Wisdom 7

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Wisdom 7

1I myself also am a mortal man, like to all, and the offspring of him that was first made of the earth,Εἰμι μὲν κᾀγὼ θνητὸς ἄνθρωπος, ἶσος ἅπασι, καὶ γηγενοῦς ἀπόγονος πρωτοπλάστου.

2And in my mother's womb was fashioned to be flesh in the time of ten months, being compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure that came with sleep.Καὶ ἐν κοιλίᾳ μητρὸς ἐγλύφην σὰρξ δεκαμηνιαίῳ χρόνῳ, παγεὶς ἐν αἵματι ἐκ σπέρματος ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἡδονῆς ὕπνῳ συνελθούσης.

3And when I was born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth, which is of like nature, and the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.Καὶ ἐγὼ δὲ γενόμενος ἔσπασα τὸν κοινὸν ἀέρα, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ὁμοιοπαθῆ κατέπεσον γῆν, πρώτην φωνὴν τὴν ὁμοίαν πᾶσιν ἶσα κλαίων.

4I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and that with cares.Ἐν σπαργάνοις ἀνετράφην, καὶ ἐν φροντίσιν.

5For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth.Οὐδεὶς γὰρ βασιλεὺς ἑτέραν ἔσχε γενέσεως ἀρχήν.

6For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.Μία δὲ πάντων εἴσοδος εἰς τὸν βίον, ἔξοδός τε ἴση.

7Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.Διὰ τοῦτο ηὐξάμην, καὶ φρόνησις ἐδόθη μοι, ἐπεκαλεσάμην, καὶ ἦλθέ μοι πνεῦμα σοφίας.

8I preferred her before sceptres and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her.Προέκρινα αὐτὴν σκήπτρων καὶ θρόνων, καὶ πλοῦτον οὐδὲν ἡγησάμην ἐν συγκρίσει αὐτῆς.

9Neither compared I to her any precious stone, because all gold in respect of her is as a little sand, and silver shall be counted as clay before her.Οὐδὲ ὁμοίωσα αὐτῇ λίθον ἀτίμητον, ὅτι ὁ πᾶς χρυσὸς ἐν ὄψει αὐτῆς ψάμμος ὀλίγη, καὶ ὡς πηλὸς λογισθήσεται ἄργυρος ἐναντίον αὐτῆς.

10I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for the light that comes from her never goes out.Ὑπὲρ ὑγίειαν καὶ εὐμορφίαν ἠγάπησα αὐτὴν, καὶ προειλόμην αὐτὴν ἀντὶ φωτὸς ἔχειν, ὅτι ἀκοίμητον τὸ ἐκ ταύτης φέγγος.

11All good things together came to me with her, and innumerable riches in her hands.Ἦλθε δέ μοι τὰ ἀγαθὰ ὁμοῦ πάντα μετʼ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀναρίθμητος πλοῦτος ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῆς.

12And I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom goes before them: and I knew not that she was the mother of them.Εὐφράνθην δὲ ἐπὶ πάντων, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἡγεῖται σοφία, ἠγνόουν δὲ αὐτὴν γενέτιν εἶναι τούτων.

13I learned diligently, and do communicate her liberally: I do not hide her riches.Ἀδόλως τε ἔμαθον, ἀφθόνως τε μεταδίδωμι, τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποκρύπτομαι.

14For she is a treasure to men that never fails: which they that use become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts that come from learning.Ἀνεκλιπὴς γὰρ θησαυρός ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις, ὃν οἱ χρησάμενοι πρὸς Θεὸν ἐστείλαντο φιλίαν, διὰ τὰς ἐκ παιδείας δωρεὰς συσταθέντες.

15God has granted me to speak as I would, and to conceive as is meet for the things that are given me: because it is he that leads to wisdom, and directs the wise.Ἐμοὶ δὲ δῴη ὁ Θεὸς εἰπεῖν κατὰ γνώμην, καὶ ἐνθυμηθῆναι ἀξίως τῶν δεδομένων, ὅτι αὐτὸς καὶ τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγός ἐστι, καὶ τῶν σοφῶν διορθωτής.

16For in his hand are both we and our words; all wisdom also, and knowledge of workmanship.Ἐν γὰρ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ λόγοι ἡμῶν, πᾶσά τε φρόνησις καὶ ἐργατειῶν ἐπιστήμη.

17For he has given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements:Αὐτὸς γάρ μοι ἔδωκε τῶν ὄντων γνῶσιν ἀψευδῆ, εἰδέναι σύστασιν κόσμου καὶ ἐνέργειαν στοιχείων,

18The beginning, ending, and midst of the times: the alterations of the turning of the sun, and the change of seasons:ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος καὶ μεσότητα χρόνων, τροπῶν ἀλλαγὰς καὶ μεταβολὰς καιρῶν,

19The circuits of years, and the positions of stars:ἐνιαυτῶν κύκλους καὶ ἀστέρων θέσεις,

20The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beasts: the violence of winds, and the reasonings of men: the diversities of plants and the virtues of roots:φύσεις ζώων καὶ θυμοὺς θηρίων, πνευμάτων βίας καὶ διαλογισμοὺς ἀνθρώπων, διαφορὰς φυτῶν καὶ δυνάμεις ῥιζῶν,

21And all such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know.ὅσα τέ ἐστι κρυπτὰ καὶ ἐμφανῆ ἔγνων.

22For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me: for in her is an understanding spirit holy, one only, manifold, subtle, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, loving the thing that is good quick, which can’t be letted, ready to do good,Ἡ γὰρ πάντων τεχνίτις ἐδίδαξέ με σοφία· ἔστι γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ πνεῦμα νοερὸν, ἅγιον, μονογενὲς, πολυμερὲς, λεπτὸν, εὐκίνητον, τρανὸν, ἀμόλυντον, σαφὲς, ἀπήμαντον, φιλάγαθον, ὀξὺ, ἀκώλυτον, εὐεργετικὸν,

23Kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure, and most subtle, spirits.φιλάνθρωπον, βέβαιον, ἀσφαλὲς, ἀμέριμνον, παντοδύναμον, πανεπίσκοπον, καὶ διὰ πάντων χωροῦν πνευμάτων νοερῶν, καθαρῶν, λεπτοτάτων.

24For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passes and goes through all things by reason of her pureness.Πάσης γὰρ κινήσεως κινητικώτερον σοφία, διήκει δὲ καὶ χωρεῖ διὰ πάντων διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα.

25For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing fall into her.Ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως. καὶ ἀπόῤῥοια τῆς τοῦ παντοκράτορος δόξης εἰλικρινής· διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν μεμιαμμένον εἰς αὐτὴν παρεμπίπτει.

26For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness.Ἀπαύγασμα γάρ ἐστι φωτὸς ἀϊδίου, καὶ ἔσοπτρον ἀκηλίδωτον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνεργείας, καὶ εἰκὼν τῆς ἀγαθότητος αὐτοῦ.

27And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself, she makes all things new: and in all ages entering into holy souls, she makes them friends of God, and prophets.Μία δὲ οὖσα πάντα δύναται, καὶ μένουσα ἐν αὑτῇ τὰ πάντα καινίζει, καὶ κατὰ γενεὰς εἰς ψυχὰς ὁσίας μεταβαίνουσα, φίλους Θεοῦ καὶ προφήτας κατασκευάζει.

28For God loves none but him that dwells with wisdom.Οὐθὲν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ ὁ Θεὸς, εἰ μὴ τὸν σοφίᾳ συνοικοῦντα.

29For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it.Ἔστι γὰρ αὕτη εὐπρεπεστέρα ἡλίου, καὶ ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἄστρων θέσιν, φωτὶ συγκρινομένη εὑρίσκεται προτέρα.

30For after this comes night: but vice shall not prevail against wisdom.Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ διαδέχεται νὺξ, σοφίας δὲ οὐκ ἀντισχύει κακία.