“Vani autem sunt omnes homines in quibus non subest scientia Dei ; et de his quæ videntur bona, non potuerunt intelligere eum qui est, neque operibus attendentes agnoverunt quis esset artifex :”
“Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster;”
“For verily all men by nature were but vain who had no perception of God, And from the good things that are seen they gained not power to know him that is, Neither by giving heed to the works did they recognize the artificer;”
Vain. Septuagint, “foolish by nature, who are ignorant of God.” (Haydock) — In this and the three following chapters, the miseries of idolatry are described, to shew the value of wisdom and piety. (Calmet) — Without the knowledge of God, all is darkness, 1 Corinthians ii. 2. (St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho) — Is. He who is, must be the most proper name of God, Exodus iii. 14. Philosophers could perceive that all creatures had a beginning, and that there must be some first cause or God, whom some confessed, but did not honour as they ought, Romans i. (Worthington) — Could not. Inasmuch as they were vain. (Haydock)