Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-11:1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Description of Wisdom
12 Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her
and is found by those who seek her.(A)
13 She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.(B)
14 One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.(C)
15 To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,(D)
16 because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths
and meets them in every thought.
17 The beginning of wisdom[a] is the most sincere desire for instruction,
18 and concern for instruction is love of her,
and love of her is the keeping of her laws,
and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,(E)
19 and immortality brings one near to God,
20 so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.(F)
21 Therefore if you delight in thrones and scepters, O monarchs over the peoples,
honor wisdom, so that you may reign forever.(G)
22 I will tell you what wisdom is and how she came to be,
and I will hide no secrets from you,
but I will trace her course from the beginning of creation
and make knowledge of her clear,
and I will not pass by the truth,(H)
23 nor will I travel in the company of sickly envy,
for envy[b] does not associate with wisdom.(I)
24 The multitude of the wise is the salvation of the world,
and a sensible king is the stability of any people.(J)
25 Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.
The King Is Like Other Mortals
7 I also am mortal like everyone else,
a descendant of the first-formed child of earth,
and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh,(K)
2 within the period of ten months, compacted with blood,
from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage.
3 And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air
and fell upon the kindred earth;
my first sound was a cry, as is true of all.(L)
4 I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths.(M)
5 For no king has had a different beginning of existence;
6 there is for all one entrance into life and one way out.(N)
Respect for Wisdom
7 Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.(O)
8 I preferred her to scepters and thrones,
and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.(P)
9 Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,
because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,
and silver will be accounted as clay before her.(Q)
10 I loved her more than health and beauty,
and I chose to have her rather than light
because her radiance never ceases.(R)
11 All good things came to me along with her,
and in her hands uncounted wealth.(S)
12 I rejoiced in them all because wisdom leads them,
but I did not know that she was their mother.
13 I learned without guile, and I impart without grudging;
I do not hide her wealth,(T)
14 for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals;
those who get it obtain friendship with God,
commended for the gifts that come from instruction.(U)
Prayer for Wisdom
15 May God grant me to speak with judgment
and to have thoughts worthy of what I have received,
for he is the guide even of wisdom
and the corrector of the wise.(V)
16 For both we and our words are in his hand,
as are all understanding and skill in crafts.(W)
17 For it is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists,
to know the structure of the world and the activity of the elements,(X)
18 the beginning and end and middle of times,
the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons,
19 the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars,(Y)
20 the natures of animals and the tempers of wild animals,
the powers of spirits[c] and the thoughts of human beings,
the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots;(Z)
21 I learned both what is secret and what is manifest,
22 for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me.
The Nature of Wisdom
There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy,
unique, manifold, subtle,
agile, clear, unpolluted,
distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,
23 irresistible, beneficent, humane,
steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,
all-powerful, overseeing all,
and penetrating through all spirits
that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle.(AA)
24 For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;
because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.(AB)
25 For she is a breath of the power of God
and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.(AC)
26 For she is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.(AD)
27 Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God and prophets,(AE)
28 for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.
29 She is more beautiful than the sun
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light she is found to be more radiant,(AF)
30 for it is succeeded by the night,
but against wisdom evil does not prevail.
8 She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and she orders all things well.(AG)
Love for Wisdom
2 I loved her and sought her from my youth;
I desired to take her for my bride
and became enamored of her beauty.(AH)
3 She glorifies her noble birth by living with God,
and the Lord of all loves her.(AI)
4 For she is an initiate in the knowledge of God
and an associate in his works.
5 If riches are a desirable possession in life,
what is richer than wisdom, the active cause of all things?(AJ)
6 And if understanding is effective,
who more than she is fashioner of what exists?(AK)
7 And if anyone loves righteousness,
her labors are virtues,
for she teaches self-control and prudence,
justice and courage;
nothing in life is more profitable for mortals than these.
8 And if anyone longs for wide experience,
she knows the things of old and infers the things to come;
she understands turns of speech and the solutions of riddles;
she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders
and of the outcome of seasons and times.(AL)
Wisdom Indispensable to Rulers
9 Therefore I determined to take her to live with me,
knowing that she would give me good counsel
and encouragement in cares and grief.(AM)
10 Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes
and honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young.(AN)
11 I shall be found keen in judgment,
and in the sight of rulers I shall be admired.(AO)
12 When I am silent they will wait for me,
and when I speak they will give heed;
if I speak at greater length,
they will put their hands on their mouths.(AP)
13 Because of her I shall have immortality
and leave an everlasting remembrance to those who come after me.(AQ)
14 I shall govern peoples,
and nations will be subject to me;(AR)
15 dread monarchs will be afraid of me when they hear of me;
among the people I shall show myself capable and courageous in war.
16 When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her,
for companionship with her has no bitterness,
and life with her has no pain but gladness and joy.(AS)
17 When I considered these things inwardly
and pondered in my heart
that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality,(AT)
18 and in friendship with her, pure delight,
and in the labors of her hands, unfailing wealth,
and in the experience of her company, understanding,
and renown in sharing her words,
I went about seeking how to get her for myself.(AU)
19 As a child I was naturally gifted,
and a good soul fell to my lot,
20 or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body.
21 But I perceived that I would not possess wisdom unless God gave her to me—
and it was a mark of insight to know whose gift she was—
so I appealed to the Lord and implored him,
and with my whole heart I said,(AV)
Prayer for Wisdom
9 “O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word(AW)
2 and by your wisdom have formed humankind
to have dominion over the creatures you have made(AX)
3 and rule the world in holiness and righteousness
and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,(AY)
4 give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,
and do not reject me from among your children.(AZ)
5 For I am your servant, the son of your female servant,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgment and laws,(BA)
6 for even one who is perfect among humans
will be regarded as nothing without the wisdom that comes from you.
7 You have chosen me to be king of your people
and to be judge over your sons and daughters.(BB)
8 You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain
and an altar in the city of your habitation,
a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning.(BC)
9 With you is wisdom, she who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
she understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.(BD)
10 Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may labor at my side
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you.(BE)
11 For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
12 Then my works will be acceptable,
and I shall judge your people justly
and shall be worthy of the throne[d] of my father.
13 For who can learn the counsel of God?
Or who can discern what the Lord wills?(BF)
14 For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,
and our designs are likely to fail,
15 for a perishable body weighs down the soul,
and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful[e] mind.(BG)
16 We 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?
17 Who has learned your counsel
unless you have given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?(BH)
18 And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,
and people were taught what pleases you
and were saved by wisdom.”(BI)
The Work of Wisdom
10 Wisdom[f] protected the first-formed father of the world,
when he alone had been created;
she delivered him from his transgression(BJ)
2 and gave him strength to rule all things.(BK)
3 But when an unrighteous man departed from her in his anger,
he perished because in rage he killed his brother.(BL)
4 When the earth was flooded because of him, wisdom again saved it,
steering the righteous man by a paltry piece of wood.(BM)
5 Wisdom[g] also, when the nations in wicked agreement had been put to confusion,
recognized the righteous man and preserved him blameless before God
and kept him strong in the face of his compassion for his child.(BN)
6 Wisdom[h] rescued a righteous man when the ungodly were perishing;
he escaped the fire that descended on the Five Cities.[i](BO)
7 Evidence of their wickedness still remains:
a continually smoking wasteland,
plants bearing fruit that does not ripen,
and a pillar of salt standing as a monument to an unbelieving soul.(BP)
8 For because they passed wisdom by,
they not only were hindered from recognizing the good
but also left for humankind a reminder of their folly,
so that their failures could never go unnoticed.
9 Wisdom rescued from troubles those who served her.
10 When a righteous man fled from his brother’s wrath,
she guided him on straight paths;
she showed him the kingdom of God
and gave him knowledge of holy things;
she prospered him in his labors
and increased the fruit of his toil.(BQ)
11 When his oppressors were covetous,
she stood by him and made him rich.(BR)
12 She protected him from his enemies
and kept him safe from those who lay in wait for him;
in his arduous contest she declared him victorious,
so that he might learn that godliness is more powerful than anything else.(BS)
13 When a righteous man was sold, wisdom[j] did not desert him
but delivered him from sin.
14 She descended with him into the dungeon,
and when he was in prison she did not leave him,
until she brought him the scepter of a kingdom
and authority over his masters.
Those who accused him she showed to be false,
and she gave him everlasting honor.(BT)
Wisdom Led the Israelites out of Egypt
15 Holy people and blameless offspring
wisdom[k] delivered from a nation of oppressors.(BU)
16 She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord
and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs.(BV)
17 She gave to holy people the reward of their labors;
she guided them along a marvelous way
and became a shelter to them by day
and a starry flame through the night.(BW)
18 She brought them over the Red Sea
and led them through deep waters,(BX)
19 but she drowned their enemies
and cast them up from the depth of the sea.(BY)
20 Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly;
they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name
and praised with one accord your defending hand,(BZ)
21 for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute
and made the tongues of infants speak clearly.(CA)
Wisdom Led the Israelites through the Desert
Sirach 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Prologue
1 Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets 2 and the others[a] that followed them, 3 and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. 4 Now those who read them must not only themselves understand them 5 but must also as lovers of learning be able through 6 both speaking and writing to help the outsiders. 7 So my grandfather Jesus, who had devoted himself especially 8 to the reading of the Law 9 and the Prophets 10 and the other books of our ancestors 11 and had acquired considerable proficiency in them, 12 was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, 13 so that by becoming familiar also with his book[b] those who love learning 14 might make even greater progress in living according to the law.
15 You are invited, therefore, 17 to read it 16 with goodwill and attention 18 and to be indulgent 19 in cases where we may seem 20 to have rendered some phrases imperfectly, despite our diligent labor in translating. 21–22 For what was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same effect when translated into another language. 23 Not only this book, 24 but even the Law itself, the Prophets,[c] 25 and the rest of the books 26 differ not a little when read in the original.
27 In the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes, 28 when I came to Egypt and stayed for some time, 29 I found a copy affording[d] no little instruction. 30 It seemed highly necessary that I should myself devote some diligence and labor to the translation of this book. 31–32 During that time I have applied my skill day and night 33 to complete and publish the book 34 for those living abroad who wish to gain learning and are 35 preparing 36 to live according to the law.(A)
In Praise of Wisdom
1 All wisdom is from the Lord,
and with him it remains forever.(B)
2 The sand of the sea, the drops of rain,
and the days of eternity—who can count them?(C)
3 The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth,
the abyss, and wisdom[e]—who can search them out?(D)
4 Wisdom was created before all things
and prudent understanding from eternity.[f](E)
6 The root of wisdom—to whom has it been revealed?
Her subtleties—who knows them?[g](F)
8 There is but one who is wise, greatly to be feared,
seated upon his throne: the Lord.
9 It is he who created her;
he saw her and took her measure;
he poured her out upon all his works,
10 upon all the living according to his gift;
he lavished her upon those who love him.[h](G)
Fear of the Lord Is True Wisdom
11 The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation
and gladness and a crown of rejoicing.(H)
12 The fear of the Lord delights the heart
and gives gladness and joy and long life.[i](I)
13 Those who fear the Lord will have a happy end;
on the day of their death they will be blessed.(J)
14 To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
she is created with the faithful in the womb.(K)
15 She made[j] among humans an eternal foundation,
and among their descendants she will abide faithfully.
16 To fear the Lord is fullness of wisdom;
she inebriates mortals with her fruits;(L)
17 she fills their[k] whole house with desirable goods
and their[l] storehouses with her produce.
18 The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom,
making peace and perfect health to flourish.[m](M)
19 She rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension,
and she heightened the glory of those who held her fast.(N)
20 To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom,
and her branches are long life.[n](O)
22 Unjust anger cannot be justified,
for anger tips the scale to one’s ruin.(P)
23 Those who are patient stay calm until the right moment,
and then cheerfulness comes back to them.(Q)
24 They hold back their words until the right moment,
and then the lips of many tell of their good sense.(R)
25 In the treasuries of wisdom is insightful analogy,
but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.
26 If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments,
and the Lord will lavish her upon you.(S)
27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline;
fidelity and humility are his delight.(T)
28 Do not disobey the fear of the Lord;
do not approach him with a divided mind.(U)
29 Do not be a hypocrite before others,
and keep watch over your lips.(V)
30 Do not exalt yourself, or you may fall
and bring dishonor upon yourself.
The Lord will reveal your secrets
and overthrow you before the whole congregation,
because you did not come in the fear of the Lord,
and your heart was full of deceit.(W)
Footnotes
- P.2 Or other books
- P.13 Gk with these things
- P.24 Gk prophecies
- P.29 Other ancient authorities read found opportunity for
- 1.3 Other ancient authorities read the depth of the abyss
- 1.4 Other ancient authorities add as 1.5: The source of wisdom is God’s word in the highest heaven, and her ways are the eternal commandments.
- 1.6 Other ancient authorities add as 1.7: The knowledge of wisdom—to whom was it manifested? And her abundant experience—who has understood it?
- 1.10 Other ancient authorities add Love of the Lord is glorious wisdom; to those to whom he appears he apportions her, that they may see him.
- 1.12 Other ancient authorities add The fear of the Lord is a gift from the Lord; also for love he makes firm paths.
- 1.15 Gk made as a nest
- 1.17 Other ancient authorities read her
- 1.17 Other ancient authorities read her
- 1.18 Other ancient authorities add Both are gifts of God for peace; exultation opens out for those who love him. He saw her and took her measure.
- 1.20 Other ancient authorities add as 1.21: The fear of the Lord drives away sins, and where it abides, it will turn away all anger.
Baruch 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Baruch and the Jews in Babylon
1 These are the words of the book that Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah son of Zedekiah son of Hasadiah son of Hilkiah wrote in Babylon,(A) 2 in the fifth year, on the seventh day of the month, at the time when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burned it with fire.(B)
3 Baruch read the words of this book to Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and to all the people who came to hear the book(C) 4 and to the nobles and the princes and to the elders and to all the people, small and great, all who lived in Babylon by the River Sud.(D)
5 Then they wept and fasted and prayed before the Lord; 6 they collected as much silver as each could give(E) 7 and sent it to Jerusalem to the priest Jehoiakim son of Hilkiah son of Shallum the priest and to the priests and to all the people who were present with him in Jerusalem. 8 At the same time, on the tenth day of Sivan, Baruch[a] took the vessels of the house of the Lord that had been carried away from the temple, to return them to the land of Judah—the silver vessels that Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, had made(F) 9 after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away from Jerusalem Jeconiah and the princes and the prisoners and the nobles and the people of the land and brought them to Babylon.(G)
A Letter to Jerusalem
10 They said, “Here we send you silver, so buy with the silver burnt offerings and for sin and incense, and prepare a grain offering, and offer them on the altar of the Lord our God,(H) 11 and pray for the life of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and for the life of his son Belshazzar, so that their days on earth may be like the days of heaven.(I) 12 The Lord will give us strength and light to our eyes; we shall live under the protection[b] of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and under the protection of his son Belshazzar, and we shall serve them many days and find favor in their sight.(J) 13 Pray also for us to the Lord our God, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, and to this day the anger of the Lord and his wrath have not turned away from us. 14 And you shall read aloud this scroll that we are sending you, to make your confession in the house of the Lord on the days of the festivals and at appointed seasons.(K)
Confession of Sins
15 “And you shall say: To the Lord our God belongs righteousness, but to us, this day, public shame, on the people of Judah, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem,(L) 16 and on our kings, our rulers, our priests, our prophets, and our ancestors, 17 because we have sinned before the Lord. 18 We have disobeyed him and have not heeded the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in the statutes of the Lord that he set before us.(M) 19 From the time when the Lord brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt until today, we have been disobedient to the Lord our God, and we have been negligent in not listening to his voice.(N) 20 So to this day there have clung to us the calamities and the curse that the Lord declared through his servant Moses at the time when he brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt to give to us a land flowing with milk and honey.(O) 21 We did not listen to the voice of the Lord our God in all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us,(P) 22 but all of us followed the intent of our own wicked hearts by serving other gods and doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God.
Ezra 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
End of the Babylonian Captivity
1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, to fulfill the word of the Lord from the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also in writing, saying:(A)
2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.(B) 3 Let any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—go up to Jerusalem in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; he is the God who is in Jerusalem.(C) 4 And let all survivors in whatever place they reside be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods, and with livestock, besides freewill offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.”
5 Then the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—got ready to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.(D) 6 All their neighbors aided them with silver vessels, with gold, with goods, with livestock, and with valuable gifts, besides all that was freely offered. 7 King Cyrus himself brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods.(E) 8 King Cyrus of Persia had them released into the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.(F) 9 And this was the inventory: gold basins, thirty; silver basins, one thousand; knives,[a] twenty-nine; 10 gold bowls, thirty; other silver bowls, four hundred ten; other vessels, one thousand; 11 the total of the gold and silver vessels was five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar brought up when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
Footnotes
- 1.9 Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.