Septuagint Bible w/ Apocrypha LXX
New Revised Standard w/ Apocrypha NRSA
1 But thou, O God, art gracious and true, longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things,
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But you, our God, are kind and true, patient, and ruling all things in mercy.
2 For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy power: but we will not sin, knowing that we are counted thine.
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For even if we sin we are yours, knowing your power; but we will not sin, because we know that you acknowledge us as yours.
3 For to know thee is perfect righteousness: yea, to know thy power is the root of immortality.
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For to know you is complete righteousness, and to know your power is the root of immortality.
4 For neither did the mischievous invention of men deceive us, nor an image spotted with divers colours, the painter's fruitless labour;
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For neither has the evil intent of human art misled us, nor the fruitless toil of painters, a figure stained with varied colors,
5 The sight whereof enticeth fools to lust after it, and so they desire the form of a dead image, that hath no breath.
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whose appearance arouses yearning in fools, so that they desire the lifeless form of a dead image.
6 Both they that make them, they that desire them, and they that worship them, are lovers of evil things, and are worthy to have such things to trust upon.
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Lovers of evil things and fit for such objects of hope are those who either make or desire or worship them.
7 For the potter, tempering soft earth, fashioneth every vessel with much labour for our service: yea, of the same clay he maketh both the vessels that serve for clean uses, and likewise also all such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of either sort, the potter himself is the judge.
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A potter kneads the soft earth and laboriously molds each vessel for our service, fashioning out of the same clay both the vessels that serve clean uses and those for contrary uses, making all alike; but which shall be the use of each of them the worker in clay decides.
8 And employing his labours lewdly, he maketh a vain god of the same clay, even he which a little before was made of earth himself, and within a little while after returneth to the same, out when his life which was lent him shall be demanded.
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With misspent toil, these workers form a futile god from the same clay— these mortals who were made of earth a short time before and after a little while go to the earth from which all mortals are taken, when the time comes to return the souls that were borrowed.
9 Notwithstanding his care is, not that he shall have much labour, nor that his life is short: but striveth to excel goldsmiths and silversmiths, and endeavoureth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it his glory to make counterfeit things.
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But the workers are not concerned that mortals are destined to die or that their life is brief, but they compete with workers in gold and silver, and imitate workers in copper; and they count it a glorious thing to mold counterfeit gods.
10 His heart is ashes, his hope is more vile than earth, and his life of less value than clay:
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Their heart is ashes, their hope is cheaper than dirt, and their lives are of less worth than clay,
11 Forasmuch as he knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul, and breathed in a living spirit.
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because they failed to know the one who formed them and inspired them with active souls and breathed a living spirit into them.
12 But they counted our life a pastime, and our time here a market for gain: for, say they, we must be getting every way, though it be by evil means.
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But they considered our existence an idle game, and life a festival held for profit, for they say one must get money however one can, even by base means.
13 For this man, that of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels and graven images, knoweth himself to offend above all others.
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For these persons, more than all others, know that they sin when they make from earthy matter fragile vessels and carved images.
14 And all the enemies of thy people, that hold them in subjection, are most foolish, and are more miserable than very babes.
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But most foolish, and more miserable than an infant, are all the enemies who oppressed your people.
15 For they counted all the idols of the heathen to be gods: which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of hands to handle; and as for their feet, they are slow to go.
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For they thought that all their heathen idols were gods, though these have neither the use of their eyes to see with, nor nostrils with which to draw breath, nor ears with which to hear, nor fingers to feel with, and their feet are of no use for walking.
16 For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spirit fashioned them: but no man can make a god like unto himself.
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For a human being made them, and one whose spirit is borrowed formed them; for none can form gods that are like themselves.
17 For being mortal, he worketh a dead thing with wicked hands: for he himself is better than the things which he worshippeth: whereas he lived once, but they never.
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People are mortal, and what they make with lawless hands is dead; for they are better than the objects they worship, since they have life, but the idols never had.
18 Yea, they worshipped those beasts also that are most hateful: for being compared together, some are worse than others.
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Moreover, they worship even the most hateful animals, which are worse than all others when judged by their lack of intelligence;
19 Neither are they beautiful, so much as to be desired in respect of beasts: but they went without the praise of God and his blessing.
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and even as animals they are not so beautiful in appearance that one would desire them, but they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing.
The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.