Wisdom 9

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 'God of our ancestors, Lord of mercy, who by your word have made the universe,	1 God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,
2 and in your wisdom have fitted human beings to rule the creatures that you have made,	2 And by thy wisdom hast appointed man, that he should have dominion over the creature that was made by thee,
3 to govern the world in holiness and saving justice and in honesty of soul to dispense fair judgement,	3 That he should order the world according to equity and justice, and execute justice with an upright heart:
4 grant me Wisdom, consort of your throne, and do not reject me from the number of your children.	4 Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne, and cast me not off from among thy children:
5 For I am your servant, son of your serving maid, a feeble man, with little time to live, with smalunderstanding of justice and the laws.	5 For I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid, a weak man, and of short time, and falling short of the understanding of judgment and laws.
6 Indeed, were anyone perfect among the sons of men, if he lacked the Wisdom that comes from you, hewould still count for nothing.	6 For if one be perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.
7 'You have chosen me to be king over your people, to be judge of your sons and daughters.	7 Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters.
8 You have bidden me build a temple on your holy mountain, and an altar in the city where you havepitched your tent, a copy of the holy Tent which you prepared at the beginning.	8 And hast commanded me to build a temple on thy holy mount, and an altar in the city of thy dwelling place, a resemblance of thy holy tabernacle, which thou hast prepared from the beginning:
9 With you is Wisdom, she who knows your works, she who was present when you made the world; sheunderstands what is pleasing in your eyes and what agrees with your commandments.	9 And thy wisdom with thee, which knoweth thy works, which then also was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was agreeable to thy eyes, and what was right in thy commandments.
10 Despatch her from the holy heavens, send her forth from your throne of glory to help me and to toilwith me and teach me what is pleasing to you;	10 Send her out of thy holy heaven, and from the throne of thy majesty, that she may be with me, and may labour with me, that I may know what is acceptable with thee:
11 since she knows and understands everything she wil guide me prudently in my actions and wil protectme with her glory.	11 For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and shall lead me soberly in my works, and shall preserve me by her power.
12 Then al I do wil be acceptable, I shal govern your people justly and be worthy of my father's throne.	12 So shall my works be acceptable, and I shall govern thy people justly, and shall be worthy of the throne of my father.
13 'What human being indeed can know the intentions of God? And who can comprehend the wil of theLord?	13 For who among men is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of God is?
14 For the reasoning of mortals is inadequate, our attitudes of mind unstable;	14 For the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels uncertain.
15 for a perishable body presses down the soul, and this tent of clay weighs down the mind with its many cares.	15 For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things.
16 It is hard enough for us to work out what is on earth, laborious to know what lies within our reach; who,then, can discover what is in the heavens?	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 shall search out?
17 And who could ever have known your will, had you not given Wisdom and sent your holy Spirit fromabove?	17 And who shall know thy thought, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above:
18 Thus have the paths of those on earth been straightened and people have been taught what pleasesyou, and have been saved, by Wisdom.'	18 And so the ways of them that are upon earth may be corrected, and men may learn the things that please thee?
	19 For by wisdom they were healed, whosoever have pleased thee, O Lord, from the beginning.