Wisdom 9

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 God of my fathers, LORD of mercy. you who have made all things by your word	1 "O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things by thy word,
2 And in your wisdom have established man to rule the creatures produced by you,	2 and by thy wisdom hast formed man, to have dominion over the creatures thou hast made,
3 To govern the world in holiness and justice, and to render judgment in integrity of heart:	3 and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,
4 Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne, and reject me not from among your children;	4 give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne, and do not reject me from among thy servants.
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.	5 For I am thy slave and the son of thy maidservant, a man who is weak and short-lived, with little understanding of judgment and laws;
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.	6 for even if one is perfect among the sons of men, yet without the wisdom that comes from thee he will be regarded as nothing.
7 You have chosen me king over your people and magistrate for your sons and daughters.	7 Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people and to be judge over thy sons and daughters.
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.	8 Thou hast given command to build a temple on thy holy mountain, and an altar in the city of thy habitation, a copy of the holy tent which thou didst prepare from the beginning.
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.	9 With thee is wisdom, who knows thy works and was present when thou didst make the world, and who understand what is pleasing in thy sight and what is right according to thy commandments.
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.	10 Send her forth from the holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory send her, that she may be with me and toil, and that I may learn what is pleasing to thee.
11 For she knows and understands all things, and will guide me discreetly in my affairs and safeguard me by her glory;	11 For she knows and understands all things, and she will guide me wisely in my actions and guard me with her glory.
12 Thus my deeds will be acceptable, and I shall judge your people justly and be worthy of my father's throne.	12 Then my works will be acceptable, and I shall judge thy people justly, and shall be worthy of the throne of my father.
13 For what man knows God's counsel, or who can conceive what our LORD intends?	13 For what man can learn the counsel of God? Or who can discern what the Lord wills?
14 For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans.	14 For the reasoning of mortals is worthless, and our designs are likely to fail,
15 For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.	15 for a perishable body weighs down the soul, and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind.
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?	16 We can hardly guess at what is on earth, and what is at hand we find with labor; but who has traced out what is in the heavens?
17 Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given Wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?	17 Who has learned thy counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom and sent thy holy Spirit from on high?
18 And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight, and men learned what was your pleasure, and were saved by Wisdom.	18 And thus the paths of those on earth were set right, and men were taught what pleases thee, and were saved by wisdom."