7
I myself also am Manya mortal, like to all,
And am sprung from one born of the earth, the man first formed,
And in the womb of a mother was I moulded into flesh in the time of ten months,
Being compacted in blood of the seed of man and pleasure that came with sleep.
And I also, when I was born, drew in the common air,
And fell upon the of kindred earth,
Uttering, like all, for my first voice, the selfsame wail:
In swaddling clothes was I nursed, and with watchful cares.
For no king had any other first beginning;
But all men have one entrance into life, and a like departure.
For this cause I prayed, and understanding was given me:
I called upon God, and there came to me a spirit of wisdom.
I preferred her before sceptres and thrones,
And riches I esteemed nothing in comparison of her.
Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,
Because all the gold of the earth in her presence is a little sand,
And silver shall be accounted as clay before her.
10 Above health and comeliness I loved her,
And I chose to have her rather than light,
Because her bright shining is never laid to sleep.
11 But with her there came to me all good things together,
And in her hands innumerable riches:
12 And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leads them;
Though I knew not that she was the Somefirst mother of them.
13 As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging;
I do not hide her riches.
14 For she is to men a treasure that fails not,
And they that use it prepare obtain friendship with God,
Commended to him for by the gifts which they through discipline present to him.
 
15 But to me may God give to speak accordingaccording with judgement,
And to conceive thoughts worthy of what Someis has been given me;
Because himself is one that guideth even wisdom and that correcteth the wise.
16 For in his hand are both we and our words;
All understanding, and all acquaintance with various crafts.
17 For himself gave me an unerring knowledge of the things that are,
To know the constitution of the world, and the operation of the elements;
18 The beginning and end and middle of times,
The alternations of the solstices and the changes of seasons,
19 The circuits of years and the positions of stars;
20 The natures of living creatures and the ragings of wild beasts,
The violences of winds and the thoughts of men,
The diversities of plants and the virtues of roots:
21 All things that are either secret or manifest I learned,
22 For she that is the artificer of all things taught me, even wisdom.
 
For there is in her a spirit quick of understanding, holy,
Alone in kind, manifold,
Subtil, freely moving,
Clear in utterance, unpolluted,
Distinct, unharmed,
Loving what is good, keen, unhindered,
23 Beneficent, loving toward man,
Stedfast, sure, free from care,
All-powerful, all-surveying,
And penetrating through all spirits
That are quick of understanding, pure, most subtil:
24 For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;
Yes, she pervadeth and penetrateth all things by reason of her pureness.
25 For she is a breath of the power of God,
And a clear effluence of the glory of the Almighty;
Therefore can nothing defiled find entrance into her.
26 For she is an effulgence from everlasting light,
And an unspotted mirror of the working of God,
And an image of his goodness.
27 And she, being one, has power to do all things;
And remaining in herself, reneweth all things:
And from generation to generation passing into holy souls
She makes men friends of God and prophets.
28 For nothing does God love save him that dwells with wisdom.
29 For she is fairer than the sun,
And above every all the constellations of the stars:
Being compared with light, she is found to be before it;
30 For to to the light of day succeedeth night,
But against wisdom evil does not prevail;
1:1+1:1Gr.in1:1goodness.1:3+1:3Gr.1:3convicts.1:5+1:5Gr.1:5convicted.1:6+Some1:6authorities readthe1:6spirit of wisdom is loving to man.1:6+1:6Or,1:6reviler1:7+1:7Gr.the1:7inhabited earth.1:8+Some1:8authorities readNor1:8indeed.1:14+Or,1:14allthe1:14racesof1:14creaturesin1:14the world1:14+1:14Or,a1:14royal house1:16+1:16Or,1:16Hades1:16Gr.1:16him.1:16+1:16Or,were1:16consumedwith1:16love of him2:1+2:1Or,2:1among2:1+2:1Or,returned2:1out of Hades2:2+2:2Or,reason2:2is a spark2:2kindledby2:2the beating of our heart2:4+2:4Gr.weighed2:4down.2:5+2:5Or,there2:5is no putting back of our end2:5+2:5Or,comes2:5again2:6+2:6Or,that2:6are2:6+2:6Gr.2:6earnestly.2:6+Some2:6authorities readeven2:6as our youth.2:7+Some2:7authorities read2:7air.2:11+2:11Gr.2:11convicted.2:12+2:12Or,2:12law2:13+2:13Or,2:13child2:20+2:20Gr.there2:20shall be a visitation of him out of his words.2:21+2:21Or,2:21malice2:23+Some2:23authorities read2:23everlastingness.3:9+3:9Or,they3:9that are faithful through love shall abide with him3:10+3:10Or,that3:10which is righteous3:14+3:14Or,the3:14grace of3:14God’s3:14chosen3:14Gr.a3:14chosen grace.3:18+Some3:18authorities read3:18have3:19+3:19Gr.the3:19ends...are grievous.4:1+4:1Gr.of4:1it.4:2+4:2Gr.in4:2the age.4:3+4:3Gr.4:3from4:3+4:3Or,4:3offshoots4:4+4:4Gr.in4:4boughs flourish.4:11+4:11Or,4:11malice4:13+4:13Gr.4:13times.4:14+4:14Or,he4:14hastened4:14him4:14away4:15+4:15Gr.such4:15a thing as this.4:15+4:15Gr.his4:15visitation is with.4:18+4:18Or,be4:18for outrage4:19+4:19Or,be4:19a perpetual desolation4:20+4:20Or,when4:20they reckon up their sins5:2+5:2Or,5:2him5:3+5:3Or,5:3among5:3+5:3Or,reproach,5:3we fools: we accounted5:7+See5:7Proverbs 14:14.5:8+5:8Gr.5:8with5:11+5:11Or,with5:11the violent rush, is passed through by the motion of her wings5:13+5:13Gr.5:13failed.5:14+5:14Gr.as5:14foam chased to thinness:5:14or,as5:14thin foam chased.5:14+Most5:14Greek authorities readhoar5:14frost:some5:14authorities, perhaps rightly,a5:14spider’s web.5:17+5:17Or,to5:17repel his enemies6:2+6:2Or,in6:2the multitudes of your nations6:4+6:4Or,the6:4law6:6+6:6Gr.put6:6to the test.6:8+6:8Gr.6:8strong.6:9+6:9Gr.fall6:9not aside.6:10+6:10Or,accounted6:10holy6:11+6:11Gr.6:11disciplined.6:17+6:17Or,her6:17beginning is the true desire6:17+6:17Gr.6:17truest.6:19+6:19Gr.makes6:19to be near.6:22+6:22Or,from6:22her first beginning6:23+6:23Gr.6:23wasted.6:23+6:23Gr.6:23this7:1+Many7:1authorities reada7:1mortal man.7:3+7:3Gr.of7:3like qualities.7:4+7:4Gr.7:4in.7:12+Some7:12authorities readfirst7:12origin.7:14+7:14Gr.prepare7:14for themselves.7:14+7:14Gr.for7:14the sake of the presents that come of discipline.7:15+7:15Or,according7:15to7:15his7:15mind7:15Or,according7:15to7:15my7:15mind7:15+Some7:15authorities readis7:15said.7:19+7:19Or,7:19constellations7:20+7:20Or,7:20spirits7:22+7:22Gr.7:22Sole-born.7:25+7:25Gr.7:25vapor.7:29+7:29Gr.every7:29arrangement of stars.7:30+7:30Gr.to7:30this.