Old Testament

New Testament

Wisdom 13:13-19 New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)

13. Then the good-for-nothing refuse from these remnants,crooked wood grown full of knots,he takes and carves to occupy his spare time.This wood he models with mindless skill,and patterns it on the image of a human being

14. or makes it resemble some worthless beast.When he has daubed it with red and crimsoned its surface with red stain,and daubed over every blemish in it,

15. He makes a fitting shrine for itand puts it on the wall, fastening it with a nail.

16. Thus he provides for it lest it fall down,knowing that it cannot help itself;for, truly, it is an image and needs help.

17. But when he prays about his goods or marriage or children,he is not ashamed to address the thing without a soul.For vigor he invokes the powerless;

18. for life he entreats the dead;For aid he beseeches the wholly incompetent;for travel, something that cannot even walk;

19. For profit in business and success with his handshe asks power of a thing with hands utterly powerless.

Read complete chapter Wisdom 13