Wisdom 7

Wycliffe Bible

7 Forsooth and I am a deadly (or a mortal) man, like other men, and of (the) earthly kind of him that was made first, [I am forsooth and a deadly man, like to men, and of the earthy kind of him that rather is made,]

² and in the womb of my mother I was formed flesh. In the time of ten months I was crudded (or curdled) together in blood, of the seed of man, and by (the) according delight of (or with) sleep. [and in the womb of the mother figured I am flesh. In time of ten months crudded I am into blood, of the seed of man, and of covenable delighting of sleep.]

³ And I was born, and took common air, and in like manner I fell down into (or onto) the earth made; and I weeping sent out the first voice, like all men. [And I born took common air, and like manner fell down into the made earth; and the first voice, like all, I put out weeping.]

⁴ I was nursed in wrappings, and in great busynesses; [I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and in great busynesses;]

⁵ for why no man of kings had other beginning of birth.

⁶ Therefore one entering (or one entrance) to life is to (or for) all men, and like going out. [One entry is to (or for) all to life, and like issue.]

⁷ Wherefore I desired, and wit (or understanding) was given to me; and I inwardly called, and the spirit of wisdom came into me. [For that I desired, and there is given to me wit; and I inwardly called, and there came to me the spirit of wisdom.]

⁸ And I setted wisdom before realms (or kingdoms), and seats (or thrones); and I said, that riches be nought in comparison thereof, [And I put it before to realms, and seats; and riches I said nothing to be in comparison of it,]

⁹ and I comparisoned not a precious stone to it; for why all gold in comparison thereof is (but) a little gravel, and silver shall be areckoned as clay in the sight thereof. [nor I comparisoned to it a precious stone; for all gold in comparison of it (or to it) is (but) a little gravel, and as clay silver shall be esteemed in the sight of it.]

¹⁰ I loved wisdom more than health and fairness; and I purposed to have it for light, for the light thereof may not be quenched. [Over health and fairness I loved it; and I purposed for light to have it, for unquenchable is the light of it.]

¹¹ Forsooth all goods (or all good things) came together to me with it; and unnumberable honesty (or incalculable honour) is by the works thereof. [Forsooth there came to me all goods together with it; and unnumberable honesty by the hands of it.]

¹² And I was glad in all things; for this wisdom went before me, and I knew not, for it is the mother of all goods (or and I did not know, that she is the mother of all good things). [And I gladded in all things; for this wisdom went before me, and I knew not, for of all goods it is mother.]

¹³ Which wisdom I learned without feigning, and I commune without envy; and I hide not the honesty, (or the honour, or the riches) thereof. [For without feigning I learned, and without envy I commune; and the honesty of it I hid not.]

¹⁴ For it is treasure without number to men, and they, that used that treasure, were made partners of God’s friendship, and were praised for the gifts of cunning (or of knowing). [Forsooth treasure it is without end to men, the which who used, partner be made of the friendship of God, (and were) commended for the gifts of discipline.]

¹⁵ Forsooth God gave to me to say of sentence, and to before take [or and to take before] (the) worthy things of these things that be given to me; for he is the leader of wisdom, and amender of wise men.

¹⁶ For why both we, and our words, and all wisdom, and learning of cunning (or of knowing) of works be in his hand. [In the hand forsooth of him and we, and our words, and all wisdom, and discipline of the cunning of works.]

¹⁷ Forsooth he gave to me the very cunning (or the true knowing) of these things that be, (so) that I know the disposition of the world, and the virtues of (the) elements;

¹⁸ the beginning, and the ending, and the middle of times; the changings of whiles, and the endings of times; the changings of manners, and (the) departings [or the divisions] of times;

¹⁹ the courses of the year, and the dispositions of (the) stars;

²⁰ the kinds of beasts, and the wraths of wild beasts; the strength of (the) winds, and the thoughts of men; the differences of trees, and the virtues of roots.

²¹ And I learned whatever things be hid and unpurveyed; [And whatever thing(s) be hid and unpurveyed, I learned;]

²² for why wisdom, the craftsmaker of all things, taught me. For in that wisdom unmade is the spirit of understanding, holy, many-fold, one alone, subtle, temperate, wise, moveable, undefouled, certain, sweet, loving a good deed, which spirit forbiddeth nothing to do well; [forsooth the craftsman of all things taught me by wisdom. Forsooth there is in it the spirit of understanding, holy, many-fold, only, subtle, mannerly, fair speaking, moveable, undefouled, certain, sweet, loving a good deed, that nothing prevented or hindered to do well;]

²³ courteous, benign, stable, secure, having all virtue, beholding all things, and which taketh all spirits able to understand [or and that taketh all intelligible spirits], he is clean, and subtle.

²⁴ For why wisdom is more moveable than all moveable things; forsooth it stretcheth forth everywhere [or forsooth it attaineth over all], for his cleanness.

²⁵ For it is a breathing of God’s virtue (or God’s power), and it is some clean coming forth of the clearness of Almighty God; and therefore no defouled thing runneth into it. [Forsooth the humour of the virtue of God it is, and the manner going out is a clean clearness of the Almighty God; and therefore nothing defouled runneth into it.]

²⁶ For it is (the) brightness of everlasting light, and it is a mirror without wem of God’s majesty, and it is an image of his goodness. [Forsooth whiteness it is of the everlasting light, and a mirror without wem of the majesty of God, and an image of the goodness of him.]

²⁷ And when it is one, it may (or it can do) all things; and it dwelleth in itself, and reneweth all things, and by nations it beareth over itself into holy souls; it maketh the friends of God, and prophets. [And since it is one, all things it may; and abiding still in itself, all things it reneweth, and by nations to holy souls it beareth over itself; the friends of God and prophets it ordaineth.]

²⁸ For God loveth no man, but him that dwelleth with wisdom.

²⁹ For why this wisdom is fairer than the sun, and is above all the disposition of (the) stars; wisdom comparisoned to light, [it] is found the former (or better or before it).

³⁰ For why night cometh after the light; but wisdom overcometh malice. [To it forsooth night goeth down; wisdom forsooth malice overcometh not.]