Biblia Platense (Straubinger) · Catholic Public Domain Version
Sabiduría 13
1Vanidad son ciertamente todos los hombres en quienes no se halla la ciencia de Dios, y que por los bienes visibles no llegaron a conocer a Aquel que es; ni considerando las obras, reconocieron al artífice de ellas; But all men are vain, who are not under the knowledge of God, and who, from these good things that are seen, were not able to understand he who is, nor, by paying attention to the works, did they acknowledge he who was the artisan.2sino que se figuraron ser el fuego, o el viento, o el aire ligero o las constelaciones de los astros, o la gran mole de las aguas, o el sol y la luna los dioses gobernadores del mundo. Instead, they had considered either the fire, or the air, or the atmosphere, or the circle of stars, or the great sea, or the sun and moon, to be the gods that rule the world.3Y si encantados de la belleza de tales cosas las imaginaron dioses, debieron conocer cuánto más hermoso es el dueño de ellas; pues el que creó todas estas cosas es el autor de la hermosura. If they, being delighted by such sights, supposed them to be gods, let them know how great the Lord of them is in splendor. For he who created all things is the author of beauty.4O si se maravillaron de la virtud e influencia de estas creaturas, entender debían por ellas que Aquel que las creó, las sobrepuja en poder. Or, if they wondered at their power and their effects, let them understand by these things, that he who created them is mightier than they are.5Pues de la grandeza y hermosura de las creaturas, se puede a las claras venir al conocimiento de su Creador. For, by the greatness of the creation and its beauty, the creator of these will be able to be seen discernibly.6Mas los tales son menos reprensibles; porque yerran tal vez buscando a Dios y esforzándose por encontrarle, Yet, up to this point, the complaint about this is lesser. For perhaps they made a mistake in this, while desiring and seeking to find God.7por cuanto le buscan discurriendo sobre sus obras, de las cuales quedan como encantados por la belleza que ven en ellas; 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.8aunque ni tampoco a estos se les debe perdonar. But, then again, neither can their debt be ignored.9Porque si pudieron llegar por su sabiduría a conocer el mundo, ¿cómo no echaron de ver más fácilmente al Señor del mismo? For, if they were able to know enough so that they could value the universe, how is it they did not easily discover the Lord of it?10Pero, malaventurados son, y fundan en cosas muertas sus esperanzas, aquellos que llamaron dioses a las obras de la mano de los hombres, al oro y a la plata, labrados con arte, o a las figuras de los animales, o a una piedra inútil, obra de mano antigua. Yet they are unhappy, and their hope is among the dead, for they have called ‘gods’ the works of the hands of men, gold and silver, the inventions of skill, and the likeness of animals, or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.11Como cuando un artífice hábil corta del bosque un árbol derecho, y diestramente le quita toda la corteza, y valiéndose de su arte fabrica mañosamente un mueble a propósito para el servicio de la vida, 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,12y los restos de aquella obra los recoge para cocer la comida; and even the remains of his work were exhausted in the preparation of food;13y a uno de estos restos, que para nada sirve, por estar torcido y lleno de nudos, lo cincela diligentemente en ratos desocupados, y con la pericia de su arte va dándole figura, hasta hacer de él la imagen de un hombre, and, from the remainder of this, which has become useful for nothing, a curved piece of wood and full of knots, he diligently carves it in his spare time, and, through the knowledge of his art, forms it and makes it in the image of a man,14o darle la semejanza de un animal, pintándole de bermellón, y poniéndole la encarnadura, y cubriéndole todas las manchas que hay en él; or something comparable to an animal, thoroughly rubbing it with red ochre, to make it red with the color of the pigment, and to cover every imperfection which is in it;15y haciéndole un nicho conveniente, la coloca en la pared, y la afirma con clavos, and it is as if he made a fitting resting place for it, even setting it in a wall and fastening it with iron,16para que no caiga al suelo, usando con ella de esta precaución, porque sabe que no puede valerse por sí misma, puesto que es una mera imagen, la cual ha menester ayuda. providing for it, lest it should fall, knowing that it is unable to help itself, for it is an image and it is in need of help.17Y sin embargo, ofreciéndole votos, le consulta sobre su hacienda, sobre sus hijos, y sobre sus matrimonios. No tiene vergüenza de hablar con aquello que carece de vida. And then, making an offering, he inquires about his wealth, and about his sons, and about marriage. And he is not ashamed to talk to that which has no soul.18Antes bien suplica por la salud a un inválido, y ruega por la vida a un muerto, e invoca en su ayuda a un inútil. And for health, indeed, something unhealthy is being prayed to, and for life, he petitions what is dead, and for help, he calls upon something helpless,19Para hacer un viaje se encomienda a quien no puede menearse, y para sus ganancias y labores, y el buen éxito de todas las cosas hace oración al que es inútil para todo. and for a good journey, he entreats that which is unable to walk, and for acquiring, and for working, and for success in all things, he entreats that which is useless in all things.