9 But his concern is not that he should work hard, nor that his life is short; but he competes with the painters of gold and silver, and imitates the coppersmiths, and counts to himself the glory of doing abominations.

10 His heart is ashes, and his hope is less than the earth, and his life is more contemptible than filth;

11 for he did not know him who created him, and breathed into him an active soul, and breathed into him the spirit of life.

12 They consider our life to be a pastime, and our life a profitable trade, for they say that we must profit from somewhere, even from evil.

13 Yet such a one knows more than anyone else that he sins in making mortal vessels and images out of earthy matter.

14 But the most foolish of all, and the poorest of the most babes, are the enemies of thy people, who oppress them,

15 because they worship all the idols of the heathen as gods, which have neither eyes to see, nor nostrils to attract air, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of the hands to touch, and whose feet are not fit to walk.

16 Though man made them, and the borrowing spirit formed them, yet no man can form a god like himself.

17 Being mortal, he maketh dead things with wicked hands, therefore he is more excellent than his gods, for he lived, and they never.

18 Moreover, they revere the most abominable animals, which in their senselessness are comparatively worse than all.

19 They are even ugly in appearance, like other animals, so that they can draw to themselves, but they lack both God's approval and His blessing.

Chapter 16

1 Wherefore they were worthily punished by such beasts, and were torn to pieces by a multitude of monsters.

2 Instead of this punishment thou hast done good to thy people: to satisfy their whim, thou hast prepared for them for their nourishment an extraordinary food, quails,