Wisdom of Solomon 9

1"O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,

who hast made all things by thy word,

2and by thy wisdom hast formed man,

to have dominion over the creatures thou hast made,

3and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,

and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,

4give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne,

and do not reject me from among thy servants.

5For 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;

6for even if one is perfect among the sons of men,

yet without the wisdom that comes from thee he will be regarded as nothing.

7Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people

and to be judge over thy sons and daughters.

8Thou 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.

9With 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.

10Send 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.

11For she knows and understands all things,

and she will guide me wisely in my actions

and guard me with her glory.

12Then my works will be acceptable,

and I shall judge thy people justly,

and shall be worthy of the thronea of my father.

13For what man can learn the counsel of God?

Or who can discern what the Lord wills?

14For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,

and our designs are likely to fail,

15for a perishable body weighs down the soul,

and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtfulb mind.

16We 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?

17Who has learned thy counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom

and sent thy holy Spirit from on high?

18And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,

and men were taught what pleases thee,

and were saved by wisdom."