Wisdom - The Old Testament

¹ Strongly she reaches from one end of the world to the other and she governs the whole world for its good.

² Wisdom I loved and searched for from my youth; I resolved to have her as my bride, I fell in love with her beauty.

³ She enhances her noble birth by sharing God's life, for the Master of All has always loved her.

⁴ Indeed, she shares the secrets of God's knowledge, and she chooses what he will do.

⁵ If in this life wealth is a desirable possession, what is more wealthy than Wisdom whose work is everywhere?

⁶ Or if it be the intellect that is at work, who, more than she, designs whatever exists?

⁷ Or if it be uprightness you love, why, virtues are the fruit of her labours, since it is she who teaches temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude; nothing in life is more useful for human beings.

⁸ Or if you are eager for wide experience, she knows the past, she forecasts the future; she knows how to turn maxims, and solve riddles; she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders, and of the unfolding of the ages and the times.

⁹ I therefore determined to take her to share my life, knowing that she would be my counsellor in prosperity and comfort me in cares and sorrow.

¹⁰ 'Thanks to her, I shall be admired by the masses and honoured, though young, by the elders.

¹¹ I shall be reckoned shrewd as a judge, and the great will be amazed at me.

¹² They will wait on my silences, and pay attention when I speak; if I speak at some length, they will lay their hand on their lips.

¹³ By means of her, immortality will be mine, I shall leave an everlasting memory to my successors.

¹⁴ I shall govern peoples, and nations will be subject to me;

¹⁵ at the sound of my name fearsome despots will be afraid; I shall show myself kind to the people and valiant in battle.

¹⁶ 'When I go home I shall take my ease with her, for nothing is bitter in her company, when life is shared with her there is no pain, nothing but pleasure and joy.'

¹⁷ Having meditated on all this, and having come to the conclusion that immortality resides in kinship with Wisdom,

¹⁸ noble contentment in her friendship, inexhaustible riches in her activities, understanding in cultivating her society, and renown in conversing with her, I went all ways, seeking how to get her.

¹⁹ I was a boy of happy disposition, I had received a good soul as my lot,

²⁰ or rather, being good, I had entered an undefiled body;

²¹ but, realising that I could never possess Wisdom unless God gave her to me, -a sign of intelligence in itself, to know in whose gift she lay -- I prayed to the Lord and entreated him, and with all my heart I said: