1 Letter of Clement 39

1 Senseless and stupid and foolish and ignorant men jeer and mock at us, desiring that they themselves should be exalted in their imaginations.

2 For what power hath a mortal? or what strength hath a child of earth?

3 For it is written; There was no form before mine eyes; only I heard a breath and a voice.

4 What then? Shall a mortal be clean in the sight of the Lord; or shall a man be unblamable for his works? seeing that He is distrustful against His servants and noteth some perversity against His angels.

5 Nay, the heaven is not clean in His sight. Away then, ye that dwell in houses of clay, whereof, even of the same clay, we ourselves are made. He smote them like a moth, and from morn to even they are no more. Because they could not succor themselves, they perished.

6 He breathed on them and they died, because they had no wisdom.