Apo

1 Wisdom reacheth from one end to another mightily: and sweetly doth she order all things.

2 I loved her, and sought her out from my youth, I desired to make her my spouse, and I was a lover of her beauty.

3 In that she is conversant with God, she magnifieth her nobility: yea, the Lord of all things himself loved her.

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

5 If riches be a possession to be desired 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 cunning workman than she?

7 And if a man love righteousness her labours are virtues: for she teacheth temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude: which are such things, as en can have nothing more profitable in their life.

8 If a man desire much experience, she knoweth things of old, and conjectureth aright what is to come: she knoweth the subtilties of speeches, and can expound dark sentences: she foreseeth signs and wonders, and the events of seasons and times.

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

10 For her sake I shall have estimation among the multitude, and honour with the elders, though I be young.

11 I shall be found of a quick conceit in judgment, and shall be admired in the sight of great men.

12 When I hold my tongue, they shall bide my leisure, and when I speak, they shall give good ear unto me: if I talk much, they shall lay their hands upon their mouth.

13 Moreover by the means of her I shall obtain immortality, and leave behind me an everlasting memorial to them that come after me.

14 I shall set the people in order, and the nations shall be subject unto me.

15 Horrible tyrants shall be afraid, when they do but hear of me; I shall be found good among the multitude, and valiant in war.

16 After I am come into mine house, I will repose myself with her: for her conversation hath no bitterness; and to live with her hath no sorrow, but mirth and joy.

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

18 And great pleasure it is to have her friendship; and in the works of her hands are infinite riches; and in the exercise of conference with her, prudence; and in talking with her, a good report; I went about seeking how to take her to me.

19 For I was a witty child, and had a good spirit.

20 Yea rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled.

21 Nevertheless, when I perceived that I could not otherwise obtain her, except God gave her me; and that was a point of wisdom also to know whose gift she was; I prayed unto the Lord, and besought him, and with my whole heart I said,

Sep

1 διατείνει δὲ ἀπὸ πέρατος ἐπὶ πέρας εὐρώστως καὶ διοικεῖ τὰ πάντα χρηστῶς

2 ταύτην ἐφίλησα καὶ ἐξεζήτησα ἐκ νεότητός μου καὶ ἐζήτησα νύμφην ἀγαγέσθαι ἐμαυτῷ καὶ ἐραστὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς

3 εὐγένειαν δοξάζει συμβίωσιν θεοῦ ἔχουσα καὶ ὁ πάντων δεσπότης ἠγάπησεν αὐτήν

4 μύστις γάρ ἐστιν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπιστήμης καὶ αἱρετὶς τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ

5 εἰ δὲ πλοῦτός ἐστιν ἐπιθυμητὸν κτῆμα ἐν βίῳ τί σοφίας πλουσιώτερον τῆς τὰ πάντα ἐργαζομένης

6 εἰ δὲ φρόνησις ἐργάζεται τίς αὐτῆς τῶν ὄντων μᾶλλόν ἐστιν τεχνῖτις

7 καὶ εἰ δικαιοσύνην ἀγαπᾷ τις οἱ πόνοι ταύτης εἰσὶν ἀρεταί σωφροσύνην γὰρ καὶ φρόνησιν ἐκδιδάσκει δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἀνδρείαν ὧν χρησιμώτερον οὐδέν ἐστιν ἐν βίῳ ἀνθρώποις

8 εἰ δὲ καὶ πολυπειρίαν ποθεῖ τις οἶδεν τὰ ἀρχαῖα καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα εἰκάζει ἐπίσταται στροφὰς λόγων καὶ λύσεις αἰνιγμάτων σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα προγινώσκει καὶ ἐκβάσεις καιρῶν καὶ χρόνων

9 ἔκρινα τοίνυν ταύτην ἀγαγέσθαι πρὸς συμβίωσιν εἰδὼς ὅτι ἔσται μοι σύμβουλος ἀγαθῶν καὶ παραίνεσις φροντίδων καὶ λύπης

10 ἕξω δι᾽ αὐτὴν δόξαν ἐν ὄχλοις καὶ τιμὴν παρὰ πρεσβυτέροις ὁ νέος

11 ὀξὺς εὑρεθήσομαι ἐν κρίσει καὶ ἐν ὄψει δυναστῶν θαυμασθήσομαι

12 σιγῶντά με περιμενοῦσιν καὶ φθεγγομένῳ προσέξουσιν καὶ λαλοῦντος ἐπὶ πλεῖον χεῖρα ἐπιθήσουσιν ἐπὶ στόμα αὐτῶν

13 ἕξω δι᾽ αὐτὴν ἀθανασίαν καὶ μνήμην αἰώνιον τοῖς μετ᾽ ἐμὲ ἀπολείψω

14 διοικήσω λαούς καὶ ἔθνη ὑποταγήσεταί μοι

15 φοβηθήσονταί με ἀκούσαντες τύραννοι φρικτοί ἐν πλήθει φανοῦμαι ἀγαθὸς καὶ ἐν πολέμῳ ἀνδρεῖος

16 εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου προσαναπαύσομαι αὐτῇ οὐ γὰρ ἔχει πικρίαν ἡ συναναστροφὴ αὐτῆς οὐδὲ ὀδύνην ἡ συμβίωσις αὐτῆς ἀλλὰ εὐφροσύνην καὶ χαράν

17 ταῦτα λογισάμενος ἐν ἐμαυτῷ καὶ φροντίσας ἐν καρδίᾳ μου ὅτι ἀθανασία ἐστὶν ἐν συγγενείᾳ σοφίας

18 καὶ ἐν φιλίᾳ αὐτῆς τέρψις ἀγαθὴ καὶ ἐν πόνοις χειρῶν αὐτῆς πλοῦτος ἀνεκλιπὴς καὶ ἐν συγγυμνασίᾳ ὁμιλίας αὐτῆς φρόνησις καὶ εὔκλεια ἐν κοινωνίᾳ λόγων αὐτῆς περιῄειν ζητῶν ὅπως λάβω αὐτὴν εἰς ἐμαυτόν

19 παῖς δὲ ἤμην εὐφυὴς ψυχῆς τε ἔλαχον ἀγαθῆς

20 μᾶλλον δὲ ἀγαθὸς ὢν ἦλθον εἰς σῶμα ἀμίαντον

21 γνοὺς δὲ ὅτι οὐκ ἄλλως ἔσομαι ἐγκρατής ἐὰν μὴ ὁ θεὸς δῷ καὶ τοῦτο δ᾽ ἦν φρονήσεως τὸ εἰδέναι τίνος ἡ χάρις ἐνέτυχον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐδεήθην αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπον ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας μου

Vul

1 [Attingit ergo a fine usque ad finem fortiter,
et disponit omnia suaviter.]

2 [Hanc amavi, et exquisivi a juventute mea,
et quæsivi sponsam mihi eam assumere,
et amator factus sum formæ illius.

3 Generositatem illius glorificat,
contubernium habens Dei;
sed et omnium Dominus dilexit illam.

4 Doctrix enim est disciplinæ Dei,
et electrix operum illius.

5 Et si divitiæ appetuntur in vita,
quid sapientia locupletius quæ operatur omnia?

6 Si autem sensus operatur,
quis horum quæ sunt magis quam illa est artifex?

7 Et si justitiam quis diligit,
labores hujus magnas habent virtutes:
sobrietatem enim et prudentiam docet,
et justitiam, et virtutem,
quibus utilius nihil est in vita hominibus.

8 Et si multitudinem scientiæ desiderat quis,
scit præterita, et de futuris æstimat;
scit versutias sermonum, et dissolutiones argumentorum;
signa et monstra scit antequam fiant,
et eventus temporum et sæculorum.

9 Proposui ergo hanc adducere mihi ad convivendum,
sciens quoniam mecum communicabit de bonis,
et erit allocutio cogitationis et tædii mei.

10 Habebo propter hanc claritatem ad turbas,
et honorem apud seniores juvenis;

11 et acutus inveniar in judicio,
et in conspectu potentium admirabilis ero,
et facies principum mirabuntur me:

12 tacentem me sustinebunt,
et loquentem me respicient,
et sermocinante me plura, manus ori suo imponent.

13 Præterea habebo per hanc immortalitatem,
et memoriam æternam his qui post me futuri sunt relinquam.

14 Disponam populos,
et nationes mihi erunt subditæ:

15 timebunt me audientes reges horrendi.
In multitudine videbor bonus,
et in bello fortis.

16 Intrans in domum meam, conquiescam cum illa:
non enim habet amaritudinem conversatio illius,
nec tædium convictus illius,
sed lætitiam et gaudium.

17 Hæc cogitans apud me
et commemorans in corde meo,
quoniam immortalitas est in cognatione sapientiæ,

18 et in amicitia illius delectatio bona,
et in operibus manuum illius honestas sine defectione,
et in certamine loquelæ illius sapientia,
et præclaritas in communicatione sermonum ipsius:
circuibam quærens, ut mihi illam assumerem.

19 Puer autem eram ingeniosus,
et sortitus sum animam bonam.

20 Et cum essem magis bonus,
veni ad corpus incoinquinatum.

21 Et ut scivi quoniam aliter non possem esse continens, nisi Deus det;
et hoc ipsum erat sapientiæ, scire cujus esset hoc donum:
adii Dominum, et deprecatus sum illum,
et dixi ex totis præcordiis meis:]