1 For all men while ignorant of God were useless in their condition. So from the good things that are seen They were unable to know Him who exists, Nor did they know the Craftsman by paying attention to His works.
2 But they supposed that the gods who rule the world Were either fire or wind or swift air, Or the circle of the stars or violent water or the luminaries of heaven.
3 If while delighting in their beauty men assumed them to be gods, Let them know how much better than these things is their Lord, For the Creator of beauty created them;
4 And if they were amazed at their power and working, Let them understand from them How much more powerful than these is He who made them.
5 For from the greatness and beauty of created things the Creator is seen by analogy.
6 Nevertheless there is little reason for complaint against them, For perhaps they go astray while seeking God and wish to find Him.
7 For as they live among His works, they examine them closely And are persuaded by what they see, Because the things they see are beautiful.
8 However, they are not to be excused;
9 For if they were able to know so much With their ability to inv estigate the world, How is it possible they did not quickly find The Lord of all these things?
10 But they are miserable, and so are their hopes in dead things, Those who call “gods” the works of men's hands, Gold, silv er, and the practice of craftsmanship, And the likeness of animals, Or a worthless stone of an ancient hand.
11 But also, if some carpenter saws down an easily moved tree And skillfully scrapes away all its bark, He then builds a useful vessel beautifully made by his skill for the service of the living,
12 And uses up the cast-off pieces of his trade to prepare his food and be filled.
13 But a cast-off piece from among them, useful for nothing, That grew up with the tree, crooked and full of knots, He takes and carves with care in his leisure And forms it with intelligent skill, And models it in the likeness of a man.
14 Or he likens it to some worthless animal and smears it with bright red paint, Making its surface red, Covering every blemish in it with paint.
15 Then he makes a room fitting for it and puts it on a wall and fastens it with iron nails That it may not fall.
16 He takes care of it, knowing that it cannot help itself; For it is an image that has need of help.
17 When he prays about his possessions, His marriage and his children, He is not ashamed to speak to a lifeless thing, And he appeals to a weak thing concerning his health.
18 Concerning life he prays to something dead; Concerning aid he supplicates something ignorant; And concerning a journey, something that cannot take a step;
19 Concerning means of livelihood, profit and success with his hands; He requests bodily strength From something powerless with its hands.