§50ὑπάρχοντα γὰρ ξύλινα καὶ περίχρυσα καὶ περιάργυρα γνωσθήσεται μετὰ ταῦτα ὅτι ἐστὶν ψευδῆ· τοῖς ἔθνεσι πᾶσι τοῖς τε βασιλεῦσι φανερὸν ἔσται ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶ θεοὶ ἀλλὰ ἔργα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὐδὲν θεοῦ ἔργον ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐστίν.
For being of wood, and overlaid with gold and with silver, it shall be known hereafter that they are false: and it shall be manifest to all nations and kings that they are no gods, but the works of men's hands, and that there is no work of God in them.
§51Τίνι οὗν γνωστέον ἐστὶν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν θεοί;
By whom then is it to be known that they are no gods?
§52βασιλέα γὰρ χώρας οὐ μὴ ἀναστήσωσιν, οὕτε ὑετὸν ἀνθρώποις οὐ μὴ δώσιν,
For they shall never set up a king in the land, nor give rain unto men.
§53κρίσιν τε οὐ μὴ διακρίνωσιν ἑαυτῶν, οὐδὲ μὴ όύσωνται ἀδίκημα, ἀδύνατοι ὄντες· §54ὥσπερ γὰρ κορῶναι ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς.
Neither can they judge their own cause, nor deliver from wrong, being unable: for they are as crows between heaven and earth.
καὶ γὰρ ὅταν ἐμπέσῃ εἰς οἰκίαν θεῶν ξυλίνων ἡ περιχρύσων ἡ περιαργύρων πῦρ, οἱ μέν ἱερεῖς αὐτῶν φεύξονται καὶ διασωθήσονται, αὐτοὶ δὲ ὥσπερ δοκοὶ μέσοι κατακαυθήσονται.
Moreover, when fire falleth upon the house of gods of wood, or overlaid with gold or with silver, their priests will flee and escape, but they themselves shall be burned in the midst like beams.
§55βασιλεῖ δέ καὶ πολεμίοις οὐ μὴ ἀντιστώσιν.
And they shall not withstand a king and enemies.
§56πῶς οὗν ἐκδεκτέον ἤ νομιστέον ὅτι εἰσὶν θεοί;
How then should it be thought or received that they are gods?
Οδτε ἀπὸ κλεπτῶν οὕτε ἀπὸ λῃστῶν οὐ μὴ διαθώσιν, θεοὶ ξύλινοι καὶ περιάργυροι καὶ περίχρυσοι· §57ὦν οἱ ἰσχύοντες περιελοῦνται τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον, καὶ τὸν ἱματισμὸν τὸν περικείμενον αὐτοῖς ἀπελεύσονται ἔχοντες, οὕτε ἑαυτοῖς οὐ μὴ βοηθήσωσιν.
They are gods of wood, and overlaid with silver and with gold, and cannot deliver themselves from thieves or robbers: whose gold and silver they that are strong do take, and go away with the garments wherewith they are clothed, neither shall they help themselves.
§58ζώστε κρεῖσσον εἶναι βασιλέα ἐπιδεικνύμενον τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀνδρείαν ἡ σκεῦος ἐν οἰκίᾳ χρήσιμον, ἐφ ᾧ κεχρήσεται ὁ κεκτημένος, ἤ οἱ ψευδεῖς θεοί ἡ καὶ θύρα ἐν οἰκίᾳ διασώζουσα τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ὄντα ἤ οἱ ψευδεῖς θεοί, καὶ ξύλινος στύλος ἐν βασιλείοις ἤ οἱ ψευδεῖς θεοί
Therefore it is better to be a king that showeth his power, or a useful vessel in a house, which the owner thereof shall use, than such false gods; or a door in a house, to keep such things safe as are therein, than such false gods; or a pillar of wood in a palace, than such false gods.
§59ἥλιος μὲν γὰρ καὶ σελήνη καὶ ἄστρα ὄντα λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀποστελλόμενα ἐπὶ χρείας εὐήκοα εἰσιν.
For sun and moon and stars, being bright and sent to do their offices, are obedient.
§60ῶὡσαύτως καὶ ἀστραπὴ ὅταν ἐπιφανῇ εὐοπτός ἐστιν· τὸ δʼ αὐτὸ καὶ πνεῦμα ἐν πάσῃ χώρᾳ πνεῖ
In like manner the lightning when it breaketh forth is easy to be seen; and after the same manner the wind bloweth in every country.
§61καὶ νεφέλαις ὅταν ἐπιταγῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπιπορεύεσθαι ἐφʼ ὅλην τὴν οἰκουμένην, συντελοῦσι τὸ ταχθέν.
And when the clouds are commanded of God to go over the whole world, they do as they are bidden.
§62χ ό τε πῦρ ἐξαποσταλὲν ἄνωθεν ἐξαναλῶσαι ὄρη καὶ δρυμοὺς ποιεῖ τὸ συνταχθέν. ταῦτα δὲ oδτε ταῖς εἰδέαις οὕτε ταῖς δυνάμεσιν αὐτῶν ἀφωμοιωμένα ἐστίν.
And the fire sent from above to consume hills and woods doeth that which is commanded: but these are like unto them neither in show nor power.
§63ὅδεν οὕτε νομιστέον οὕτε κλητέον ὑπάρχειν αὐτοὺς θεούς, οὐ δυνατῶν ὄντων αὐτῶν οὕτε κρίσιν κρῖναι οὕτε εὗ ποιεῖν ἀυθρώποις.
Wherefore it is neither to be thought nor to be said that they are gods, seeing they are able neither to judge causes, nor to do good unto men.
§64γνόντες οὗν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν θεοί, μὴ φοβηθῆτε αὐτούς.
Knowing therefore that they are no gods, fear them not.
§65Οὔτε γὰρ βασιλεῦσιν οὐ μὴ καταράσωνται οὕτε μὴ εὐλογήσωσι. §66σημεῖά τε ἐυ ἔθνεσιν ἐν οὐρανῷ οὐ μὴ δείξωσιν, οὐδὲ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος λάμψουσιν, οὐδὲ φωτίσουσιν ὡς σελήνη.
For they can neither curse nor bless kings: neither can they show signs in the heaven among the heathen, nor shine as the sun, nor give light as the moon.
§67τὰ θηρία ἐστὶν κρείττω αὐτῶν, ἄ δύνανται ἐκφυγόντα εἰς σκέπην αὐτὰ φελῆσαι.
The beasts are better than they: for they can get under a covert, and help themselves.
§68κατʼ οὐδένα οὗν τρόπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν φανερὸν ὅτι εἰσὶν θεοί διὸ μὴ φοβηθῆτε αὐτούς.
It is then by no means manifest unto us that they are gods: therefore fear them not.
§69Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν σικυηράτῳ προβασκάνιον οὐδὲν φυλάσσον, οὕτως οἱ θεοὶ αὐτῶν εἰσὶν ξύλινοι καὶ περίχρυσοι καὶ περιάργυροι.
For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers keepeth nothing, so are their gods of wood, and overlaid with gold and with silver.
§70τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ τῇ ἐν κήπῳ όάμνῳ, ἐφʼ ἧς πᾶν ὄρνεον ἐπικάθηται, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ νεκρῷ ἐρριμμένῳ ἐν σκότει ἀφωμοίωνται οἱ θεοὶ αὐτῶν ξύλινοι καὶ περίχρυσοι καὶ περιάργυροι.
Likewise also their gods of wood, and overlaid with gold and with silver, are like to a white thorn in an orchard, upon which every bird sitteth; and likewise also to a dead body, that is cast into the dark.
§71ἀπό τε τῆς πορφύρας καὶ τῆς μαρμάρου τῆς ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς σηπομένης γνωσθήσεται ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν θεοί αὐτά τε ἐξ ὑστέρου βρωθήσονται, καὶ ἔσται ὄνειδος ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ.
And you shall know them to be no gods by the bright purple that rotteth upon them: and they themselves afterward shall be eaten, and shall be a reproach in the country.
§72κρείσσων οὖν ἄνθρωπος δίκαιος οὐκ ἔχων εἶδωλα, ἔσται γὰρ μακράν ἀπὸ ὀνειδισμοῦ.
Better therefore is the just man that hath no idols: for he shall be far from reproach.