Man was created by love; therefore he is so disposed to love. On the other hand, he is so great that nothing on the earth can satisfy him. He can be satisfied only when he turns towards God. Take a fish out of the water, and it will not live. Well, such is man without God.

(Saint John Vianney, Patron Saint of Priests)

1 Deus creavit de terra hominem
et secundum imaginem suam fecit illum;
2 et iterum convertit illum in ipsam
et secundum se vestivit illum virtute.
3 Numerum dierum et tempus dedit illi
et dedit illi potestatem eorum, quae sunt super terram.
4 Posuit timorem illius super omnem carnem,
ut dominaretur bestiarum et volatilium.
5 Creavit illis consilium et linguam et oculos et aures
et cor dedit illis excogitandi
et disciplina intellectus replevit illos.
6 Creavit illis scientiam spiritus,
sensu implevit cor illorum
et mala et bona ostendit illis.
7 Posuit timorem suum super corda illorum
ostendens illis magnalia operum suorum
8 et dedit illis gloriari in mirabilibus illius,
ut nomen sanctificationis collaudent
et magnalia enarrent operum eius.
9 Addidit illis disciplinam
et legem vitae hereditavit illos.
10 Testamentum aeternum constituit cum illis
et iustitiam et iudicia sua ostendit illis.
11 Et magnalia honoris eius vidit oculus illorum,
et honorem vocis eius audierunt aures illorum...

1 The Lord created man out of earth,
and turned him back to it again.
2 He gave to men* few days, a limited time,
but granted them authority over the things upon the earth. *
3 He endowed them with strength like his own, *
and made them in his own image.
4 He placed the fear of them* in all living beings,
and granted them dominion over beasts and birds. *
5 He made for them* tongue and eyes;
he gave them ears and a mind for thinking.
6 He filled them with knowledge and understanding,
and showed them good and evil.
7 He set his eye upon their hearts
to show them the majesty of his works. *
8 And they will praise his holy name,
to proclaim the grandeur of his works.
9 He bestowed knowledge upon them,
and allotted to them the law of life.
10 He established with them an eternal covenant,
and showed them his judgments.
11 Their eyes saw his glorious majesty,
and their ears heard the glory of his voice.

(Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 17:1-11)

4 Quando video caelos tuos, opera digitorum tuorum,
lunam et stellas, quae tu fundasti,
5 quid est homo, quod memor es eius,
aut filius hominis, quoniam visitas eum?
6 Minuisti eum paulo minus ab angelis,
gloria et honore coronasti eum
7 et constituisti eum super opera manuum tuarum.
Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius:
8 oves et boves universas,
insuper et pecora campi,
9 volucres caeli et pisces maris,
quaecumque perambulant semitas maris.
10 Domine, Dominus noster,
quam admirabile est nomen tuum in universa terra!

When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and stars, which you set in their place –
what is man, that you should take thought for him?
what is the son of man, that you should look after him?

You have made him but one step lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honour;
you have set him over the works of your hands.

You have put everything beneath his feet,
cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field,
the birds in the air and the fish in the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the waters.

How wonderful is your name above all the earth,
O Lord, our Lord!

(Psalm 8:4-10)