Wisdom Chapter 14

Other Translations

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

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

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

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

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

5 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:

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

7 Benedictum est enim lignum, per quod fit iustitia.

8 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.

9 Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius, et impietas eius.

10 Etenim quod factum est, cum illo, qui fecit, tormenta patietur.

11 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.

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

13 neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.

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

15 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.

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

17 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, tanquam præsentem colerent sua sollicitudine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25 et omnia commista sunt, sanguis, homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et periurium, tumultus bonorum,

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

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

28 Aut enim dum lætantur, insaniunt: aut certe vaticinantur falsa, aut vivunt iniuste, aut peierant cito.

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

30 Utraque ergo illis evenient digne, quoniam male senserunt de Deo, attendentes idolis, et iuraverunt iniuste, in dolo contemnentes iustitiam.

31 Non enim iuratorum virtus, sed peccantium pœna perambulat semper iniustorum prævaricationem.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).