Wisdom 15
15
1 # See Ex. 34.6. But thou, our God, art gracious and true,
Longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things.
2For even if we sin, #Cp. Is. 63.19.we are thine, knowing thy dominion;
But we shall not sin, knowing that we have been accounted thine:
3For #Cp. John 17.3.to be acquainted with thee is #15.3 Gr. entire.perfect righteousness,
And to know thy dominion is #Cp. ch. 3.15.the root of immortality.
4 # Cp. ch. 14.20 & Acts 17.29. For neither were we led astray by any evil device of men's art,
Nor yet by #Cp. ch. 13.14.painters' fruitless labour,
A form stained with varied colours;
5 # Cp. ch. 14.12. The sight whereof leadeth fools into #15.5 Some authorities read reproach.lust:
Their desire is for the #Cp. ver. 15.breathless form of a #ch. 13.10.dead image.
6Lovers of evil things, and worthy of such hopes as these,
Are #Cp. ch. 14.8,9 & Ps. 115.8 & 135.18. See Is. 44.9-11.both they that do, and they that desire, and they that worship.
7 # Cp. Is. 45.9 & 64.8 & Jer. 18.3,4 & Ecclus. 33.13 & 38.29,30 & Rom. 9.21. For a potter, kneading soft earth,
Laboriously mouldeth each several vessel for our service:
Nay, #Cp. Is. 45.9 & 64.8 & Jer. 18.3,4 & Ecclus. 33.13 & 38.29,30 & Rom. 9.21.out of the same clay doth he fashion
Both #Cp. 2 Tim. 2.20.the vessels that minister to clean uses, and those of a contrary sort,
All in like manner;
But what shall be the use of each vessel of either sort,
The #15.7 Gr. worker in clay.craftsman himself is the judge.
8And also, labouring to an evil end, he mouldeth a vain god out of the same clay,
He who, having but a little before been made of earth,
After a short space #See Gen. 3.19.goeth his way to the earth out of which he was taken,
When he is #Cp. Luke 12.20.required to render back the #15.8 Or lifesoul #ver. 16.which was lent him.
9Howbeit he hath anxious care,
Not because his powers must fail,
Nor because his span of life is short;
But he matcheth himself against goldsmiths and #15.9 Gr. silver-founders. #Cp. Acts 19.24.silversmiths,
And he imitateth moulders in #15.9 Or copperbrass,
And esteemeth it glory that he mouldeth counterfeits.
10His heart is ashes,
And his hope of less value than earth,
And his life of less honour than clay:
11Because he was ignorant of him that moulded him,
And of him that inspired into him #15.11 Gr. a soul that moveth to activity.an active #15.11 Or lifesoul,
And #See Gen. 2.7.breathed into him a vital spirit.
12But #15.12 Some authorities read they accounted.he accounted our very life to be a #15.12 Or sportplaything,
And our #15.12 Or way of lifelifetime #Cp. James 4.13.a gainful #15.12 Or keeping of festivalfair;
For, saith he, one must get gain whence one can, though it be by evil.
13For this man beyond all others knoweth that he sinneth,
# Cp. ver. 8. Out of earthy matter making brittle vessels and graven images.
14But most foolish #15.14 Or are were they all, and #15.14 Gr. more wretched than the soul of a babe. The Greek text here is perhaps corrupt.of feebler soul than a babe,
The enemies of thy people, who oppressed them;
15Because they even accounted all the idols of the nations to be gods;
# See Ps. 115.5-7 & 135.16,17. Which have neither the use of eyes for seeing,
Nor nostrils #Cp. ver. 5 & Hab. 2.19.for drawing breath,
Nor ears to hear,
Nor fingers for handling,
And #See ch. 13.18.their feet are helpless for walking.
16For a man made them,
And one #ver. 8.whose own spirit is borrowed moulded them;
For no one hath power, being a man, to mould a god like unto himself,
17But, being mortal, he maketh #ch. 13.10,18.a dead thing by the work of lawless hands;
For he is better than the objects of his worship,
# 15.17 Most authorities read Of which, he indeed. Forasmuch as he indeed had life, but #Cp. 1 Cor. 8.4.they never.
18YEA, and #ch. 11.15.the creatures that are most hateful do they worship,
# 15.18 The Greek text here is perhaps corrupt. For, being compared as to want of sense, these are worse than all others;
19Neither, as seen beside other creatures, are they beautiful, so that one should desire them,
But #Cp. Gen. 1.25,31 & 3.14.they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing.
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Wisdom 15: RV1895
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historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society