1I, too, am a mortal man like others, a descendant of the first human being formed from clay. My flesh was molded in a mother’s womb; 2her blood formed me for ten months from the seed of man, given in pleasure, the companion of sleep.
3Once born, I breathed the air common to everyone; I fell on the earth, the same for all; my first cry was like that of other infants.
4I was nourished, cared for and wrapped in swaddling clothes; 5indeed, no other king began life differently. 6For there is but one way into life for all and one way out of it.
I prayed and wisdom was given to me
7 ① I prayed and understanding was given to me; I asked earnestly and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
8I preferred her to scepters and thrones and I considered wealth as nothing compared with her.
9I preferred her to any jewel of inestimable value, since gold beside her is nothing but a few grains of sand, and silver but mud. 10I loved her more than wealth and beauty and even preferred her to light, because her radiance never dies.
11She brought with her all other good things, untold riches in her hands. 12I rejoiced at all that came with Wisdom without knowing she was their mother.
13What I learned without self-interest I share freely and with no desire to conceal her value; 14for she is an inexhaustible treasure for man and those who possess her have gained the friendship of God, commended to him by the fruits of her discipline. 15May God grant me to speak with discernment and reflect in a way worthy of the gifts I have received, for he is the guide of Wisdom and the corrector of the wise. 16For we are in God’s hands, we ourselves, our words, our understanding and technical knowledge.
17He, in fact, has given me true knowledge of what is, of the world and the properties of the elements; 18the beginning, the end and the times in between; the alternation of the solstices and the succession of the seasons; 19the cycles of the year and the position of the stars; 20the natures of animal species and the ways of wild beasts; the power of spirits and human reasoning; the varieties of plants and medicinal properties of roots.
The reflection of eternal light
21 ② I have come to know everything we see and everything hidden, 22because Wisdom, who designed them all, taught me.
In her is a spirit that is intelligent, saintly, unique, manifold, subtle, active, concise, pure and lucid. It cannot corrupt, loves what is good and nothing can restrain it; 23it is beneficent, loving humankind, stead fast, dependable, calm though almighty. It sees everything and penetrates all spirits, however intelligent, subtle and pure they may be.
24Wisdom, in fact, surpasses inmobility all that moves, and being so pure pervades and permeates all things.
25She is a breath of the power of God, a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; nothing impure can enter her. 26She is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of God’s action and an image of his goodness.
27She is but one, yet Wisdom can do all things and, herself unchanging, she renews all things. She enters holy souls, making them prophets and friends of God, 28for God loves only those who live with Wisdom.
29She is indeed more beautiful than the sun and surpasses all the constellations; she outrivals light, 30for light gives way to night, but evil cannot prevail against Wisdom.
- Wis 7,7 All this page is an invitation to seek Wisdom as one would seek a spouse: we remember that at this time sovereign rulers would espouse such and such divinity which allowed them at times to take possession, in the name of their spouse, of the treasures in its temple (2 Mac 1:14). Seeking the Wisdom of God is no different from what we do when we speak of union with Christ: we must not forget that he is uncreated Wisdom. This communion is not a matter of something sentimental: it is the costly and never-ending search for the one who is the Truth. I preferred her to any jewel of inestimable value. See Mt 13:44-45. Wis 7,21 See commentary of Proverbs 8:22: it is the same theme. Wisdom comes from God: it is the same Wisdom that gives order to the universe and which is the presence of God in us - his presence, as always, through his Son. Nothing impure can enter her. Note the optimism found in this description. Because she is holy and pure the wisdom of God penetrates everything, even what is impure and imperfect, enlightening our slow and limited spirit. The Jews of the time learned from the Law that they had to remain clean and stay away from all that is unclean: for example, when two people touched each other, the unclean person contaminated the other (see Lev 11:1; and Hg 2:11). Here, it is the wisdom of God that overcomes darkness and impurity (see Eph 5:13). Nothing is absolutely bad in itself: it is bad if it could have been better, and it is good if in a concrete way nothing better could have been accomplished. Evil cannot prevail against wisdom. The Christian, rooted in God's word, brings light where darkness ruled: he must be present and active, without fear of such involvement, wherever problems of his country, his work, his daily life are being decided. Light and justice will triumph and renew the face of the world. She enters holy souls, making them prophets and friends of God. It was said in 2:24 that the devil corrupted creation by introducing death. Now, the Wisdom of God overcomes the ravage of death. She is a pure emanation of the Glory of the Almighty. For the Hebrews glory was something heavy, something that imposes itself and is not pure appearance. In the language of the Greeks, glory becomes what is radiant: the radiance of God in the universe, and still more on the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6). Wisdom, mirror of God's activity and image of his perfection, is Christ, as Paul says in Col 1:5; Heb 1:3; John calls Christ Word of God (see Jn 1:1). See also introduction to Ephesians.
- Wis 7,7 All this page is an invitation to seek Wisdom as one would seek a spouse: we remember that at this time sovereign rulers would espouse such and such divinity which allowed them at times to take possession, in the name of their spouse, of the treasures in its temple (2 Mac 1:14). Seeking the Wisdom of God is no different from what we do when we speak of union with Christ: we must not forget that he is uncreated Wisdom. This communion is not a matter of something sentimental: it is the costly and never-ending search for the one who is the Truth. I preferred her to any jewel of inestimable value. See Mt 13:44-45. Wis 7,21 See commentary of Proverbs 8:22: it is the same theme. Wisdom comes from God: it is the same Wisdom that gives order to the universe and which is the presence of God in us - his presence, as always, through his Son. Nothing impure can enter her. Note the optimism found in this description. Because she is holy and pure the wisdom of God penetrates everything, even what is impure and imperfect, enlightening our slow and limited spirit. The Jews of the time learned from the Law that they had to remain clean and stay away from all that is unclean: for example, when two people touched each other, the unclean person contaminated the other (see Lev 11:1; and Hg 2:11). Here, it is the wisdom of God that overcomes darkness and impurity (see Eph 5:13). Nothing is absolutely bad in itself: it is bad if it could have been better, and it is good if in a concrete way nothing better could have been accomplished. Evil cannot prevail against wisdom. The Christian, rooted in God's word, brings light where darkness ruled: he must be present and active, without fear of such involvement, wherever problems of his country, his work, his daily life are being decided. Light and justice will triumph and renew the face of the world. She enters holy souls, making them prophets and friends of God. It was said in 2:24 that the devil corrupted creation by introducing death. Now, the Wisdom of God overcomes the ravage of death. She is a pure emanation of the Glory of the Almighty. For the Hebrews glory was something heavy, something that imposes itself and is not pure appearance. In the language of the Greeks, glory becomes what is radiant: the radiance of God in the universe, and still more on the face of Christ (2 Cor 4:6). Wisdom, mirror of God's activity and image of his perfection, is Christ, as Paul says in Col 1:5; Heb 1:3; John calls Christ Word of God (see Jn 1:1). See also introduction to Ephesians.
