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fection upon my words; defire them, and ye fhall be inftructed.

12 ¶ Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of fuch as feek her.

13 She preventeth them that defire her, in making herself first known unto them. 14 Whofo feeketh her early fhall have no great travel: for he fhall find her fitting at his doors.

15 To think therefore upon her, is perfection of wisdom and whofo watcheth for her, fhall quickly be without care.

16 For fhe goeth about seeking fuch as are worthy of her, fheweth herfelf favourably unto them in the ways, and meeteth them in every thought.

17 For the very true beginning of her is the defire of difcipline; and the care of difcipline is love;

18 And love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed unto her laws, is the affurance of incorruption;

19 And incorruption maketh us near unto God.

20 Therefore the defire of wifdom bringeth to a kingdom.

21 If your delight be

then in thrones and fcepters, O ye kings of the people, honour wifdom, that ye may reign for evermore.

22 As for wisdom, what the is, and how the came up, I will tell you, and will not hide mysteries from you: but will feek her out from the beginning of her nativity, and bring the knowledge of her into light, and will not pass over the truth.

23 Neither will I go with confuming envy, for such a man fhall have no fellowship with wisdom.

24 But the multitude of the wife is the welfare of the world; and a wife king is the upholding of the people.

25 Receive therefore inftruction through my words, and it fhall do you good.

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is of like nature, and the firft | them.

voice which I uttered, was 13 I learned diligently, crying, as all others do. and do communicate her

4 I was nurfed in fwad-liberally: I do not hide her dling-clothes, and that with riches.

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 fpirit of wisdom came to

me.

8qI preferred her before fcepters and thrones, and effeemed riches nothing in comparison of her.

9 Neither compared I unto her any precious ftone, because all gold in refpect of her is as a little fand, and filver shall be counted as clay before her.

Jo I loved her above health and beauty, and chofe to have her inftead of light: for the light that cometh from her, never goeth out.

14 For fhe 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 wife.

16 For in his hand are both we and our words: all wisdom alfo 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 midft of the times: the alterations of the turning of the fun, and the change of

11 All good things toge-feafons: ther 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 he was the mother of

10

19 The circuits of years, and the pofitions of ftars:

20 The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beafts: the violence of winds, and the reasonings of men: the diverfities of plants,

and

and the virtues of roots;
21 And all fuch things as
are either fecret or manifeft,
them I know.

22 For wifdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me for in her is an understanding spirit, holy, one only, manifold, fubtil, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not fubject to hurt, loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be letted, ready to do good,

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CHAP. VIII. ISDOM reacheth

23 Kind to man, fted-prevail against wisdom. faft, fure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure and moft fubtil fpirits.

24 For wifdom is more moving than any motion: fhe paffeth and goeth through all things by reafon of her purenefs.

25 For fhe 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 fhe is the brightnefs of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness.

27 And being but one, fhe can do all things: and remaining in herself, fhe maketh all things new: and in

from one end to another mightily and fweetly doth fhe order all things.

2¶ I loved her, and fought her out from my youth, I defired to make her my fpcufe, and I was a lover of her beauty.

3 In that fhe is converfant with God, fhe magnifieth her nobility: yea, the Lord of all things himfelf loved her.

4 For fhe is privy to the myfteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of his works.

5 If riches be a poffeffion to be defired 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 Ii 3 cunning

cunning workman than fhe? 13 Moreover, by the 7 And if a man love righ- means of her I fhall obtain teoufnefs, her labours are immortality, and leave bevirtues for fhe teacheth hind me an everlafting metemperance and prudence,morial to them that come afjuftice and fortitude; which ter me. are fuch things as men can have nothing more profitable in their life.

14 I fhall fet the people in order, and the nations fhall be fubject unto me.

15 Horrible tyrants fhall

8 If a man defire much experience, fhe knoweth be afraid, when they do but

things of old, and conjectureth aright what is to come: fhe knoweth the fubtilties of fpeeches, and can expound dark fentences: the forefeeth figns and wonders, and the events of feafons and times.

9 Therefore I purpofed to take her to me to live with me, knowing that she would be a counfellor of good things, and a comfort in cares and grief.

10 For her fake I fhall have estimation among the multitude, and honour with the elders, theugh I be young.

III fhall be found of a quick conceit in judgment, and fhall be admired in the fight of great men.

hear of me; I fhall be found good among the multitude, and valiant in war.

16 After I am come into mine house, I will repofe myself with her for her converfation hath no bitterness, and to live with her, hath no forrow, but mirth and joy.

17 Now when I confidered these things in myself, and pondered them in my heart, how that to be allied unto wifdom, is immortality,

18 And great pleasure it is to have her friendfhip, and in the works of her hands are infinite riches, and in the exercife of conference with her prudence; and in talking with her, a good report: I 12 When I hold my went about feeking how to tongue, they fhall bide my take her to me. leifure; and when I fpeak, 19 For I was a witty they fhall give good ear un-child, and had a good fpirit." to me: if I talk much, they 20 Yea, rather being good, hall lay their hands upon I came into a body undetheir mouth.

filed.

21 Never

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God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who haft made all things with thy word,

7 Thou haft chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a judge of thy fons and daughters.

8 Thou haft commanded' me to build a temple upon thy holy mount, and an altar in the city wherein thou dwelleft, a refemblance of the holy tabernacle which thou haft prepared from the beginning.

9 And wifdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was prefent when thou madeft the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy fight, and right in thy

2 And ordained man through thy wifdom, that he fhould have dominion over the creatures which thou haft commandments. made, 10 O fend her out of thy 3 Ánd order the world ac-holy heavens, and from the cording to equity and righ-throne of thy glory, that beteousness, and execute judging prefent the may labour ment with an upright heart: with me, that I may know 4 Give me wisdom that what is pleafing unto thee. fitteth by thy throne, and reject me not from among thy children :"

5 For I thy fervant, and fon of thine handmaid, am a feeble perfon, and of a fhort time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws.

6 For though a man be ever fo perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wifdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.

II For fhe knoweth and understandeth all things, and fhe fhall lead me foberly in my doings, and preferve me in her power.

12 So fhall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to fit in my father's feat.

13 For what man is he that can know the counsel of God; or who can think what the will of the Lord is?

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