Wisdom 8

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Strongly she reaches from one end of the world to the other and she governs the whole world for itsgood.	1 She reacheth therefore from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly.
2 Wisdom I loved and searched for from my youth; I resolved to have her as my bride, I fel in love withher beauty.	2 Her have I loved, and have sought her out from my youth, and have desired to take her for my spouse, and I became a lover of her beauty.
3 She enhances her noble birth by sharing God's life, for the Master of Al has always loved her.	3 She glorifieth her nobility by being conversant with God: yea and the Lord of all things hath loved her.
4 Indeed, she shares the secrets of God's knowledge, and she chooses what he wil do.	4 For it is she that teacheth the knowledge of God, and is the chooser of his works.
5 If in this life wealth is a desirable possession, what is more wealthy than Wisdom whose work iseverywhere?	5 And if riches be desired in life, what is richer than wisdom, which maketh all things?
6 Or if it be the intel ect that is at work, who, more than she, designs whatever exists?	6 And if sense do work: who is a more artful worker than she of those things that are?
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.	7 And if a man love justice: her labours have great virtues; for she teacheth temperance, and prudence, anad justice, and fortitude, which are such things as men can have nothing more profitable in life.
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.	8 And if a man desire much knowledge: she knoweth things past, and judgeth of things to come: she knoweth the subtilties of speeches, and the solutions of arguments: she knoweth signs and wonders before they be done, and the events of times and ages.
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.	9 I purposed therefore to take her to me to live with me: knowing that she will communicate to me of her good things, and will be a comfort in my cares and grief.
10 'Thanks to her, I shal be admired by the masses and honoured, though young, by the elders.	10 For her sake I shall have glory among the multitude, and honour with the ancients, though I be young:
11 I shall be reckoned shrewd as a judge, and the great wil be amazed at me.	11 And I shall be found of a quick conceit in judgment, and shall be admired in the sight of the mighty, and the faces of princes shall wonder 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.	12 They shall wait for me when I hold my peace, and they shall look upon me when I speak, and if I talk much they shall lay their hands on their mouths.
13 By means of her, immortality wil be mine, I shal leave an everlasting memory to my successors.	13 Moreover by the means of her I shall have immortality: and shall leave behind me an everlasting memory to them that come after me.
14 I shall govern peoples, and nations wil be subject to me;	14 I shall set the people in order: and nations shall 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.	15 Terrible kings hearing shall be afraid of me: among the multitude I shall be found good, and valiant in war.
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.'	16 When I go into my house, I shall repose myself with her: for her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness, but joy and gladness.
17 Having meditated on al this, and having come to the conclusion that immortality resides in kinship withWisdom,	17 Thinking these things with myself, and pondering them in my heart, that to be allied to wisdom is immortality,
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.	18 And that there is great delight in her friendship, and inexhaustible riches in the works of her hands, and in the exercise of conference with her, wisdom, and glory in the communication of her words: I went about seeking, that I might take her to myself.
19 I was a boy of happy disposition, I had received a good soul as my lot,	19 And I was a witty child and had received a good soul.
20 or rather, being good, I had entered an undefiled body;	20 And whereas I was more good, I came to a body undefiled.
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:	21 And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it, and this also was a point of wisdom, to know whose gift it was: I went to the Lord, and besought him, and said with my whole heart: