Liber Sapientiae

Sapientiae, chapter 14 in the Vulgate version.

There is no KJV of Wisdom, but it does appear in the Apocrypha, as shown below.

Chapter 14 Vulgate

   1 Iterum alius navigare cogitans et per feros fluctus iter facere incipiens, ligno portante se, fragilius lignum invocat.
   2 Illud enim cupiditas acquirendi excogitavit, et artifex sapientia fabricavit.
   3 Tua autem, Pater, providentia gubernat, quoniam dedisti et in mari viam et inter fluctus semitam firmissimam,
   4 ostendens quoniam potens es ex omnibus salvare, etiamsi sine arte aliquis adeat mare.
   5 Tu autem vis, ut non sint vacua sapientiae tuae opera, propter hoc etiam et exiguo ligno credunt homines animas suas et, transeuntes fluctus per ratem, liberati sunt.
   6 Sed et ab initio, cum perirent superbi gigantes, spes orbis terrarum ad ratem confugiens, reliquit saeculo semen nativitatis, quae manu tua erat gubernata.
   7 Benedictum est enim lignum, per quod fit iustitia;
   8 per manus autem, quod fit, maledictum et ipsum et qui fecit illud, quia ille quidem operatus est, illud autem, cum esset corruptibile, deus cognominatus est.
   9 Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas eius:
   10 etenim, quod factum est, cum illo, qui fecit, tormenta patietur.
   11 Propter hoc et in idolis nationum erit visitatio, quoniam in creatura Dei in abominationem facta sunt et in tentationem animabus hominum et in muscipulam pedibus insipientium.
   12 Initium enim fornicationis est exquisitio idolorum, et adinventio illorum corruptio vitae est;
   13 neque enim erant ab initio, neque erunt in perpetuum.
   14 Supervacuitate enim hominum haec advenerunt in orbem terrarum, et ideo brevis illorum finis est inventus.
   15 Acerbo enim luctu dolens pater, cito sibi rapti filii fecit imaginem et illum, qui tunc homo mortuus fuerat, nunc tamquam deum colere coepit et tradidit subiectis sacra et sacrificia.
   16 Deinde, interveniente tempore, convalescens iniqua consuetudo tamquam lex custodita est, et tyrannorum imperio colebantur figmenta;
   17 quos cum in palam homines honorare non possent, propter hoc quod longe essent, e longinquo figura eorum efficta, evidentem imaginem regis, quem honorare volebant, fecerunt, ut illum, qui aberat, tamquam praesentem colerent sua sollicitudine.
   18 Ad incrementum autem huius culturae provexit et hos, qui ignorabant, artificis eximia diligentia;
   19 ille enim volens forsitan placere illi, qui se assumpsit, elaboravit arte sua, ut similitudinem in melius figuraret.
   20 Multitudo autem hominum abducta per speciem operis eum, qui paulo ante tamquam homo honoratus fuerat, nunc deum aestimaverunt.
   21 Et haec fuit vitae humanae deceptio, quoniam aut necessitati aut regibus deservientes homines incommunicabile nomen lapidibus et lignis imposuerunt.
   22 Postea non suffecit errasse eos circa Dei scientiam, sed et in magno viventes inscientiae bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.
   23 Aut enim filios suos sacrificantes aut obscura sacrificia facientes aut insaniae plenas peregrinorum rituum vigilias habentes,
   24 neque vitam neque nuptias mundas iam custodiunt, sed alius alium per insidias occidit aut adulterans contristat.
   25 Et omnia commixta sunt: sanguis et homicidium, furtum et fictio, corruptio et infidelitas, turbatio et periurium,
   26 tumultus bonorum, gratiarum immemoratio, animarum inquinatio, generis immutatio, nuptiarum inordinatio, moechia et impudicitia.
   27 Infandorum enim idolorum cultura omnis mali initium et causa est et finis.
   28 Aut enim, dum laetantur, insaniunt aut vaticinantur falsa aut vivunt iniuste aut peierant cito.
   29 Dum enim confidunt in idolis, quae sine anima sunt, male iurantes noceri se non sperant.
   30 Utraque autem illis evenient digne, quoniam male censerunt de Deo attendentes idolis et iuraverunt iniuste in dolo contemnentes sanctitatem.
   31 Non enim iuratorum virtus, sed peccantium poena perambulat semper iniustorum praevaricationem.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

Apocrypha

   1 Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him.
   2 For verily desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill.
   3 But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves;
   4 Shewing that thou canst save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art.
   5 Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved.
   6 For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by thy hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation.
   7 For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.
   8 But that which is made with hands is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible, it was called god.
   9 For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God.
   10 For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it.
   11 Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a visitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and stumblingblocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.
   12 For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life.
   13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever.
   14 For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end.
   15 For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices.
   16 Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the commandments of kings.
   17 Whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to the end that by this their forwardness they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present.
   18 Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.
   19 For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion.
   20 And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a god, which a little before was but honoured as a man.
   21 And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name.
   22 Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace.
   23 For whilst they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites;
   24 They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traiterously, or grieved him by adultery.
   25 So that there reigned in all men without exception blood, manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury,
   26 Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness.
   27 For the worshipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil.
   28 For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves.
   29 For insomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt.
   30 Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness.
   31 For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the ungodly.