| 1 I too am mortal like everyone else, a descendant of the first man formed from the earth. I was model edin flesh inside a mother's womb, |
| 2 where, for ten months, in blood I acquired substance -- the result of virile seed and pleasure, sleep'scompanion. |
| 3 I too, when I was born, drew in the common air, I fel on the same ground that bears us al , and cryingwas the first sound I made, like everyone else. |
| 4 I was nurtured in swaddling clothes, with every care. |
| 5 No king has known any other beginning of existence; |
| 6 for there is only one way into life, and one way out of it. |
| 7 And so I prayed, and understanding was given me; I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. |
| 8 I esteemed her more than sceptres and thrones; compared with her, I held riches as nothing. |
| 9 I reckoned no precious stone to be her equal, for compared with her, al gold is a pinch of sand, andbeside her, silver ranks as mud. |
| 10 I loved her more than health or beauty, preferred her to the light, since her radiance never sleeps. |
| 11 In her company al good things came to me, and at her hands incalculable wealth. |
| 12 All these delighted me, since Wisdom brings them, though I did not then realise that she was theirmother. |
| 13 What I learned diligently, I shal pass on liberally, I shal not conceal how rich she is. |
| 14 For she is to human beings an inexhaustible treasure, and those who acquire this win God'sfriendship, commended to him by the gifts of instruction. |
| 15 May God grant me to speak as he would wish and conceive thoughts worthy of the gifts I havereceived, since he is both guide to Wisdom and director of sages; |
| 16 for we are in his hand, yes, ourselves and our sayings, and al intellectual and al practical knowledge. |
| 17 He it was who gave me sure knowledge of what exists, to understand the structure of the world andthe action of the elements, |
| 18 the beginning, end and middle of the times, the alternation of the solstices and the succession of theseasons, |
| 19 the cycles of the year and the position of the stars, |
| 20 the natures of animals and the instincts of wild beasts, the powers of spirits and human mentalprocesses, the varieties of plants and the medical properties of roots. |
| 21 And now I understand everything, hidden or visible, for Wisdom, the designer of all things, hasinstructed me. |
| 22 For within her is a spirit intel igent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, incisive, unsul ied, lucid,invulnerable, benevolent, shrewd, |
| 23 irresistible, beneficent, friendly to human beings, steadfast, dependable, unperturbed, almighty, al -surveying, penetrating al intel igent, pure and most subtle spirits. |
| 24 For Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion; she is so pure, she pervades and permeates allthings. |
| 25 She is a breath of the power of God, pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; so nothing impurecan find its way into her. |
| 26 For she is a reflection of the eternal light, untarnished mirror of God's active power, and image of hisgoodness. |
| 27 Although she is alone, she can do everything; herself unchanging, she renews the world, and,generation after generation, passing into holy souls, she makes them into God's friends and prophets; |
| 28 for God loves only those who dwel with Wisdom. |
| 29 She is indeed more splendid than the sun, she outshines al the constel ations; compared with light,she takes first place, |
| 30 for light must yield to night, but against Wisdom evil cannot prevail. |