1 The wise man will search out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.
1 The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.
2 He will keep the narration of famous men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.
2 He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.
3 He will search out the hidden senses of proverbs, and will converse in the secrets of parables.
3 He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.
4 In the midst of great men he will minister, and in the sight of the president he shall appear.
4 He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor.
5 He shall pass into the land of strange nations: for he shall try good and evil in men.
5 He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.
6 He will give his heart to watch early unto our Lord, that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the Highest.
6 He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.
7 He will open his mouth in prayer, and will entreat for his sins.
7 He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.
8 For if it shall please our great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:
8 For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:
9 and he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in prayer will confess to our Lord.
9 And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.
10 And he will direct his counsel, and discipline, and in his secrets he will consult.
10 And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.
11 He will open the discipline of his doctrine, & will glory in the law of the testament of our Lord.
11 He shall show forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
12 Many will praise his wisdom, and it shall not be abolished for ever.
12 Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.
13 The memory of him shall not depart, and his name shall be required from generation to generation.
13 The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.
14 Nations shall declare his wisdom, & the Church will shew forth his praise.
14 Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall show forth his praise.
15 If he continue, he shall leave a name more than a thousand: and if he rest, it shall profit him.
15 If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.
16 I will yet consult that I may declare: For as with fury I am replenished.
16 I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.
17 In voice he saith: Hear me ye divine fruits, and as the rose planted upon the rivers of waters fructify ye.
17 By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.
18 As Libanus have ye the odours of sweetness.
18 Give ye a sweet odor as frankincense.
19 Flourish ye flowers, as the lily, and give forth an odour, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with song, and bless our Lord in his works.
19 Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.
20 Give magnificence to his name, and confess unto him in the voice of your lips, and in songs of the lips, and harps, & thus shall ye say in confession:
20 Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:
21 All the works of our Lord are exceeding good.
21 ¹All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.
22 At his word the water stood as an heap: and at the word of his mouth as it were receptacles of waters:
22 ²At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:
23 because in his commandment placability is made, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.
23 For at his commandment favor is shown, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.
24 The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.
24 The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.
25 From world to world he beholdeth, and nothing is marvelous in his sight.
25 He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.
26 It is not to be said: What is this, or what is that? For all things shall be sought in their time.
26 There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? For all things shall be sought in their time.
27 His blessing hath overflowed as a stream.
27 His blessing hath overflowed like a river.
28 And as a flood hath watered the dry land, so his wrath shall inherit the nations, that have not sought him:
28 ³And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him.
29 even as he turned waters into drought, & the earth was made dry: and his ways are direct to the ways of them: so to sinners stumbling blocks in his wrath.
29 ⁴Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumbling blocks in his wrath.
30 Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good things and evil.
30 Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.
31 The beginning of the thing necessary for the life of men, water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of grape, and oil, & clothing.
31 ⁵The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.
32 All these shall be converted to saints into good, so also to the impious and to sinners into evil.
32 All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.
33 There are spirits, that were created for vengeance, and in their fury they have confirmed their torments:
33 There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.
34 in the time of consummation they shall pour out strength: and they shall accomplish the fury of him, that made them.
34 In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.
35 Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance:
35 Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.
36 the teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and sword revenging the impious unto destruction.
36 The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.
37 In his commandments they shall make merry, and on the earth they shall be prepared when need is, and in their times they shall not pretermit a word.
37 In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.
38 Therefore from the beginning I was confirmed, and I have consulted, and thought, and left written.
38 Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing,
39 All the works of our Lord are good, & he will give every work in his hour.
39 ⁶All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.
40 It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be approved in their time.
40 It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.
41 And now with all heart and mouth praise ye, and bless the name of our Lord.
41 Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.