Wisdom 7

I myself am a mortal man, like all others, and of the race of him, that was first made of the earth, and in the womb of my mother I was fashioned to be flesh.

Sum quidem et ego mortalis homo, similis omnibus, et ex genere terreni illius qui prior factus est : et in ventre matris figuratus sum caro;

εἰμὶ μὲν κἀγὼ θνητὸς ἄνθρωπος ἴσος ἅπασιν καὶ γηγενοῦς ἀπόγονος πρωτοπλάστου καὶ ἐν κοιλίᾳ μητρὸς ἐγλύφην σὰρξ

In the time of ten months I was compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure of sleep concurring.

decem mensium tempore coagulatus sum in sanguine : ex semine hominis, et delectamento somni conveniente.

δεκαμηνιαίῳ χρόνῳ παγεὶς ἐν αἵματι ἐκ σπέρματος ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἡδονῆς ὕπνῳ συνελθούσης

And being born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth, that is made alike, and the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.

Et ego natus accepi communem aërem, et in similiter factam decidi terram, et primam vocem similem omnibus emisi plorans.

καὶ ἐγὼ δὲ γενόμενος ἔσπασα τὸν κοινὸν ἀέρα καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ὁμοιοπαθῆ κατέπεσον γῆν πρώτην φωνὴν τὴν ὁμοίαν πᾶσιν ἴσα κλαίων

I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and with great cares.

In involumentis nutritus sum, et curis magnis :

ἐν σπαργάνοις ἀνετράφην καὶ φροντίσιν

For none of the kings had any other beginning of birth.

nemo enim ex regibus aliud habuit nativitatis initium.

οὐδεὶς γὰρ βασιλέων ἑτέραν ἔσχεν γενέσεως ἀρχήν

For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.

Unus ergo introitus est omnibus ad vitam, et similis exitus.

μία δὲ πάντων εἴσοδος εἰς τὸν βίον ἔξοδός τε ἴση

Wherefore I wished, and understanding was given me: and I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me:

Propter hoc optavi, et datus est mihi sensus; et invocavi, et venit in me spiritus sapientiæ :

διὰ τοῦτο εὐξάμην καὶ φρόνησις ἐδόθη μοι ἐπεκαλεσάμην καὶ ἦλθέν μοι πνεῦμα σοφίας

And I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her.

et præposui illam regnis et sedibus, et divitias nihil esse duxi in comparatione illius.

προέκρινα αὐτὴν σκήπτρων καὶ θρόνων καὶ πλοῦτον οὐδὲν ἡγησάμην ἐν συγκρίσει αὐτῆς

Neither did I compare unto her any precious stone: for all gold, in comparison of her, is as a little sand; and silver, in respect to her, shall be counted as clay.

Nec comparavi illi lapidem pretiosum, quoniam omne aurum in comparatione illius arena est exigua, et tamquam lutum æstimabitur argentum in conspectu illius.

οὐδὲ ὡμοίωσα αὐτῇ λίθον ἀτίμητον ὅτι ὁ πᾶς χρυσὸς ἐν ὄψει αὐτῆς ψάμμος ὀλίγη καὶ ὡς πηλὸς λογισθήσεται ἄργυρος ἐναντίον αὐτῆς

I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for her light cannot be put out.

Super salutem et speciem dilexi illam, et proposui pro luce habere illam, quoniam inextinguibile est lumen illius.

ὑπὲρ ὑγίειαν καὶ εὐμορφίαν ἠγάπησα αὐτὴν καὶ προειλόμην αὐτὴν ἀντὶ φωτὸς ἔχειν ὅτι ἀκοίμητον τὸ ἐκ ταύτης φέγγος

Now all good things came to me together with her, and innumerable riches through her hands,

Venerunt autem mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa, et innumerabilis honestas per manus illius;

ἦλθεν δέ μοι τὰ ἀγαθὰ ὁμοῦ πάντα μετ' αὐτῆς καὶ ἀναρίθμητος πλοῦτος ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῆς

And I rejoiced in all these: for this wisdom went before me, and I knew not that she was the mother of them all.

et lætatus sum in omnibus, quoniam antecedebat me ista sapientia, et ignorabam quoniam horum omnium mater est.

εὐφράνθην δὲ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ὅτι αὐτῶν ἡγεῖται σοφία ἠγνόουν δὲ αὐτὴν γενέτιν εἶναι τούτων

Which I have learned without guile, and communicate without envy, and her riches I hide not.

Quam sine fictione didici, et sine invidia communico, et honestatem illius non abscondo.

ἀδόλως τε ἔμαθον ἀφθόνως τε μεταδίδωμι τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποκρύπτομαι

For she is an infinite treasure to men: which they that use, become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts of discipline.

Infinitus enim thesaurus est hominibus; quo qui usi sunt, participes facti sunt amicitiæ Dei, propter disciplinæ dona commendati.

ἀνεκλιπὴς γὰρ θησαυρός ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις ὃν οἱ κτησάμενοι πρὸς θεὸν ἐστείλαντο φιλίαν διὰ τὰς ἐκ παιδείας δωρεὰς συσταθέντες

And God hath given to me to speak as I would, and to conceive thoughts worthy of those things that are given me: because he is the guide of wisdom, and the director of the wise:

Mihi autem dedit Deus dicere ex sententia, et præsumere digna horum quæ mihi dantur : quoniam ipse sapientiæ dux est, et sapientium emendator.

ἐμοὶ δὲ δῴη ὁ θεὸς εἰπεῖν κατὰ γνώμην καὶ ἐνθυμηθῆναι ἀξίως τῶν δεδομένων ὅτι αὐτὸς καὶ τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγός ἐστιν καὶ τῶν σοφῶν διορθωτής

For in his hand are both we, and our words, and all wisdom, and the knowledge and skill of works.

In manu enim illius et nos et sermones nostri, et omnis sapientia, et operum scientia, et disciplina.

ἐν γὰρ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ λόγοι ἡμῶν πᾶσά τε φρόνησις καὶ ἐργατειῶν ἐπιστήμη

For he hath given me the true knowledge of the things that are: to know the disposition of the whole world, and the virtues of the elements,

Ipse enim dedit mihi horum quæ sunt scientiam veram, ut sciam dispositionem orbis terrarum, et virtutes elementorum,

αὐτὸς γάρ μοι ἔδωκεν τῶν ὄντων γνῶσιν ἀψευδῆ εἰδέναι σύστασιν κόσμου καὶ ἐνέργειαν στοιχείων

The beginning, and ending, and midst of the times, the alterations of their courses, and the changes of seasons,

initium, et consummationem, et medietatem temporum, vicissitudinum permutationes, et commutationes temporum,

ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος καὶ μεσότητα χρόνων τροπῶν ἀλλαγὰς καὶ μεταβολὰς καιρῶν

The revolutions of the year, and the dispositions of the stars,

anni cursus, et stellarum dispositiones,

ἐνιαυτοῦ κύκλους καὶ ἄστρων θέσεις

The natures of living creatures, and rage of wild beasts, the force of winds, and reasonings of men, the diversities of plants, and the virtues of roots,

naturas animalium, et iras bestiarum, vim ventorum, et cogitationes hominum, differentias virgultorum, et virtutes radicum.

φύσεις ζῴων καὶ θυμοὺς θηρίων πνευμάτων βίας καὶ διαλογισμοὺς ἀνθρώπων διαφορὰς φυτῶν καὶ δυνάμεις ῥιζῶν

And all such things as are hid, and not foreseen, I have learned: for wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me.

Et quæcumque sunt absconsa et improvisa didici : omnium enim artifex docuit me sapientia.

ὅσα τέ ἐστιν κρυπτὰ καὶ ἐμφανῆ ἔγνων ἡ γὰρ πάντων τεχνῖτις ἐδίδαξέν με σοφία

For in her is the spirit of understanding; holy, one, manifold, subtile, eloquent, active, undefiled, sure, sweet, loving that which is good, quick, which nothing hindereth, beneficent,

Est enim in illa spiritus intelligentiæ, sanctus, unicus, multiplex, subtilis, disertus, mobilis, incoinquinatus, certus, suavis, amans bonum, acutus, quem nihil vetat, benefaciens,

ἔστιν γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ πνεῦμα νοερόν ἅγιον μονογενές πολυμερές λεπτόν εὐκίνητον τρανόν ἀμόλυντον σαφές ἀπήμαντον φιλάγαθον ὀξύ

Gentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits: intelligible, pure, subtile:

humanus, benignus, stabilis, certus, securus, omnem habens virtutem, omnia prospiciens, et qui capiat omnes spiritus, intelligibilis, mundus, subtilis.

ἀκώλυτον εὐεργετικόν φιλάνθρωπον βέβαιον ἀσφαλές ἀμέριμνον παντοδύναμον πανεπίσκοπον καὶ διὰ πάντων χωροῦν πνευμάτων νοερῶν καθαρῶν λεπτοτάτων

For wisdom is more active than all active things; and reacheth everywhere, by reason of her purity.

Omnibus enim mobilibus mobilior est sapientia : attingit autem ubique propter suam munditiam.

πάσης γὰρ κινήσεως κινητικώτερον σοφία διήκει δὲ καὶ χωρεῖ διὰ πάντων διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα

For she is a vapour of the power of God, and a certain pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty God: and therefore no defiled thing cometh into her.

Vapor est enim virtutis Dei, et emanatio quædam est claritatis omnipotentis Dei sincera, et ideo nihil inquinatum in eam incurrit :

ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστιν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμεως καὶ ἀπόρροια τῆς τοῦ παντοκράτορος δόξης εἰλικρινής διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν μεμιαμμένον εἰς αὐτὴν παρεμπίπτει

For she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God’s majesty, and the image of his goodness.

candor est enim lucis æternæ, et speculum sine macula Dei majestatis, et imago bonitatis illius.

ἀπαύγασμα γάρ ἐστιν φωτὸς ἀϊδίου καὶ ἔσοπτρον ἀκηλίδωτον τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνεργείας καὶ εἰκὼν τῆς ἀγαθότητος αὐτοῦ

And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself the same, she reneweth all things, and through nations conveyeth herself into holy souls, she maketh the friends of God and prophets.

Et cum sit una, omnia potest; et in se permanens omnia innovat : et per nationes in animas sanctas se transfert; amicos Dei et prophetas constituit.

μία δὲ οὖσα πάντα δύναται καὶ μένουσα ἐν αὑτῇ τὰ πάντα καινίζει καὶ κατὰ γενεὰς εἰς ψυχὰς ὁσίας μεταβαίνουσα φίλους θεοῦ καὶ προφήτας κατασκευάζει

For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom.

Neminem enim diligit Deus, nisi eum qui cum sapientia inhabitat.

οὐθὲν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεὸς εἰ μὴ τὸν σοφίᾳ συνοικοῦντα

For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it.

Est enim hæc speciosior sole, et super omnem dispositionem stellarum : luci comparata, invenitur prior.

ἔστιν γὰρ αὕτη εὐπρεπεστέρα ἡλίου καὶ ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἄστρων θέσιν φωτὶ συγκρινομένη εὑρίσκεται προτέρα

For after this cometh night, but no evil can overcome wisdom.

Illi enim succedit nox; sapientiam autem non vincit malitia.

τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ διαδέχεται νύξ σοφίας δὲ οὐ κατισχύει κακία