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Wisdom 9
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Chapter 9
A prayer for Wisdom
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‘God of our ancestors, Lord of mercy, who by your word have made all things,
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and in your wisdom have fitted man to rule the creatures that have come from you,
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to govern the world in holiness and justice and in honesty of soul to wield authority,
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grant me Wisdom, consort of your throne, and do not reject me from the number of your children.
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‘For I am your servant, son of your serving maid, a feeble man, with little time to live, with small understanding of justice and the laws.
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Indeed, were anyone perfect among the sons of men, if he lacked the Wisdom that comes from you, he would still count for nothing.
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You yourself have chosen me[*a] to be king over your people, to be judge of your sons and daughters.
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You have bidden me build a temple on your holy mountain, an altar in the city where you have pitched your tent, a copy of that sacred tabernacle which you prepared from the beginning.
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With you is Wisdom, she who knows your works, she who was present when you made the world; she understands what is pleasing in your eyes and what agrees with your commandments.
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Despatch her from the holy heavens, send her forth from your throne of glory to help me and to toil with me and teach me what is pleasing to you,
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since she knows and understands everything. She will guide me prudently in my undertakings and protect me by her glory.
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Then all I do will be acceptable, I shall govern your people justly and shall be worthy of my father’s[*b] throne.
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‘What man indeed can know the intentions of God? Who can divine the will of the Lord?
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The reasonings of mortals are unsure and our intentions unstable;
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for a perishable body presses down the soul, and this tent of clay weighs down the teeming mind.
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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?
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As for your intention, who could have learnt it, had you not granted Wisdom and sent your holy spirit from above?
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Thus have the paths of those on earth been straightened and men been taught what pleases you, and saved, by Wisdom.’
Chapters of Wisdom
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
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