1988 verses about Wisdom

He that rises up early to seek her will have no toil, For he will find her sitting at his gates.

For to think upon her is perfectness of understanding, And he that watches for her sake will quickly be free from care.

Because she goes about, herself seeking those who are worthy of her, And in their paths she appears to them graciously, And in every purpose she meets them.

For her true beginning is desire of discipline; And the care for discipline is love of her;

And love of her is observance of her laws; And to give heed to her laws confirmeth incorruption;

So then desire of wisdom promoteth to a kingdom.

If therefore you⌃ delight in thrones and sceptres, you⌃ princes of peoples, Honor wisdom, that you⌃ may reign forever.

But what wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will declare, And I will not hide mysteries from you; But I will trace her out from the beginning of creation, And bring the knowledge of her into clear light, And I will not pass by the truth;

Neither indeed will I take pining envy for my companion in the way, Because envy will have no fellowship with wisdom.

But a multitude of wise men is salvation to the world, And an understanding king is tranquillity to his people.

Wherefore be disciplined by my words, and thereby will you⌃ profit.

In swaddling clothes was I nursed, and with watchful cares.

For no king had any other first beginning;

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 will be accounted as clay before her.

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.

But with her there came to me all good things together, And in her hands innumerable riches:

And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leads them; Though I knew not that she was the mother of them.

As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging; I do not hide her riches.

For she is to men a treasure that fails not, And those who use it obtain friendship with God, Commended to him by the gifts which they through discipline present to him.

But to me may God give to speak with judgement, And to conceive thoughts worthy of what has been given me; Because himself is one that guideth even wisdom and that correcteth the wise.

For in his hand are both we and our words; All understanding, and all acquaintance with various crafts.

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;

The beginning and end and middle of times, The alternations of the solstices and the changes of seasons,

The circuits of years and the positions of stars;

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:

All things that are either secret or manifest I learned,

For she that is the architect 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,

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 subtle:

For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; Yes, she pervadeth and penetrateth all things by reason of her pureness.

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.

For she is an effulgence from everlasting light, And an unspotted mirror of the working of God, And an image of his goodness.

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.

For nothing does God love save him that dwells with wisdom.

For she is fairer than the sun, And above all the constellations of the stars: Being compared with light, she is found to be before it;

For to the light of day succeedeth night, But against wisdom evil does not prevail;

But she reaches from one end of the world to the other with full strength, And ordereth all things graciously.

Her I loved and sought out from my youth, And I sought to take her for my bride, And I became enamoured of her beauty.

She glorifieth her noble birth in that it is given her to live with God, And the Sovereign Lord of all loved her.

For she is initiated into the knowledge of God, And she chooseth out for him his works.

But if riches are a desired possession in life, What is richer than wisdom, which works all things?

And if understanding works, Who more than wisdom is an architect of the things that are?

And if a man loves righteousness, The fruits of wisdom’s labor are virtues, For she teaches soberness and understanding, righteousness and courage; And there is nothing in life for men more profitable than these.

And if a man longeth even for much experience, She knows the things of old, and divineth the things to come: She understands subtleties of speeches and interpretations of dark sayings: She foresees signs and wonders, and the issues of seasons and times.

I determined therefore to take her to me to live with me, Knowing that she is one who would give me good thoughts for counsel, And encourage me in cares and grief.

Because of her I will have glory among multitudes, And honor in the sight of elders, though I be young.

I will be found of a quick conceit when I give judgement, And in the presence of princes I will be admired.

When I am silent, they will wait for me; And when I open my lips, they will give heed to me; And if I continue speaking, they will lay their hand upon their mouth.

Because of her I will have immortality, And leave behind an eternal memory to those who come after me.

I will govern peoples, And nations will be subjected to me.

Dread princes will fear me when they hear of me: Among my people I will show myself a good ruler, and in war courageous.

When I am come into my house, I will find rest with her; For converse with her has no bitterness, And to live with her has no pain, but gladness and joy.

When I considered these things in myself, And took thought in my heart how that in kinship to wisdom is immortality,

And in her friendship is good delight, And in the labors of her hands is wealth that fails not, And in assiduous communing with her is understanding, And great renown in having fellowship with her words, I went about seeking how to take her to myself.

Now I was a child of parts, and a good soul fell to my lot;

But perceiving that I could not otherwise possess wisdom except God gave her me (Yes and to know by whom the grace is given, this too came of understanding), I pleaded with the Lord and implored him, and with my whole heart I said,

And by your wisdom you formedst man, That he should have dominion over the creatures that were made by you,

Give me wisdom, her that sits by you on your throne; And reject me not from among your servants:

Because I am your bondman and the son of your handmaid, A man weak and short-lived, And of small power to understand judgement and laws.

For even if a man be perfect among the sons of men, Yet if the wisdom that comes from you be not with him, he will be held in no account.

And with you is wisdom, which knows your works, And was present when you were making the world, And which understands what is pleasing in your eyes, And what is right according to your commandments.

Send her forth out of the holy heavens, And from the throne of your glory bid her come, That being present with me she may toil with me, And that I may learn what is well-pleasing before you.

For she knows all things and has understanding thereof, And in my doings she will guide me in ways of soberness, And she will guard me in her glory.

And so will my works be acceptible, And I will judge your people righteously, And I will be worthy of my father’s throne.

For what man will know the counsel of God? Or who will conceive what the Lord willeth?

And hardly do we divine the things that are on earth, And the things that are close at hand we find with labor; But the things that are in the heavens who ever yet traced out?

And who ever gained knowledge of your counsel, except you gave wisdom, And sent your holy spirit from on high?

And it was thus that the ways of them which are on earth were corrected, And men were taught the things that are pleasing to you; And through wisdom were they saved.

Wisdom guarded to the end the first formed father of the world, that was created alone, And delivered him out of his own transgression,

And gave him strength to get dominion over all things.

And when for his cause the earth was drowning with a flood, Wisdom again saved it, Guiding the righteous man’s course by a poor piece of wood.

Moreover, when nations consenting together in wickedness had been confounded, Wisdom knew the righteous man, and preserved him blameless to God, And kept him strong when his heart yearned toward his child.

While the ungodly were perishing, wisdom delivered a righteous man, When he fled from the fire that descended out of heaven on Pentapolis.

For having passed wisdom by, Not only were they disabled from recognising the things which are good, But they also left behind them for human life a monument of their folly; To the end that where they went astray they might fail even to be unseen:

But wisdom delivered out of troubles those that waited on her.

When a righteous man was a fugitive from a brother’s wrath, wisdom guided him in straight paths; She showed him God’s kingdom, and gave him knowledge of holy things; She prospered him in his toils, and multiplied the fruits of his labor;

When in their covetousness men dealt hardly with him, She stood by him and made him rich;

She guarded him from enemies, And from those that lay in wait she kept him safe, And over his sore conflict she watched as judge, That he might know that godliness is more powerful than all.

When a righteous man was sold, wisdom forsook him not, But from sin she delivered him; She went down with him into a dungeon,

Wisdom delivered a holy people and a blameless seed from a nation of oppressors.

She entered into the soul of a servant of the Lord, And withstood terrible kings in wonders and signs.

She rendered to holy men a reward of their toils; She guided them along a marvelous way, And became to them a covering in the day-time, And a flame of stars through the night.

Because wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, And made the tongues of babes to speak clearly.

She prospered their works in the hand of a holy prophet.

Having shewn them by the thirst which they had suffered how you did punish the adversaries.

For these, as a father, admonishing them, you did prove; But those, as a stern king, condemning them, you did search out.

That they might learn, that by what things a man sins, by these he is punished.

Yes and without these might they have fallen by a single breath, Being pursued by Justice, and scattered abroad by the breath of your power. But by measure and number and weight you did order all things.

For your incorruptible spirit is in all things.

But being righteous you rule all things righteously, Deeming it a thing alien from your power To condemn one that does not himself deserve to be punished.

For when men believe not that you are perfect in power, you show your strength, And in dealing with those who know it you put their boldness to confusion.

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 architect;

For that vessel the hunger for gains devised, And a craftsman, even wisdom, built it;

And it is your will that the works of your wisdom should be not idle; Therefore also do men intrust their lives to a little piece of wood,, And passing through the surge on a raft are brought safe to land.

For even if we sin, we are your, knowing your dominion; But we will not sin, knowing that we have been accounted your:

For to be acquainted with you is perfect righteousness, And to know your dominion is the root of immortality.

For great are your judgements, and hard to interpret; Therefore souls undisciplined went astray.

For fear is nothing else but a surrender of the help which reason offers;

For as the notes of a lute vary the character of the rhythm, Even so did the elements, changing their order one with another, Continuing always the same, each in its several sound; As may clearly be divined from the sight of the things that are come to pass.