No True Wisdom Without Religious Truth
1 ① Listen, O kings, and understand; rulers of the most distant lands, take warning. 2Pay attention, you who rule multitudes and boast of the numerous subjects in your pagan nations.
3For authority was given you by the Lord, your kingship is from the Most High who will examine your works and scrutinize your intentions.
4If, as officials of his kingdom, you have not judged justly or observed his law or walked the way God pointed out, 5he will oppose you swiftly and terribly; his sentence strikes the mighty suddenly.
6For the lowly there may be excuses and pardon, but the great will be severely punished.
7For the Lord of all makes no distinction, nor does he take account of greatness. Both great and lowly are his work and he watches over all, 8but the powerful are to be judged more strictly.
9It is to you then, sovereigns, that I speak, that you may learn Wisdom and not stumble.
10For those who keep the holy laws in a holy way will be acknowledged holy, and those who accept the teaching will find in it their defense.
11Welcome my words, desire them and they will instruct you.
12Wisdom is luminous and never tarnished; she willingly lets herself be seen by those who love her, and known by those who look for her. 13She hastens to meet those who long for her. 14Seek her in the morning and you will not be disappointed; you will find her sitting at your door.
15To meditate on Wisdom is understanding fully grown; whoever is on the watch for her will be free of anxiety. 16She goes in search of those who are worthy of her, graciously meets them on the way and is present in their every thought.
17The beginning of Wisdom is a sincere desire for discipline; concern for discipline is love of her, 18and loving her means keeping her laws; 19the observance of her laws assures one of immortality, and immortality brings us close to God.
20In this way the desire for Wisdom leads to kingship.
21So then, sovereigns of nations, you who are fond of thrones and scepters, honor Wisdom if you wish to reign for ever.
22What Wisdom is and how she came to be, I will tell you. I shall hide nothing from you, but trace her from the beginning and clearly make her known.
23I will not mislead you and hide the truth, for I am free of gnawing envy which has nothing in common with Wisdom.
24The multitude of the wise could bring about the salvation of the world and a sensible king makes for the stability of his people; 25so learn from what I say and profit from it.
- Wis 6,1 Here begins the discourse to the kings about wisdom. As we said in the introduction of Ecclesiastes, it was common to attribute the books of wisdom to Solomon. This can also be seen in this book: the author pretends to be Solomon and puts the words about wisdom on Solomon's lips.
