ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΑΛΩΜΩΝ - Sapienza - Wisdom 6

GREEK BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 ἀκούσατε οὖν βασιλεῖς καὶ σύνετε μάθετε δικασταὶ περάτων γῆς	1 Wisdom is better than strength, and a wise man is better than a strong man.
2 ἐνωτίσασθε οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους καὶ γεγαυρωμένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν	2 Hear therefore, ye kings, and understand: learn, ye that are judges of the ends of the earth.
3 ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ δυναστεία παρὰ ὑψίστου ὃς ἐξετάσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς βουλὰς διερευνήσει	3 Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations:
4 ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπορεύθητε	4 For power is given you by the Lord, and strength by the most High, who will examine your works, and search out your thoughts:
5 φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν γίνεται	5 Because being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly, nor kept the law of justice, nor walked according to the will of God.
6 ὁ γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται	6 Horribly and speedily will he appear to you: for a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule.
7 οὐ γὰρ ὑποστελεῖται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων	7 For to him that is little, mercy is granted: but the mighty shall be mightily tormented.
8 τοῖς δὲ κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα	8 For God will not except any man's person, neither will he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all.
9 πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὖν ὦ τύραννοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἵνα μάθητε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ παραπέσητε	9 But a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty.
10 οἱ γὰρ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια ὁσιωθήσονται καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν	10 To you, therefore, O kings, are these my words, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall from it.
11 ἐπιθυμήσατε οὖν τῶν λόγων μου ποθήσατε καὶ παιδευθήσεσθε	11 For they that have kept just things justly, shall be justified: and they that have learned these things, shall find what to answer.
12 λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ εὐχερῶς θεωρεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτὴν καὶ εὑρίσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν ζητούντων αὐτήν	12 Covet ye therefore my words, and love them, and you shall have instruction.
13 φθάνει τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας προγνωσθῆναι	13 Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away, and is easily seen by them that love her, and is found by them that seek her.
14 ὁ ὀρθρίσας πρὸς αὐτὴν οὐ κοπιάσει πάρεδρον γὰρ εὑρήσει τῶν πυλῶν αὐτοῦ	14 She preventeth them that covet her, so that she first sheweth herself unto them.
15 τὸ γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῆναι περὶ αὐτῆς φρονήσεως τελειότης καὶ ὁ ἀγρυπνήσας δι’ αὐτὴν ταχέως ἀμέριμνος ἔσται	15 He that awaketh early to seek her, shall not labour: for he shall find her sitting at his door.
16 ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους αὐτῆς αὐτὴ περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα καὶ ἐν ταῖς τρίβοις φαντάζεται αὐτοῖς εὐμενῶς καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπινοίᾳ ὑπαντᾷ αὐτοῖς	16 To think therefore upon her, is perfect understanding: and he that watcheth for her, shall quickly be secure.
17 ἀρχὴ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἡ ἀληθεστάτη παιδείας ἐπιθυμία φροντὶς δὲ παιδείας ἀγάπη	17 For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, and she sheweth herself to them cheerfully in the ways, and meeteth them with all providence.
18 ἀγάπη δὲ τήρησις νόμων αὐτῆς προσοχὴ δὲ νόμων βεβαίωσις ἀφθαρσίας	18 For the beginning of her is the most true desire of discipline.
19 ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ θεοῦ	19 And the care of discipline is love: and love is the keeping of her laws: and the keeping of her laws is the firm foundation of incorruption:
20 ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας ἀνάγει ἐπὶ βασιλείαν	20 And incorruption bringeth near to God.
21 εἰ οὖν ἥδεσθε ἐπὶ θρόνοις καὶ σκήπτροις τύραννοι λαῶν τιμήσατε σοφίαν ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε	21 Therefore the desire of wisdom bringeth to the everlasting kingdom.
22 τί δέ ἐστιν σοφία καὶ πῶς ἐγένετο ἀπαγγελῶ καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψω ὑμῖν μυστήρια ἀλλὰ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς γενέσεως ἐξιχνιάσω καὶ θήσω εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς τὴν γνῶσιν αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ μὴ παροδεύσω τὴν ἀλήθειαν	22 If then your delight be in thrones, and sceptres, O ye kings of the people, love wisdom, that you may reign for ever.
23 οὔτε μὴν φθόνῳ τετηκότι συνοδεύσω ὅτι οὗτος οὐ κοινωνήσει σοφίᾳ	23 Love the light of wisdom, all ye that bear rule over peoples.
24 πλῆθος δὲ σοφῶν σωτηρία κόσμου καὶ βασιλεὺς φρόνιμος εὐστάθεια δήμου	24 Now what wisdom is, and what was her origin, I will declare: and I will not hide from you the mysteries of God, but will seek her out from the beginning of her birth, and bring the knowledge of her to light, and will not pass over the truth:
25 ὥστε παιδεύεσθε τοῖς ῥήμασίν μου καὶ ὠφεληθήσεσθε	25 Neither will I go with consuming envy: for such a man shall not be partaker of wisdom.
26 εν παση ψυχη σου προσελθε αυτη και εν ολη δυναμει σου συντηρησον τας οδους αυτης	26 Now the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the whole world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.
27 εξιχνευσον και ζητησον και γνωσθησεται σοι και εγκρατης γενομενος μη αφης αυτην	27 Receive therefore instruction by my words, and it shall be profitable to you.
28 επ' εσχατων γαρ ευρησεις την αναπαυσιν αυτης και στραφησεται σοι εις ευφροσυνην
29 και εσονται σοι αι πεδαι εις σκεπην ισχυος και οι κλοιοι αυτης εις στολην δοξης
30 κοσμος γαρ χρυσεος εστιν επ' αυτης και οι δεσμοι αυτης κλωσμα υακινθινον
31 στολην δοξης ενδυση αυτην και στεφανον αγαλλιαματος περιθησεις σεαυτω
32 εαν θελης τεκνον παιδευθηση και εαν επιδως την ψυχην σου πανουργος εση
33 εαν αγαπησης ακουειν εκδεξη και εαν κλινης το ους σου σοφος εση
34 εν πληθει πρεσβυτερων στηθι και τις σοφος αυτω προσκολληθητι
35 πασαν διηγησιν θειαν θελε ακροασθαι και παροιμιαι συνεσεως μη εκφευγετωσαν σε
36 εαν ιδης συνετον ορθριζε προς αυτον και βαθμους θυρων αυτου εκτριβετω ο πους σου
37 διανοου εν τοις προσταγμασιν κυριου και εν ταις εντολαις αυτου μελετα δια παντος αυτος στηριει την καρδιαν σου και η επιθυμια της σοφιας δοθησεται σοι