Wisdom 9

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 'God of our ancestors, Lord of mercy, who by your word have made the universe,	1 God of my fathers, LORD of mercy. you who have made all things by your word
2 and in your wisdom have fitted human beings to rule the creatures that you have made,	2 And in your wisdom have established man to rule the creatures produced by you,
3 to govern the world in holiness and saving justice and in honesty of soul to dispense fair judgement,	3 To govern the world in holiness and justice, and to render judgment in integrity of heart:
4 grant me Wisdom, consort of your throne, and do not reject me from the number of your children.	4 Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne, and reject me not from among your 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 your servant, the son of your handmaid, a man weak and short-lived and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of 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 Indeed, though one be perfect among the sons of men, if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him, he shall be held in no esteem.
7 'You have chosen me to be king over your people, to be judge of your sons and daughters.	7 You have chosen me king over your people and magistrate for your 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 You have bid me build a temple on your holy mountain and an altar in the city that is your dwelling place, a copy of the holy tabernacle which you had established from of old.
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 Now with you is Wisdom, who knows your works and was present when you made the world; Who understands what is pleasing in your eyes and what is conformable with your commands.
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 forth from your holy heavens and from your glorious throne dispatch her That she may be with me and work with me, that I may know what is your pleasure.
11 since she knows and understands everything she wil guide me prudently in my actions and wil protectme with her glory.	11 For she knows and understands all things, and will guide me discreetly in my affairs and safeguard me by her glory;
12 Then al I do wil be acceptable, I shal govern your people justly and be worthy of my father's throne.	12 Thus my deeds will be acceptable, and I shall judge your people justly and be worthy of my father's throne.
13 'What human being indeed can know the intentions of God? And who can comprehend the wil of theLord?	13 For what man knows God's counsel, or who can conceive what our LORD intends?
14 For the reasoning of mortals is inadequate, our attitudes of mind unstable;	14 For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans.
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 burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.
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 scarce do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when things are in heaven, who can search them out?
17 And who could ever have known your will, had you not given Wisdom and sent your holy Spirit fromabove?	17 Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given Wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?
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 thus were the paths of those on earth made straight, and men learned what was your pleasure, and were saved by Wisdom.