11. Because he was ignorant of him that moulded him, And of him that inspired into him an active soul, And breathed into him a vital spirit.
12. But he accounted our very life to be a plaything, And our lifetime a gainful fair; For, says he, one must get gain whence one can, though it be by evil.
13. For this man beyond all others knows that he sins, Out of earthy matter making brittle vessels and graven images.
14. But most foolish were they all, and of feebler soul than a babe, The enemies of your people, who oppressed them;
15. Because they even accounted all the idols of the nations to be gods; Which have neither the use of eyes for seeing, Nor nostrils for drawing breath, Nor ears to hear, Nor fingers for handling, And their feet are helpless for walking.
16. For a man made them, And one whose own spirit is borrowed moulded them; For no one has power, being a man, to mould a god like to himself,
17. But, being mortal, he makes a dead thing by the work of lawless hands; For he is better than the objects of his worship, Forasmuch as he indeed had life, but they never.
18. Yes, and the creatures that are most hateful do they worship, For, being compared as to lack of sense, these are worse than all others;
19. Neither, as seen beside other creatures, are they beautiful, so that one should desire them, But they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing.