Jul 9 - Wisdom 5-7
Wisdom
1Then the just will stand with great steadfastness against those who have oppressed them and have taken away their labors2Seeing this, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and they will be amazed at the suddenness of unexpected salvation3Driven toward regret, and through the anguish of their groaning spirit, they will say within themselves: "These are the ones whom we held for some time in derision and in mocking reproach4We foolish considered their life to be madness, and their end to be without honor5How is it that they are counted among the sons of God, and their place is among the holy6Therefore, we have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of justice has not shined on us, and the sun of understanding has not risen on us7We exhausted ourselves in the way of iniquity and perdition, and have walked a difficult way, while ignoring the way of the Lord8How has arrogance benefited us? Or what has exalting in riches brought us9All those things have passed away like a shadow, and like a messenger traveling quickly by10and like a ship passing over the waves of water, when it has gone by, its trace cannot be found, nor can the pathway of its keel in the waves11or, like a bird flying through the air, there is no evidence of her journey to be found, but there is hardly a sound as the beating of her wings lifts up the air and, by the force of her journey, divides the air she has flown across, which was disturbed by her wings, and afterwards there is no sign of her journey to be found12or, like an arrow shot at a selected mark, the air continues to be divided and to be brought together again, so that its passing is unknown13And in like manner we, having been born, continuously cease to exist, and indeed, we depart with no sign of virtue to show, but we are consumed in our malice.14Such things those who sinned said in hell15For the hope of the impious is like feathers, which are blown away by the wind, and like a thin foam, which is dispersed by a storm, and like smoke, which is scattered by the wind, and like the memory of a guest who passes by one day16But the just will live forever, and their reward is with the Lord, and the thought of them is with the Most High17Therefore, they will receive a beautiful kingdom and a crown of splendor from the hand of the Lord, for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them18And his zeal will take up arms, and he will equip his servants for retribution on their enemies19He will put on justice as a breastplate, and he will grasp sure judgment as a helmet20He will select fairness as an invincible shield21Yet he will sharpen his severe wrath into a spear, and he will fight with those of the world against the irrational22Shafts of lightning will hurl forth accurately, and, as if from a well-curved bow of clouds, they will be expelled and will fly to the determined mark23And hail will be cast like stones full of anger, and the water of the sea will rise up against them, and the rivers will charge forth harshly24The spirit of virtue will stand firm against them and like a whirlwind will divide them, and he will lead all the world of iniquity into a wasteland, and malice will overthrow the seats of power
1Wisdom is better than power, and a prudent man is better than a powerful one2Therefore, hear, O kings, and understand; learn, you judges of the ends of the earth3Listen closely, you who hold the attention of the crowds, and who please yourselves by disturbing the nations4For power has been given to you from the Lord and strength from the Most High, who will examine your works and scrutinize your thoughts5For, when you were ministers of his kingdom, you did not judge correctly, nor keep the law of justice, nor walk according to the will of God6Horribly and quickly he will appear to you, because he will make a severe judgment for those who are in charge7For, to the little, great mercy is granted, but the powerful will endure powerful torment8For the Lord will not exempt anyone’s character, nor will he stand in awe of anyone’s greatness, because he himself made the little and the great, and he is equally concerned for everyone9But a powerful torture pursues the powerful10Therefore, O kings, these, my words, are for you, so that you may learn wisdom and not perish11For those who have justly preserved justice will be justified, and those who have learned these things will find what to answer12Therefore, desire my words, love them, and you will have instruction13Wisdom is pure and never fades away, and is easily seen by those who love her and found by those who seek her14She anticipates those who desire her, so that she first reveals herself to them15Whoever awakens early to seek her, will not labor, for he will find her sitting at his door16Therefore, by thinking about her, understanding is perfected, and whoever remains watchful for her, will quickly be secure17For she goes about seeking such as are worthy of her, and she reveals herself to them cheerfully in the ways, and meets them with all foresight18For the very true beginning of her is the desire for instruction19Therefore, the zeal for instruction is love, and love is the keeping of her laws, and the keeping of her laws is the perfection of incorruptibility20while incorruptibility makes us near to God21And so, the desire for wisdom leads to an everlasting kingdom22If, therefore, your delight is in thrones and scepters, O kings of the people, love wisdom, so that you may reign forever23love the light of wisdom, all you who lead the peoples24But what wisdom is, and how she was made, I will report, and I will not hide the mysteries of God from you, but I will investigate her from the beginning of her birth, and I will place the knowledge of her in the light, and will not pass over the truth25Neither will I hold to the path that dwindles away with envy, because such a man will not partake in wisdom26For the proliferation of the wise is sanity for the world, and a wise king is the mainstay of the people27Therefore, receive instruction by my words, and it will benefit you
1Certainly, I myself am also a mortal man, like everyone, and the offspring of this earth, which was made beforehand; and in my mother’s womb I was fashioned with care2within the time of ten months, made of blood, from the seed of man and the delight of sleeping together3And when I was born, I drew in the common air, and in similar fashion, I fell upon the earth, and the first voice I uttered, like everyone, was crying4I was nursed in swaddling clothes and with great care5For none of the kings had any other beginning of birth6Therefore, there is only one entrance for everyone into life, and the same in leaving7Because of this, I chose, and understanding was given to me; and I prayed, and the spirit of wisdom came to me8and I placed her before kingdoms and thrones, and I considered riches nothing in comparison with her9Neither did I compare to her a precious stone, for all gold in comparison with her is like a little sand, and silver, in view of her, will be valued as if dirt10I loved her above health and beauty, and I placed having her before light, for her light is unfailing11Yet all good things came to me together with her, and innumerable honors by her hand12and I rejoiced in all these, because this wisdom went before me, although I did not know that she is the mother of them all13This I have learned without falsehood and communicate without envy, and her integrity I do not hide14Indeed, she is an infinite treasure chest for men, and those who make use of it, become partakers in the friendship of God, because they are recommended by the gifts of instruction15Yet God has given to me to speak my mind, and to conceive thoughts worthy of those things that are given to me, because he is the leader of wisdom and the repairer of understanding16For in his hand are both we, and our words, and all wisdom, and the works of science, and instruction17For he has given me true knowledge of these things which exist: so as to know the orderly arrangement of the world, and the powers of the elements18the beginning and the end and the midpoint of the seasons, the characteristics of changing things, and the divisions of time19the courses of the years, and the orderly arrangement of the stars20the natures of animals, and the rage of wild beasts, the force of winds, and the reasonings of men, the diversities of plants, and the benefits of roots21and all such things as are hidden and unexpected, I have learned; for wisdom, the artisan of all things, taught me22For in her is the spirit of understanding: holy, singular, manifold, subtle, perceptive, lively, chaste, reliable, gracious, loving, good, astute, who forbids nothing beneficial23humane, kind, steadfast, trustworthy, secure, having all virtue, watching for all things and grasping all things with a pure and most delicate understanding of spirit24For wisdom is more active than all active things, yet she reaches everywhere because of her purity25For she is a breath of the virtue of God and a genuine emanation from the purity of the almighty God, and therefore nothing unclean can invade her26Indeed, she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of the majesty of God, and the image of his goodness27And though she is one, she can do all things; and, unchanging in herself, she renews all things, and throughout the nations she conveys herself to holy souls, establishing them as friends and prophets of God28For God loves none but those who dwell with wisdom29For she is more spectacular than the sun, and above the array of all the stars; compared with the light, she is found to be before it30Indeed, after her comes night, but wisdom will not be overcome by malice