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. 9But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike.E Dio odia egualmente l'empio, e la sua empietà.But to God the impious and his impietie are odious alike.Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus; 10For that which is made, together with him that made it, shall suffer torments.E l'opera stessa, con chi la fece, sarà punita.For that which is made, with him that made it, shal suffer torments. For this cause also in the idol of the nationsetenim quod factum est, cum illo qui fecit tormenta patietur. 11Therefore 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.Per questo anche gli idoli delle nazioni non saran risparmiati, perché le creature di Dio furon fatte servire all'abbominazione, e tentare le anime degli uomini, e ad esser laccio a' piedi degli stolti;there shal be no respect: because the creatures of God were made to hatred, and for tentation to the soules of men, and for a snare to the feete of the vnwise.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. 12For the beginning of fornication is the devising of idols: and the invention of them is the corruption of life.Imperocché la invenzione degli idoli è principio di fornicazione, e il loro ritrovamento fu la corruzione della vita:For the begynning of fornication is the deuising of idols: and the inuenting of them is the corruption of life.Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, / et adinventio illorum corruptio vitæ est:

13For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.Perocché questi da principio non furono, e non saranno per sempre;For neither were they from the begynning, neither shal they be for euer.neque enim erant ab initio, / neque erunt in perpetuum. 14For by the vanity of men they came into the world: and therefore they shall be found to come shortly to an end.Conciossiaché la vanità degli uomini gli introdusse nel mondo, e perciò in breve verrà il loro esterminio.For this vanitie of men came into the world: and therfore there is found a short end of them.Supervacuitas enim hominum hæc advenit in orbem terrarum, / et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus. 15For 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.Un padre pieno di dolore si fece il ritratto di un figliuolo rapito a lui repentinamente, e quello, che allora morì come uomo, ha cominciato adesso a onorarlo qual Dio, e tra' suoi servitori gli assegna culto, e sacrifizj:For the father being sorowful with bitter moorning, made vnto himself the image of his sonne quickly taken away: and him, that then was a dead man, now he began to worshipe as god, and appointed holie thinges and sacrifices among his seruants.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. 16Then, in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants.Indi coll'andare del tempo prese piede la prava consuetudine, e l'errore fu osservato qual legge, e per ordine de' tiranni onorati furono i simolacri.Afterward by succession of time, the wicked custom preuayling, this errour was kept as a law, and thinges grauen were worshipped by the commandement af tyrants.Deinde interveniente tempore, convalescente iniqua consuetudine, / hic error tamquam lex custoditus est, / et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta. 17And 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.E quelli, che gli uomini non potevano onorare personalmente, perché erano assenti, fatto venire da lungi il loro ritratto, esposero in chiara luce l'immagine del re, a cui volevan rendere onore, affine di tributargli i loro ossequi come se fosse presente.And those, whom openly men could not honour, for that they were far of, their figure being brought from a far, they made an euident image of the king, whom they would honour: that by their carefulnes they might honour as present, him that was absent.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.

18And to the worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant.E ad un simil culto furono spinti anche gli ignoranti dalla finissima diligenza dell'artefice.And to the worshipping of these, the excellent diligence also of the artificer, holpe them forward, that were ignorant.Provexit autem ad horum culturam / et hos qui ignorabant artificis eximia diligentia. 19For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner.Mentre questi per piacere a chi lo adoperava, fece ogni sforzo dell'arte per fare più perfetta l'immagine.For he willing to please him, that entertained him, laboured by his art, to fashion the similitude in better sort.Ille enim, volens placere illi qui se assumpsit, / elaboravit arte sua ut similitudinem in melius figuraret. 20And the multitude of men, carried away by the beauty of the work, took him now for a god, that little before was but honoured as a man.Onde la turba rapita dalla belletta dell'opera, prende adesso per un Dio colui, che poco prima si onorava come uomo.And the multitude of men caried away by the beautie of the worke, him that a little before had bene honoured as a man, now they estemed for a god.Multitudo autem hominum, abducta per speciem operis, / eum qui ante tempus tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, / nunc deum æstimaverunt. 21And 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.Così precipitò nell'errore la umana vita, mentre gli uomini, o per secondare il proprio affetto, o per ingrazianirsi coi regi, diedero al legno, ed ai sassi il nome incomunicabile.And this was the deceyuing of mans life: because men seruing either affection, or kinges, gaue the name that is not communicable to stones and wood.Et hæc fuit vitæ humanæ deceptio, / quoniam aut affectui aut regibus deservientes homines, / incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt. 22And 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.Né bastò l'avere errato riguardo alla cognizione di Dio, ma vivendo gli uomini nella guerra grande della loro ignoranza a tanti mali, e sì grandi danno nome di pace.And it was not sufficient that they erred about the knowlege of God, but also liuing in a great battail of ignorance so manie and so great euils they cal peace.Et non suffecerat errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, / sed et in magno viventes inscientiæ bello, / tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.

23For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness,Conciossiachè or sacrificando i proprj figliuoli, or tenebrosi sacrifizj facendo, or celebrando veglie piene d'infamità;For either sacrificing their children, or making abscure sacrifices, or hauing watches ful of madnes,Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes, / aut obscura sacrificia facientes, / aut insaniæ plenas vigilias habentes, 24So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one killeth another through envy, or grieveth him by adultery:Né la vita loro, né i matrimoni conservano puri; ma l'uno uccide l'altro per invidia, o lo contrista co' suoi adulterj.they now neither keepe life, nor mariage cleane, but one killeth an other by enuie, or playing the adulterer maketh him sorowful:neque vitam, neque nuptias mundas jam custodiunt: / sed alius alium per invidiam occidit, / aut adulterans contristat, 25And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft, and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good,E dappertutto inondano le stragi, gli assassini, i furti, le fraudi, le corruttele, le infedeltà, i tumulti, gli spergiuri, la vessazione de' buoni.and al thinges are mingled together, bloud, manslaughter, theft and fiction, corruption, and infidelitie, truble, and p••iutie, disquieting of the good,et omnia commista sunt: sanguis, homicidium, / furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, / turbatio et perjurium, tumultus bonorum, 26Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleanness.La dimenticanza di Dio, la contaminazione delle anime, la incertezza de' parti, la incostanza de' matrimoni, la confusione degli adulterj, e della impudicizia.forgetfulnes of God, inquination of soules, immutation of natiuitie, inconstancie of mariage, disorder of adulterie, and vnchastnes.Dei immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, / nativitatis immutatio, nuptiarum inconstantia, / inordinatio mœchiæ et impudicitiæ. 27For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil.Conciossiachè l'abbominevol culto degli idoli è causa, e principio, e fine di ogni male;For the worshippe of idols not to be named, is the cause of al euil, and the beginning and end.Infandorum enim idolorum cultura / omnis mali causa est, et initium et finis. 28For either they are mad when they are merry: or they prophesy lies, or they live unjustly, or easily forswear themselves.Imperocché o nelle loro feste danno in insania, o almeno falsi oracoli fingono, o vivono senza giustizia, o spergiurano con facilità.For either when they reioyce, they are madde: or certes prophecie false thinges, or liue vniustly, or quickly forsweare themselues.Aut enim dum lætantur insaniunt, / aut certe vaticinantur falsa, / aut vivunt injuste, aut pejerant cito.

29For whilst they trust in idols, which are without life, though they swear amiss, they look not to be hurt.Perché confidati ne' loro idoli, che sono senz'anima, sperano, che male non farà ad essi il giurar malamente:For whiles they trust in idols, which are without soule, swearing amisse they hope not to be hurt.Dum enim confidunt in idolis quæ sine anima sunt, / male jurantes noceri se non sperant. 30But for both these 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.Ma per l'una, e pell'altra causa giustamente saran puniti, perché dediti a' loro idoli pensaron male di Dio, e fecero giuramenti ingiusti, e fraudolenti con disprezzo della giustizia.Two euil thinges therfore shal happen to them worthely, because they haue thought euil of God, attending to idols, and haue sworne vniustly, in guile contemning iustice. For it is not the powre of them, that are sworne by,Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, / quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, / et juraverunt injuste, / in dolo contemnentes justitiam. 31For it is not the power of them, by whom they swear, but the just vengeance of sinners always punisheth the transgression of the unjust.Imperocché non la potenza di quelli, pe' quali essi giurano, ma la vendetta de' peccatori va sempre dietro alle prevaricazioni degli ingiusti.but the punishment of them that sinne, goeth alwayes through the trangression of the vniust.Non enim juratorum virtus, / sed peccantium pœna, / perambulat semper injustorum prævaricationem.