Wisdom 8:19-9:5

Revised Standard Version

¹⁹ As a child I was by nature well endowed,
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 besought him,
and with my whole heart I said:

9 “O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,
who hast made all things by thy word,
² and by thy wisdom hast formed man,
to have dominion over the creatures thou hast made,
³ and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,
⁴ give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne,
and do not reject me from among thy servants.
⁵ For 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;