4 I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and that with cares. 5 For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth. 6 For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out. 7 Wherefore I prayed, and understanding, was given me: I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. 8 ¶ I preferred her before sceptres and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her. 9 Neither compared I unto her any precious stone, because all gold in respect of her is as a little sand, and silver shall be counted as clay before her. 10 ́I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light for the light that cometh from her never goeth out. 11 All good things together came to me with her,and innumerable riches in her hands. 12 And I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom goeth before them: and I knew not that she was the mother of them. 13 I learned diligently, and do communicate her liberally: I do not hide her riches. 14 For she is a treasure unto men that never faileth which they that use become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts that come from learning. 15 God hath granted me to speak as I would, and to conceive as is meet for the things that are given me: because it is he that leadeth unto wisdom, and directeth the wise. 16 For in his hand are both we and our words; all wisdom also, and knowledge of workmanship. 17 For he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements : 18 The beginning, ending, and midst of the times the alterations of the turnings of the sun, and the change of seasons : 19 The circuits of years, and the positions of stars : 20 The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beasts: the violence of winds, and the reasonings of men: the diversities of plants, and the virtues of roots: 21 And all such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know. 22 For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me for in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, subtil, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject|| to hurt, loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be letted, ready to do good, 23 Kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure and mest subtil spirits. 24 For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passeth and goeth through al things by reason of her pureness. 25 For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing fall into her. 26 For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness. 27 And being but one, she can do all things and remaining in herself she maketh all things new and in all ages entering into holy souls, she maketh them friends of God, and prophets. 28 For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom. 29 For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it. 30 For after this cometh night but vice shall not prevail against wisdom. CHAP. VIII. 2 He is in love with wisdom: 4 for be that bath it, bath every good thing. WISDOM reacheth from one end to another mightily and sweetly doth she order all things. 2 I loved her, and sought ber out from my youth, I desired to make her my spouse, and I was a lover of her beauty. 3 In that she is conversant with God, she magnifieth her nobility: yea, the Lord of all things himself loved her." 4 For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of his works. 5 If riches be a possession to be desired in this life; what is richer than wisdom, that worketh all things? 6 And if prudence work; who of all that are, is a more cunning workman than she? 7 And if a man love righteousness, her labours are virtues: for she teacheth temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude: which are such things, as men can have nothing more profitable in their life. 8 If a man desire much experience, she knoweth things of old, and conjectureth aright what is to come: she knoweth the subtilties of speeches, and can expound dark sentences: she foresceth signs and wonders, and the events of seasons and times. 9 Therefore I purposed to take her to me to live with me, knowing that she would be a counsellor of good things, and a comfort in cares and grief. 10 For her sake I shall have estimation among the multitude, and honour with the elders, though I be young. 11 I shall be found of a quick conceit in judgment, and shall be admired in the sight of great men. 12 When I hold my tongue, they shall bide my leisure, and when I speak, they shall give Apocrypha. СНАР. Х. good ear unto me: if I talk much, they shall lay their hands upon their mouth. 13 Moreover by the means of her I shall obtain immortality, and leave behind me an everlasting memorial to them that come after me. 14 I shall set the people in order, and the nation shall be subject unto me. 15 Horrible tyrants shall be afraid when they do but hear of me; I shall be found good among the multitude, and valiant in war. 16 After I have come into mine house, I will repose myself with her for her conversation hath no bitterness; and to live with her hath no sorrow, but mirth and joy. 17 Now, when I considered these things in myself, and pondered them in mine heart, how that to be allied unto wisdom is immortality; 18 And great pleasure it is to have her friendship; and in the works of her hands are infinite riches; and in the exercise of conference with her, prudence; and in talking with her, a good report; I went about seeking how to take her to me. 19 For I was a witty child, and had a good spirit. 20 Yea rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled. 21 Nevertheless, when I perceived that I could not otherwise obtain her, except God gave her me; and that was a point of wisdom also to know whose gift she was; I prayed unto the Lord, and besought him, and with my whole heart I said, Apocrypha. the city wherein thou dwellest, a resemblance of the holy tarbernacle, which thou hast prepared from the beginning. 9 And wisdom was with thee which knoweth thy works, and was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy sight, and right in thy commandments. 10 O send her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory, that being present she may labour with me, that I may know what is pleasing unto thee. 11 For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power. 12 So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father's seat. 13 For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is? 14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. 15 For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tarbernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things. 16 And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labour do we find the things that are before us but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out? : 2 And gave him power to rule all things. 3 But when the unrighteous went away from her in his anger, he perished also in the fury wherewith he murdered his brother, 4 For whose cause the earth being drowned with the flood, wisdom again preserved it, and directed the course of the 5. For I thy servant and son of thine handmaid am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judg-righteous in a piece of wood of small value. ment and laws. 6 For though a man be never so perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded. 7 Thou hast chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters: 8 Thou hast commanded me to build a temple upon thy holy mount, and an altar in 5 Moreover, the nations in their wicked conspiracy being confounded, she found out the righteous, and preserved him blameless unto God, and kept him strong against his tender compassion toward his son. 6 When the ungodly perished, she delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon the five cities. 7 Of whose wickedness even to this day Apocrypha. WISDOM OF SOLOMON. the waste land that smoketh is a testimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come to ripeness: and a standing pillar of salt is a || monument of an unbelieving soul. 8 For regarding not wisdom, they gat not only this hurt, that they knew not the things which were good; but also left behind them to the world a memorial of their foolishness: so that in the things wherein they offended they could not so much as be hid. 9 But wisdom delivered from pain those that attended upon her. Apocrypha 4 When they were thirsty, they called upon thee, and water was given them out of the flinty rock, and their thirst was quenched out of the hard stone. 5¶ For by what things their enemie were punished, by the same they in their need were benefited. 6 For instead of a fountain of a perpetual running river troubled with foul blood, 7 For a manifest reproof of that com mandment, whereby the infants were slain, thou gavest unto them abundance of water by a means which they hoped not for: 8 Declaring by that thirst then how thou hadst punished their adversaries. 10 When the righteous fled from his brother's wrath, she guided him in right paths, shewed him the kingdom of God, and gave him knowledge of holy things, made him 9 For when they were tried, albeit but in rich in his travels, and multiplied the fruit of mercy chastised, they knew how the ungodly his labours. were judged in wrath and tormented, thirst11 In the covetousness of such as oppressing in another manner than the just. ed him she stood by him, and made him rich. 12 She defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in weight, and in a sore conflict she gave him the victory; that he might know that godliness is stronger than all. 13 When the righteous was sold, she forsook him not, but delivered him from sin: she went down with him into the pit, 14 And left him not in bonds, till she brought him the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him: as for them that had accused him, she shewed them to be liars, and gave him perpetual glory. 10 For these thou didst admonish and try, as a father: but the other, as a severe king, thou didst condemn and punish. 11 Whether they were absent or present, they were vexed alike. 12 For a double grief came upon them, and a groaning for the remembrance of things past. 13 For when they heard by their own punishments the other to be benefited, they had some feeling of the Lord. 14 For whom they rejected with scorn, when he was long before thrown out at the casting forth of the infants, him in the end, when they saw what came to pass, they ad 15 She delivered the righteous people and blameless seed from the nation that oppress-mired. ed them. 16 She entered into the soul of the servant of the Lord, and withstood dreadful kings in wonders and signs; 17 Rendered to the righteous a reward of their labours, guided them in a marvellous way, and was unto them for a covert by day, and a light of stars in the night season; 18 Brought them through the Red sea, and led them through much water: 19 But she drowned their enemies, and east them up out of the bottom of the deep. 20 Therefore the righteous spoiled the ungodly, and praised thy holy name, O Lord, and magnified with one accord thine hand, that fought for them. 21 For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of them that cannot speak eloquent. CHAP. XI. 5 The Egyptians were punished, and the Israelites reserved in the same thing. SHE prospered their works in the hand of the holy prophet. 2 They went through the wilderness that was not inhabited, and pitched tents in places where there lay no way. 3 They stood against their enemies, and were avenged of their adversaries, 15 But for the foolish devices of their wickedness, wherewith being deceived they worshipped serpents void of reason, and vile beasts, thou didst send a multitude of unreasonable beasts upon them for vengeance; 16 That they might know, that wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished. 17 For thy Almighty hand, that made the world of matter without form, wanted not means to send among them a multitude of bears, or fierce lions, 18 Or unknown wild beasts, full of rage, newly created, breathing out either a fiery vapour, or filthy scents of scattered smoke, or shooting horrible sparkles out of their eyes: 19 Whereof not only the harm might dis patch them at once, but also the terrible sight utterly destroy them. 20 Yea, and without these might they have fallen down with one blast, being persecuted of vengeance, and scattered abroad through the breath of thy power: but thou hast and "dered all things in measure and number and weight. 21 For thou canst shew thy great strength at all times when thou wilt; and who may withstand the power of thine arm? 22 For the whole world before thee is a a little grain of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down upon the earth. 23 But thou hast mercy upon all; for thou canst do all things, and winkest at the sins of men, because they should amend. 24 For thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made: for never wouldest thou have made any thing, if thou hadst hated it. 25 And how could any thing have endured, if it had not been thy will? or been preserved, if not called by thee? 26 But thou sparest all for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls. CHAP. XII. 2 God did not destroy those of Chanaan all at once: 12 if be bad done so, who could control bim? OR thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things. FOR 2Therefore chastenest thou them by little and little that offend, and warnest them by putting them in remembrance wherein they have offended, that leaving their wickedness they may believe on thee, O Lord. 3 For it was thy will to destroy by the hands of our fathers both those old inhabitants of thy holy land, 4 Whom thou hatedst for doing most odious works of witchcrafts, and wicked sacrifices; 5 And also those merciless murderers of children, and devourers of man's flesh, and the feasts of blood, 6 With their priests out of the midst of their idolatrous crew, and the parents, that killed with their own hands souls destitute of help: 7 That the land, which thou esteemedst above all other, might receive a worthy colony of God's children. 8 Nevertheless, even those thou sparedst as men, and did send wasps, forerunners of thine host, to destroy them by little and little. 9 Not that thou wast unable to bring the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle, or to destroy them at once with cruel beasts, or with one rough word: 10 But executing thy judgments upon them by little and little, thou gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation would never be changed. 11 For it was a cursed seed from the beginning; neither didst thou for fear of any man give them pardon for those things wherein they sinned. 12 For who shall say, what hast thou done? or who shall withstand thy judgment? or who shall accuse thee for the nations that perish, whom thou hast made? or who shall come to stand against thee, to be revenged for the unrighteous men? 13 For neither is there any God but thou Apocrypka. that carest for all, to whom thou mightest shew that thy judgment is not unright. 14 Neither shall king or tyrant be able to set his face against thee for any of whom thou hast punished. 15 Forsomuch then as thou art righteous thyself, thou orderest all things righteously: thinking it not agreeable with thy power to condemn him that hath not deserved to be punished. 16 For thy power is the beginning of righteousness, and because thou art the Lord of all, it maketh thee to be gracious unto all. 17 For when men will not believe that thou art of a full power, thou shewest thy strength, and among them that know it thou makest their boldness manifest. 18 But thou, mastering thy power, judgest with equity, and orderest us with great favour: for thou mayest use power when thou wilt. 19 But by such works hast thou taught thy people that the just man should be merciful, and hast made thy children to be of a good || hope that thou givest repentance for sins. 20 For if thou didst punish the enemies of thy children, and the condemned to death, with such deliberation, giving them time and place, whereby they might be delivered from their malice: 21 With how great circumspection didsť thou judge thine own sons, unto whose fa. thers thou hast sworn, and made covenants of good promises? 22 Therefore, whereas thou dost chasten us, thou scourgest our enemies a thousand times more, to the intent that, when we judge we should carefully think of thy goodness, and when we ourselves are judged, we should look for mercy. 23 Wherefore, whereas men have lived dissolutely and unrighteously, thou hast tormented them with their own abominations. 24 For they went astray very far in the ways of error, and held them for gods, which even among the beasts of their enemies were despised, being deceived, as children of no understanding. 25 Therefore unto them, as to children without the use of reason, thou didst send a judgment to mock them, 26 But they that would not be reformed by that correction, wherein he dallied with them, shall feel a judgment worthy of God. 27 For, look, for what things they grudg ed, when they were punished, that is, for them whom they thought to be gods; [now] being punished in them, when they saw it, they acknowledged him to be the true God, whom before they denied to know; and therefore came extreme damnation upon them. CHAP. XIII. 1 They were not excused that worshipped any of God's works: 10 but most wretched are they that worship the works of men's bands. URELY vain are all men by nature, who § bach least means to help: and for a good Saeiman of God, and career wor of the good things that are scen know hem that is neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the work master; 2 But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the viGient water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world | 3 With whose beauty if they being delighted took them to be gods: let them know how much better the Lord of them is for the first author of beauty hath created them. 4 But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them,,, how much mightier he is that made them. 5 For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures, proportionably the maker of them is seen. 6 but yet for this they are the less to be blamed for they peradventure err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. : 7 For being conversant in his works, they search bim diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen. 8 Howbeit, neither are they to be pardoned. 9 For if they were able to know so much, that they could aim at the world; how did they not sooner find out the Lord thereof? vourney, be arketh of that which camoct st a foot forward: 19 And for gaining and getting, and for good success of his hands, as ceth ability to Go of him, that is most unable to do any thing. CHAP. XIV. 1 Tiuph male mit prey to them shar, 5 gi they are saved by them rather than by shear finska, AGAIN, one preparing himself to sai: and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood, more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him. 2 For verily desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill 3 But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves; 4 Shewing that thou canst save from al danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art. 5 Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved. 6 For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world, gov erned by thy hand, escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation. 7 For blessed is the wood whereby right 10 But miserable are they, and in dead things is their hope, who called them gods, which are the works of men's hands, goldeousness cometh. and silver, to shew art in, and resemblances of beasts, or a stone good for nothing, the work of an ancient hand. 8 But that which is made with hands is cursed, as well it, as he that made it : he, because he made it ; and it, because being corruptible, it was called god. 11 Now a carpenter that felleth timber, after he hath sawn down a tree meet for the purpose, and taken off all the bark skilfully round about, and hath wrought it handsomely, and made a vessel thereof fit for the ser-ished together with him that made it. vice of man's life; 9 For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God. 12 And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, hath filled himself; 13 And taking the very refuse among those which served to no use, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, hath carved it diligently, when he had nothing else to do, and formed it by the skill of his understanding, and fashioned it to the image of a man ; 14 Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red,and covering every spot therein; 15 And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron: 16 For he provided for it that it might not fall, knowing that it was unable to help itself; for it is an image, and hath need of help: 17 Then maketh he prayer for his goods, for his wife and children, and is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life. 18 For health, he calleth upon that which is weak: for life, prayeth to that which is dead for aid, humbly beseecheth that which 10 For that which is made shall be pun 11 Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a visitation : because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and stumbling blocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise. 12 For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life. 13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever. 14 For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end. 15 For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremo nies and sacrifices. 16 Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the com mandments of kings. |
