Wisdom of Solomon 7:21–10:21

21 I learned both what is secret and what is manifest,

22 for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me.

For in her there is a spirit that is intelligent, holy,

unique, manifold, subtle,

mobile, clear, unpolluted,

distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,

irresistible,

23 beneficent, humane,

steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,

all-powerful, overseeing all,

and penetrating through all spirits

that are intelligent and pure and most subtle.

24 For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;

because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.

25 For she is a breath of the power of God,

and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;

therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.

26 For she is a reflection of eternal light,

a spotless mirror of the working of God,

and an image of his goodness.

27 Though she is but one, she can do all things,

and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;

in every generation she passes into holy souls

and makes them friends of God, and prophets;

28 for God loves nothing so much as the man who lives with wisdom.

29 For she is more beautiful than the sun,

and excels every constellation of the stars.

Compared with the light she is found to be superior,

30 for it is succeeded by the night,

but against wisdom evil does not prevail.

Chapter 8

1 She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,

and she orders all things well.

2 I loved her and sought her from my youth,

and I desired to take her for my bride,

and I became enamored of her beauty.

3 She glorifies her noble birth by living with God,

and the Lord of all loves her.

4 For she is an initiate in the knowledge of God,

and an associate in his works.

5 If riches are a desirable possession in life,

what is richer than wisdom who effects all things?

6 And if understanding is effective,

who more than she is fashioner of what exists?

7 And if any one loves righteousness,

her labors are virtues;

for she teaches self-control and prudence,

justice and courage;

nothing in life is more profitable for men than these.

8 And if any one longs for wide experience,

she knows the things of old, and infers the things to come;

she understands turns of speech and the solutions of riddles;

she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders

and of the outcome of seasons and times.

9 Therefore I determined to take her to live with me,

knowing that she would give me good counsel

and encouragement in cares and grief.

10 Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes

and honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young.

11 I shall be found keen in judgment,

and in the sight of rulers I shall be admired.

12 When I am silent they will wait for me,

and when I speak they will give heed;

and when I speak at greater length

they will put their hands on their mouths.

13 Because of her I shall have immortality,

and leave an everlasting remembrance to those who come after me.

14 I shall govern peoples,

and nations will be subject to me;

15 dread monarchs will be afraid of me when they hear of me;

among the people I shall show myself capable, and courageous in war.

16 When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her,

for companionship with her has no bitterness,

and life with her has no pain, but gladness and joy.

17 When I considered these things inwardly,

and thought upon them in my mind,

that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality,

18 and in friendship with her, pure delight,

and in the labors of her hands, unfailing wealth,

and in the experience of her company, understanding,

and renown in sharing her words,

I went about seeking how to get her for myself.

19 As a child I was by nature well endowed,

and a good soul fell to my lot;

20 or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body.

21 But I perceived that I would not possess wisdom unless God gave her to me—

and it was a mark of insight to know whose gift she was—

so I appealed to the Lord and besought him,

and with my whole heart I said:

Chapter 9

1 “O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,

who hast made all things by thy word,

2 and by thy wisdom hast formed man,

to have dominion over the creatures thou hast made,

3 and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,

and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,

4 give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne,

and do not reject me from among thy servants.

5 For I am thy slave and the son of thy maidservant,

a man who is weak and short-lived,

with little understanding of judgment and laws;

6 for even if one is perfect among the sons of men,

yet without the wisdom that comes from thee he will be regarded as nothing.

7 Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people

and to be judge over thy sons and daughters.

8 Thou hast given command to build a temple on thy holy mountain,

and an altar in the city of thy habitation,

a copy of the holy tent which thou didst prepare from the beginning.

9 With thee is wisdom, who knows thy works

and was present when thou didst make the world,

and who understand what is pleasing in thy sight

and what is right according to thy commandments.

10 Send her forth from the holy heavens,

and from the throne of thy glory send her,

that she may be with me and toil,

and that I may learn what is pleasing to thee.

11 For she knows and understands all things,

and she will guide me wisely in my actions

and guard me with her glory.

12 Then my works will be acceptable,

and I shall judge thy people justly,

and shall be worthy of the throne of my father.

13 For what man can learn the counsel of God?

Or who can discern what the Lord wills?

14 For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,

and our designs are likely to fail,

15 for a perishable body weighs down the soul,

and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind.

16 We can hardly guess at what is on earth,

and what is at hand we find with labor;

but who has traced out what is in the heavens?

17 Who has learned thy counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom

and sent thy holy Spirit from on high?

18 And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,

and men were taught what pleases thee,

and were saved by wisdom.”

Chapter 10

1 Wisdom protected the first-formed father of the

world, when he alone had been created;

she delivered him from his transgression,

2 and gave him strength to rule all things.

3 But when an unrighteous man departed from her in his anger,

he perished because in rage he slew his brother.

4 When the earth was flooded because of him, wisdom again saved it,

steering the righteous man by a paltry piece of wood.

5 Wisdom also, when the nations in wicked agreement had been confounded,

recognized the righteous man and preserved him blameless before God,

and kept him strong in the face of his compassion for his child.

6 Wisdom rescued a righteous man when the ungodly were perishing;

he escaped the fire that descended on the Five Cities.

7 Evidence of their wickedness still remains:

a continually smoking wasteland,

plants bearing fruit that does not ripen,

and a pillar of salt standing as a monument to an unbelieving soul.

8 For because they passed wisdom by,

they not only were hindered from recognizing the good,

but also left for mankind a reminder of their folly,

so that their failures could never go unnoticed.

9 Wisdom rescued from troubles those who served her.

10 When a righteous man fled from his brother’s wrath,

she guided him on straight paths;

she showed him the kingdom of God,

and gave him knowledge of angels;

she prospered him in his labors,

and increased the fruit of his toil.

11 When his oppressors were covetous,

she stood by him and made him rich.

12 She protected him from his enemies,

and kept him safe from those who lay in wait for him;

in his arduous contest she gave him the victory,

so that he might learn that godliness is more powerful than anything.

13 When a righteous man was sold, wisdom did not desert him,

but delivered him from sin.

She descended with him into the dungeon,

14 and when he was in prison she did not leave him,

until she brought him the scepter of a kingdom

and authority over his masters.

Those who accused him she showed to be false,

and she gave him everlasting honor.

15 A holy people and blameless race

wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors.

16 She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord,

and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs.

17 She gave holy men the reward of their labors;

she guided them along a marvelous way,

and became a shelter to them by day,

and a starry flame through the night.

18 She brought them over the Red Sea,

and led them through deep waters;

19 but she drowned their enemies,

and cast them up from the depth of the sea.

20 Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly;

they sang hymns, O Lord, to thy holy name,

and praised with one accord thy defending hand,

21 because wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb,

and made the tongues of babes speak clearly.