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II. Praise of Wisdom[a]

A. Importance of Wisdom

Hear, Israel, the commandments of life:
    listen, and know prudence!(A)
10 How is it, Israel,
    that you are in the land of your foes,
    grown old in a foreign land,
11 Defiled with the dead,
    counted among those destined for Hades?(B)
12 You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom!(C)
13     Had you walked in the way of God,
    you would have dwelt in enduring peace.(D)

14 Learn where prudence is,
    where strength, where understanding;
That you may know also
    where are length of days, and life,
    where light of the eyes, and peace.(E)
15 Who has found the place of wisdom?(F)
    Who has entered into her treasuries?

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Footnotes

  1. 3:9–4:4 This poem in praise of personified Wisdom utilizes the theme of Jb 28 (where is wisdom to be found?) and it identifies wisdom and law, as in Sir 24:22–23.