Wisdom 6

1Wisdom is better than strength: and a wise man is better than a strong man.

2Hear, therefore, ye kings, and understand, learn ye that are judges of the ends of the earth.

3Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations:

4For power is given you by the Lord, and strength by the most High, who will examine your works: and search out your thoughts:

5Because being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly, nor kept the law of justice, nor walked according to the will of God.

6Horribly and speedily will he appear to you: for a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule.

7For to him that is little, mercy is granted: but the mighty shall be mightily tormented.

8For God will not except any man’s person, neither will he stand in awe of any man’s greatness: for he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all.

9But a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty.

10To you, therefore, O kings, are these my words, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall from it.

11For they that have kept just things justly, shall be justified: and they that have learned these things, shall find what to answer.

12Covet ye, therefore, my words, and love them, and you shall have instruction.

13Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away, and is easily seen by them that love her, and is found by them that seek her.

14She preventeth them that covet her, so that she first showeth herself unto them.

15He that awaketh early to seek her, shall not labour: for he shall find her sitting at his door.

16To think, therefore, upon her, is perfect understanding: and he that watcheth for her, shall quickly be secure.

17For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, and she showeth herself to them cheerfully in the ways, and meeteth them with all providence.

18For the beginning of her is the most true desire of discipline.

19And the care of discipline is love: and love is the keeping of her laws: and the keeping of her laws is the firm foundation of incorruption:

20And incorruption bringeth near to God.

21Therefore the desire of wisdom bringeth to the everlasting kingdom.

22If then your delight be in thrones, and sceptres, O ye kings of the people, love wisdom, that you may reign for ever.

23Love the light of wisdom, all ye that bear rule over peoples.

24Now what wisdom is, and what was her origin, I will declare: and I will not hide from you the mysteries of God, but will seek her out from the beginning of her birth, and bring the knowledge of her to light, and will not pass over the truth:

25Neither will I go with consuming envy: for such a man shall not be partaker of wisdom.

26Now the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the whole world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.

27Receive, therefore, instruction by my words, and it shall be profitable to you.

1Melior est sapientia quam vires, et vir prudens quam fortis.

2Audite ergo, reges, et intelligite; discite, judices finium terræ.

3Præbete aures, vos qui continetis multitudines, et placetis vobis in turbis nationum.

4Quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis, et virtus ab Altissimo : qui interrogabit opera vestra, et cogitationes scrutabitur.

5Quoniam cum essetis ministri regni illius, non recte judicastis, nec custodistis legem justitiæ, neque secundum voluntatem Dei ambulastis.

6Horrende et cito apparebit vobis, quoniam judicium durissimum his qui præsunt fiet.

7Exiguo enim conceditur misericordia; potentes autem potenter tormenta patientur.

8Non enim subtrahet personam cujusquam Deus, nec verebitur magnitudinem ejus cujusquam, quoniam pusillum et magnum ipse fecit, et æqualiter cura est illi de omnibus.

9Fortioribus autem fortior instat cruciatio.

10Ad vos ergo, reges, sunt hi sermones mei : ut discatis sapientiam, et non excidatis.

11Qui enim custodierint justa juste, justificabuntur; et qui didicerint ista, invenient quid respondeant.

12Concupiscite ergo sermones meos; diligite illos, et habebitis disciplinam.

13Clara est, et quæ numquam marcescit, sapientia : et facile videtur ab his qui diligunt eam, et invenitur ab his qui quærunt illam.

14Præoccupat qui se concupiscunt, ut illis se prior ostendat.

15Qui de luce vigilaverit ad illam non laborabit; assidentem enim illam foribus suis inveniet.

16Cogitare ergo de illa sensus est consummatus, et qui vigilaverit propter illam cito securus erit.

17Quoniam dignos se ipsa circuit quærens, et in viis ostendit se hilariter, et in omni providentia occurrit illis.

18Initium enim illius verissima est disciplinæ concupiscentia.

19Cura ergo disciplinæ dilectio est, et dilectio custodia legum illius est; custoditio autem legum consummatio incorruptionis est;

20incorruptio autem facit esse proximum Deo.

21Concupiscentia itaque sapientiæ deducit ad regnum perpetuum.

22Si ergo delectamini sedibus et sceptris, o reges populi, diligite sapientiam, ut in perpetuum regnetis :

23diligite lumen sapientiæ, omnes qui præestis populis.

24Quid est autem sapientia, et quemadmodum facta sit, referam, et non abscondam a vobis sacramenta Dei : sed ab initio nativitatis investigabo, et ponam in lucem scientiam illius, et non præteribo veritatem.

25Neque cum invidia tabescente iter habebo, quoniam talis homo non erit particeps sapientiæ.

26Multitudo autem sapientium sanitas est orbis terrarum, et rex sapiens stabilimentum populi est.

27Ergo accipite disciplinam per sermones meos, et proderit vobis.

2ἀκούσατε οὖν βασιλεῖς καὶ σύνετε μάθετε δικασταὶ περάτων γῆς

3ἐνωτίσασθε οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους καὶ γεγαυρωμένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν

4ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ δυναστεία παρὰ ὑψίστου ὃς ἐξετάσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς βουλὰς διερευνήσει

5ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπορεύθητε

6φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν γίνεται

7ὁ γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται

8οὐ γὰρ ὑποστελεῖται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων

9τοῖς δὲ κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα

10πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὖν ὦ τύραννοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἵνα μάθητε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ παραπέσητε

11οἱ γὰρ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια ὁσιωθήσονται καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν

12ἐπιθυμήσατε οὖν τῶν λόγων μου ποθήσατε καὶ παιδευθήσεσθε

13λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ εὐχερῶς θεωρεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτὴν καὶ εὑρίσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν ζητούντων αὐτήν

14φθάνει τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας προγνωσθῆναι

15ὁ ὀρθρίσας πρὸς αὐτὴν οὐ κοπιάσει πάρεδρον γὰρ εὑρήσει τῶν πυλῶν αὐτοῦ

16τὸ γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῆναι περὶ αὐτῆς φρονήσεως τελειότης καὶ ὁ ἀγρυπνήσας δι' αὐτὴν ταχέως ἀμέριμνος ἔσται

17ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους αὐτῆς αὐτὴ περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα καὶ ἐν ταῖς τρίβοις φαντάζεται αὐτοῖς εὐμενῶς καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπινοίᾳ ὑπαντᾷ αὐτοῖς

18ἀρχὴ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἡ ἀληθεστάτη παιδείας ἐπιθυμία φροντὶς δὲ παιδείας ἀγάπη

19ἀγάπη δὲ τήρησις νόμων αὐτῆς προσοχὴ δὲ νόμων βεβαίωσις ἀφθαρσίας

20ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ θεοῦ

21ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας ἀνάγει ἐπὶ βασιλείαν

22εἰ οὖν ἥδεσθε ἐπὶ θρόνοις καὶ σκήπτροις τύραννοι λαῶν τιμήσατε σοφίαν ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε

24τί δέ ἐστιν σοφία καὶ πῶς ἐγένετο ἀπαγγελῶ καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψω ὑμῖν μυστήρια ἀλλὰ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς γενέσεως ἐξιχνιάσω καὶ θήσω εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς τὴν γνῶσιν αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ μὴ παροδεύσω τὴν ἀλήθειαν

25οὔτε μὴν φθόνῳ τετηκότι συνοδεύσω ὅτι οὗτος οὐ κοινωνήσει σοφίᾳ

26πλῆθος δὲ σοφῶν σωτηρία κόσμου καὶ βασιλεὺς φρόνιμος εὐστάθεια δήμου

27ὥστε παιδεύεσθε τοῖς ῥήμασίν μου καὶ ὠφεληθήσεσθε