Wis 9:1 O G.o.d of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,

Wis 9:2 And ordained man through thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which thou hast made,

Wis 9:3 And order the world according to equity and righteousness, and execute judgment with an upright heart:

Wis 9:4 Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne; and reject me not from among thy children:

Wis 9:5 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 judgment and laws.

Wis 9:6 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.

Wis 9:7 Thou hast chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters:

Wis 9:8 Thou hast commanded me to build a temple upon thy holy mount, and an altar in the city wherein thou dwellest, a resemblance of the holy tabernacle, which thou hast prepared from the beginning.

Wis 9:9 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.

Wis 9:10 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.

Wis 9:11 For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power.

Wis 9:12 So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father's seat.

Wis 9:13 For what man is he that can know the counsel of G.o.d? or who can think what the will of the Lord is?

Wis 9:14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain.

Wis 9:15 For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things.

Wis 9:16 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?

Wis 9:17 And thy counsel who hath known, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above?

Wis 9:18 For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto thee, and were saved through wisdom.

Wis 10:1 She preserved the first formed father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall,

Wis 10:2 And gave him power to rule all things.

Wis 10:3 But when the unrighteous went away from her in his anger, he perished also in the fury wherewith he murdered his brother.

Wis 10:4 For whose cause the earth being drowned with the flood, wisdom again preserved it, and directed the course of the righteous in a piece of wood of small value.

Wis 10:5 Moreover, the nations in their wicked conspiracy being confounded, she found out the righteous, and preserved him blameless unto G.o.d, and kept him strong against his tender compa.s.sion toward his son.

Wis 10:6 When the unG.o.dly perished, she delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon the five cities.

Wis 10:7 Of whose wickedness even to this day 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.

Wis 10:8 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.

Wis 10:9 Rut wisdom delivered from pain those that attended upon her.

Wis 10:10 When the righteous fled from his brother's wrath she guided him in right paths, shewed him the kingdom of G.o.d, and gave him knowledge of holy things, made him rich in his travels, and multiplied the fruit of his labours.

Wis 10:11 In the covetousness of such as oppressed him she stood by him, and made him rich.

Wis 10:12 She defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait, and in a sore conflict she gave him the victory; that he might know that goodness is stronger than all.

Wis 10:13 When the righteous was sold, she forsook him not, but delivered him from sin: she went down with him into the pit,

Wis 10:14 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.

Wis 10:15 She delivered the righteous people and blameless seed from the nation that oppressed them.

Wis 10:16 She entered into the soul of the servant of the Lord, and withstood dreadful kings in wonders and signs;

Wis 10:17 Rendered to the righteous a reward of their labours, guided them in a marvellous way, and was unto them for a cover by day, and a light of stars in the night season;

Wis 10:18 Brought them through the Red sea, and led them through much water:

Wis 10:19 But she drowned their enemies, and cast them up out of the bottom of the deep.

Wis 10:20 Therefore the righteous spoiled the unG.o.dly, and praised thy holy name, O Lord, and magnified with one accord thine hand, that fought for them.

Wis 10:21 For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of them that cannot speak eloquent.

Wis 11:1 She prospered their works in the hand of the holy prophet.

Wis 11:2 They went through the wilderness that was not inhabited, and pitched tents in places where there lay no way.

Wis 11:3 They stood against their enemies, and were avenged of their adversaries.

Wis 11:4 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.

Wis 11:5 For by what things their enemies were punished, by the same they in their need were benefited.

Wis 11:6 For instead of of a perpetual running river troubled with foul blood,

Wis 11:7 For a manifest reproof of that commandment, whereby the infants were slain, thou gavest unto them abundance of water by a means which they hoped not for:

Wis 11:8 Declaring by that thirst then how thou hadst punished their adversaries.

Wis 11:9 For when they were tried albeit but in mercy chastised, they knew how the unG.o.dly were judged in wrath and tormented, thirsting in another manner than the just.

Wis 11:10 For these thou didst admonish and try, as a father: but the other, as a severe king, thou didst condemn and punish.

Wis 11:11 Whether they were absent or present, they were vexed alike.