Wisdom of Solomon 6–9: A Breath of the Power of God": Solomon's Love of Wisdom, and His Prayer
Scripture: World English Bible
Hear therefore, you kings, and understand.Learn, you judges of the ends of the earth.Give ear, you rulers who have dominion over many people,and make your boast in multitudes of nations,because your dominion was given to you from the Lord,and your sovereignty from the Most High.He will search out your works,and will inquire about your plans,because being officers of his kingdom, you didn’t judge rightly,nor did you keep the law,nor did you walk according to God’s counsel.He will come upon you awfully and swiftly,because a stern judgment comes on those who are in high places.For the man of low estate may be pardoned in mercy,but mighty men will be mightily tested.For the Sovereign Lord of all will not be impressed with anyone,neither will he show deference to greatness;because it is he who made both small and great,and cares about them all;but the scrutiny that comes upon the powerful is strict.Therefore, my words are to you, O princes,that you may learn wisdom and not fall away.For those who have kept the things that are holy in holiness will be made holy.Those who have been taught them will find what to say in defense.Therefore set your desire on my words.Long for them, and you princes will be instructed.
Wisdom is radiant and doesn’t fade away;and is easily seen by those who love her,and found by those who seek her.She anticipates those who desire her, making herself known.He who rises up early to seek her won’t have difficulty,for he will find her sitting at his gates.For to think upon her is perfection of understanding,and he who watches for her will quickly be free from care;because she herself goes around, 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 for instruction;and desire for instruction is love.And love is observance of her laws.To give heed to her laws confirms immortality.Immortality brings closeness to God.So then desire for wisdom promotes 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.I won’t hide mysteries from you;but I will explore from her first beginning,bring the knowledge of her into clear light,and I will not pass by the truth.Indeed, I won’t travel with consuming envy,because envy will have no fellowship with wisdom.But a multitude of wise men is salvation to the world,and an understanding king is stability for his people.Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.I myself am also mortal, like everyone else,and am a descendant of one formed first and born of the earth.I molded into flesh in the time of ten months in my mother’s womb,being compacted in blood from the seed of man and pleasure of marriage.I also, when I was born, drew in the common air,and fell upon the kindred earth,uttering, like all, for my first voice, the same cry.I was nursed with care in swaddling clothes.For no king had a different beginning,but all men have one entrance into life, and a common departure.
For this cause I prayed, and understanding was given to me.I asked, and a spirit of wisdom came to me.I preferred her before sceptres and thrones.I considered riches nothing in comparison to her.Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,because all gold in her presence is a little sand,and silver will be considered as clay before her.I loved her more than health and beauty,and I chose to have her rather than light,because her bright shining is never laid to sleep.All good things came to me with her,and innumerable riches are in her hands.And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leads them;although I didn’t know that she was their mother.As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging.I don’t hide her riches.For she is a treasure for men that doesn’t fail,and those who use it obtain friendship with God,commended by the gifts which they present through discipline.
But may God grant that I may speak his judgment,and to conceive thoughts worthy of what has been given me;because he is one who guides even wisdom and who corrects the wise.For both we and our words are in his hand,with all understanding and skill in various crafts.For he himself gave me an unerring knowledge of the things that are,to know the structure of the universe and the operation of the elements;the beginning, 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 raging of wild beasts;the violence 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 wisdom, that is the architect of all things, taught me.
For there is in her a spirit that is quick to understand, holy,unique, manifold, subtle, freely moving, clear in utterance, unpolluted,distinct, invulnerable, loving what is good, keen, unhindered,beneficent, loving toward man, steadfast, sure, free from care, all-powerful, all-surveying,and penetrating through all spirits that are quick to understand, pure, most subtle.For wisdom is more mobile than any motion.Yes, she pervades and penetrates all things by reason of her purity.For she is a breath of the power of God,and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty.Therefore nothing defiled can find entrance into her.For she is a reflection of everlasting light,an unspotted mirror of the working of God,and an image of his goodness.Although she is one, she has power to do all things.Remaining in herself, she renews all things.From generation to generation passing into holy souls,she makes friends of God and prophets.For God loves nothing as much as one who dwells with wisdom.For she is fairer than the sun,and above all the constellations of the stars.She is better than light.For daylight yields to night,but evil does not prevail against wisdom.But she reaches from one end to the other with full strength,and orders all things well.
I loved her and sought her from my youth.I sought to take her for my bride.I became enamoured by her beauty.She glorifies her noble birth by living with God.The Sovereign Lord of all loves her.For she is initiated into the knowledge of God,and she chooses his works.But if riches are a desired possession in life,what is richer than wisdom, which makes all things?And if understanding is effective,who more than wisdom is an architect of the things that exist?If a man loves righteousness,the fruits of wisdom’s labor are virtues,for she teaches soberness, understanding, righteousness, and courage.There is nothing in life more profitable for people than these.And if anyone longs for wide experience,she knows the things of old, and infers 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.
Therefore I determined to take her to live with me,knowing that she is one who would give me good 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 am young.I will be found keen when I give judgment.I will be admired in the presence of rulers.When I am silent, they will wait for me.When I open my lips, they will heed what I say.If I continue speaking, they will put their hands on their mouths.Because of her, I will have immortality,and leave behind an eternal memory to those who come after me.I will govern peoples.Nations will be subjected to me.Dreaded monarchs will fear me when they hear of me.Among the people, I will show myself to be good, and courageous in war.When I come into my house, I will find rest with her.For conversation with her has no bitterness,and living with her has no pain, but gladness and joy.When I considered these things in myself,and thought in my heart how immortality is in kinship to wisdom,and in her friendship is good delight,and in the labors of her hands is wealth that doesn’t fail,and understanding is in her companionship,and great renown in having fellowship with her words,I went about seeking how to take her to myself.Now I was a clever child, and received a good soul.Or rather, being good, I came into an undefiled body.But perceiving that I could not otherwise possess wisdom unless God gave her to me—yes, and to know and understand by whom the grace is given—I pleaded with the Lord and implored him, and with my whole heart I said:“O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,who made all things by your word;and by your wisdom you formed man,that he should have dominion over the creatures that were made by you,and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,and execute judgment in uprightness of soul,give me wisdom, her who sits by you on your thrones.Don’t reject me from among your servants,because I am your servant and the son of your handmaid,a weak and short-lived man,with little power to understand judgment and laws.For even if a man is perfect among the sons of men,if the wisdom that comes from you is not with him, he will count for nothing.You chose me to be king of your people,and a judge for your sons and daughters.You gave a command to build a sanctuary on your holy mountain,and an altar in the city where you live,a copy of the holy tent which you prepared from the beginning.Wisdom is with you and knows your works,and was present when you were making the world,and understands what is pleasing in your eyes,and what is right according to your commandments.Send her from the holy heavens,and ask her to come from the throne of your glory,that being present with me she may work,and I may learn what pleases you well.For she knows all things and understands,and she will guide me prudently in my actions.She will guard me in her glory.So my works will be acceptible.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 wills?For the thoughts of mortals are unstable,and our plans are prone to fail.For a corruptible body weighs down the soul.The earthy tent burdens a mind that is full of cares.We can hardly guess the things that are on earth,and we find the things that are close at hand with labor;but who has traced out the things that are in the heavens?Who gained knowledge of your counsel, unless you gave wisdom,and sent your holy spirit from on high?It was thus that the ways of those who are on earth were corrected,and men were taught the things that are pleasing to you.They were saved through wisdom.”