| 1 Strongly she reaches from one end of the world to the other and she governs the whole world for itsgood. |
| 2 Wisdom I loved and searched for from my youth; I resolved to have her as my bride, I fel in love withher beauty. |
| 3 She enhances her noble birth by sharing God's life, for the Master of Al has always loved her. |
| 4 Indeed, she shares the secrets of God's knowledge, and she chooses what he wil do. |
| 5 If in this life wealth is a desirable possession, what is more wealthy than Wisdom whose work iseverywhere? |
| 6 Or if it be the intel ect that is at work, who, more than she, designs whatever exists? |
| 7 Or if it be uprightness you love, why, virtues are the fruit of her labours, since it is she who teachestemperance and prudence, justice and fortitude; nothing in life is more useful for human beings. |
| 8 Or if you are eager for wide experience, she knows the past, she forecasts the future; she knows how toturn maxims, and solve riddles; she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders, and of the unfolding of the agesand the times. |
| 9 I therefore determined to take her to share my life, knowing that she would be my counsel or inprosperity and comfort me in cares and sorrow. |
| 10 'Thanks to her, I shal be admired by the masses and honoured, though young, by the elders. |
| 11 I shall be reckoned shrewd as a judge, and the great wil be amazed at me. |
| 12 They wil wait on my silences, and pay attention when I speak; if I speak at some length, they wil laytheir hand on their lips. |
| 13 By means of her, immortality wil be mine, I shal leave an everlasting memory to my successors. |
| 14 I shall govern peoples, and nations wil be subject to me; |
| 15 at the sound of my name fearsome despots will be afraid; I shal show myself kind to the people andvaliant in battle. |
| 16 'When I go home I shal take my ease with her, for nothing is bitter in her company, when life is sharedwith her there is no pain, nothing but pleasure and joy.' |
| 17 Having meditated on al this, and having come to the conclusion that immortality resides in kinship withWisdom, |
| 18 noble contentment in her friendship, inexhaustible riches in her activities, understanding in cultivatingher society, and renown in conversing with her, I went al ways, seeking how to get her. |
| 19 I was a boy of happy disposition, I had received a good soul as my lot, |
| 20 or rather, being good, I had entered an undefiled body; |
| 21 but, realising that I could never possess Wisdom unless God gave her to me, -a sign of intel igence initself, to know in whose gift she lay -- I prayed to the Lord and entreated him, and with all my heart I said: |