ΣΟΦΙΑ ΣΑΛΩΜΩΝ - Sapienza - Wisdom 6

LXX	NEW JERUSALEM
1 ἀκούσατε οὖν βασιλεῖς καὶ σύνετε μάθετε δικασταὶ περάτων γῆς	1 Listen then, kings, and understand; rulers of remotest lands, take warning;
2 ἐνωτίσασθε οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους καὶ γεγαυρωμένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν	2 hear this, you who govern great populations, taking pride in your hosts of subject nations!
3 ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ δυναστεία παρὰ ὑψίστου ὃς ἐξετάσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς βουλὰς διερευνήσει	3 For sovereignty is given to you by the Lord and power by the Most High, who will himself probe youracts and scrutinise your intentions.
4 ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπορεύθητε	4 If therefore, as servants of his kingdom, you have not ruled justly nor observed the law, nor fol owed thewil of God,
5 φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν γίνεται	5 he wil fal on you swiftly and terribly. On the highly placed a ruthless judgement falls;
6 ὁ γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται	6 the lowly are pardoned, out of pity, but the mighty wil be mightily tormented.
7 οὐ γὰρ ὑποστελεῖται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων	7 For the Lord of al does not cower before anyone, he does not stand in awe of greatness, since hehimself has made small and great and provides for al alike;
8 τοῖς δὲ κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα	8 but a searching trial awaits those who wield power.
9 πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὖν ὦ τύραννοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἵνα μάθητε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ παραπέσητε	9 So, monarchs, my words are meant for you, so that you may learn wisdom and not fal into error;
10 οἱ γὰρ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια ὁσιωθήσονται καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν	10 for those who in holiness observe holy things will be adjudged holy, and, accepting instruction fromthem, wil find their defence in them.
11 ἐπιθυμήσατε οὖν τῶν λόγων μου ποθήσατε καὶ παιδευθήσεσθε	11 Set your heart, therefore, on what I have to say, listen with a wil , and you wil be instructed.
12 λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ εὐχερῶς θεωρεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτὴν καὶ εὑρίσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν ζητούντων αὐτήν	12 Wisdom is bril iant, she never fades. By those who love her, she is readily seen, by those who seekher, she is readily found.
13 φθάνει τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας προγνωσθῆναι	13 She anticipates those who desire her by making herself known first.
14 ὁ ὀρθρίσας πρὸς αὐτὴν οὐ κοπιάσει πάρεδρον γὰρ εὑρήσει τῶν πυλῶν αὐτοῦ	14 Whoever gets up early to seek her will have no trouble but wil find her sitting at the door.
15 τὸ γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῆναι περὶ αὐτῆς φρονήσεως τελειότης καὶ ὁ ἀγρυπνήσας δι’ αὐτὴν ταχέως ἀμέριμνος ἔσται	15 Meditating on her is understanding in its perfect form, and anyone keeping awake for her will soon befree from care.
16 ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους αὐτῆς αὐτὴ περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα καὶ ἐν ταῖς τρίβοις φαντάζεται αὐτοῖς εὐμενῶς καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπινοίᾳ ὑπαντᾷ αὐτοῖς	16 For she herself searches everywhere for those who are worthy of her, benevolently appearing to them on their ways, anticipating their every thought.
17 ἀρχὴ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἡ ἀληθεστάτη παιδείας ἐπιθυμία φροντὶς δὲ παιδείας ἀγάπη	17 For Wisdom begins with the sincere desire for instruction, care for instruction means loving her,
18 ἀγάπη δὲ τήρησις νόμων αὐτῆς προσοχὴ δὲ νόμων βεβαίωσις ἀφθαρσίας	18 loving her means keeping her laws, attention to her laws guarantees incorruptibility,
19 ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ θεοῦ	19 and incorruptibility brings us near to God;
20 ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας ἀνάγει ἐπὶ βασιλείαν	20 the desire for Wisdom thus leads to sovereignty.
21 εἰ οὖν ἥδεσθε ἐπὶ θρόνοις καὶ σκήπτροις τύραννοι λαῶν τιμήσατε σοφίαν ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε	21 If then thrones and sceptres delight you, monarchs of the nations, honour Wisdom, so that you mayreign for ever.
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 What Wisdom is and how she was born, I shal now explain; I shal hide no mysteries from you, butshall fol ow her steps from the outset of her origin, setting out what we know of her in ful light, without departingfrom the truth.
23 οὔτε μὴν φθόνῳ τετηκότι συνοδεύσω ὅτι οὗτος οὐ κοινωνήσει σοφίᾳ	23 Blighting envy is no companion for me, for envy has nothing in common with Wisdom.
24 πλῆθος δὲ σοφῶν σωτηρία κόσμου καὶ βασιλεὺς φρόνιμος εὐστάθεια δήμου	24 In the greatest number of the wise lies the world's salvation, in a sagacious king the stability of apeople.
25 ὥστε παιδεύεσθε τοῖς ῥήμασίν μου καὶ ὠφεληθήσεσθε	25 Learn, therefore, from my words; the gain will be yours.