13:1 凡不认识天主的人，都是真正的愚人，因为，他们未能从看得见的美物，去发现那自有者；注意了工程，却不认识工程师；
For all men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan; 13:2 反而认火、风、流动的空气、运转的星辰、洪流的巨涛、天上的光体，为统治世界的神。
But either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods. 13:3 如果有人因这些东西的美丽而着迷，奉之为神；那么，他们就应知道：这些美物的主宰更是美丽，因为，全是美丽的唯一根源所创造的。
Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them. 13:4 如果有人惊奇这些东西的力量和效能，就应明白：创造这些东西的更有能力；
Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them. 13:5 因为，从受造物的伟大和美丽，人可以推想到这些东西的创造者。
For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen. 13:6 不过，这种人的罪尚较轻微，因为，他们寻找天主，也有意找到，却一时误入了迷途：
But yet, for these the blame is less; For they indeed have gone astray perhaps, though they seek God and wish to find him. 13:7 这或许是由于他们所见的世物实在美丽，因此在专务研究他的工程时，只追求外表；
For they search busily among his works, but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair. 13:8 但他们仍然不能推辞无过：
But again, not even these are pardonable. 13:9 因为他们既然能知道的如此渊博，甚至能探究宇宙，为什么不能及早发现这些东西的主宰﹖
For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its LORD? 13:10 有些人真是可怜!他们竟将希望寄于死东西上，竟称人的手工、金银和艺术的创作、动物的肖像、或古人雕刻的无用的石为神。
But doomed are they, and in dead things are their hopes, who termed gods things made by human hands: Gold and silver, the product of art, and likenesses of beasts, or useless stone, the work of an ancient hand. 13:11 设想：有个木匠，锯来一棵适用的树木，精巧地剥净树皮，熟练地施展技巧，制成一件日常生活的用具；
A carpenter may saw out a suitable tree and skillfully scrape off all its bark, And deftly plying his art, produce something fit for daily use, 13:12 以后用工作剩余的碎木，煮饭充饥；
and use up the refuse from his handiwork in preparing his food, and have his fill; 13:13 后来由那些剩下一无所用的废木中，取出一块弯曲多疤的木头，在闲暇无事时，辛勤地加以雕刻，本着自己熟悉的手艺，按图样将它刻成一个人像，
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 listless skill, and patterns it on the image of a man 13:14 或做成一个卑贱的兽像，涂上丹砂，将外皮漆成红色，遮住一切疤痕；
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, 13:15 随后，为它做一个适宜的居所，把它嵌在墙上，用钉子钉住，
He makes a fitting shrine for it and puts it on the wall, fastening it with a nail. 13:16 预先加以照顾，免得它掉下来，因为他知道：这件东西是不能自助的，不过只是偶像，需要人来扶助。
Thus lest it fall down he provides for it, knowing that it cannot help itself; for, truly, it is an image and needs help. 13:17 但是，他反不感羞耻地向这无灵之物祷告，祈赐财富、妻室和子嗣；
But when he prays about his goods or marriage or children, he is not ashamed to address the thing without a soul. And for vigor he invokes the powerless; 13:18 向这虚弱的东西，要求健康；向这死物，要求生命；向这无能的东西，要求援助；
and for life he entreats the dead; And for aid he beseeches the wholly incompetent, and about travel, something that cannot even walk. 13:19 向这有脚不能行的东西，要求旅行；向这有手而毫无动作的东西，要求发财、工作、事业成功的力量。
And for profit in business and success with his hands he asks facility of a thing with hands completely inert.