Further praises of wisdom: and her fruits.
1 She reacheth therefore from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly.
Attingit ergo a fine usque ad finem fortiter, et disponit omnia suaviter.
2 Her have I loved, and have sought her out from my youth, and have desired to take her for my spouse, and I became a lover of her beauty.
Hanc amavi, et exquisivi a juventute mea, et quaesivi sponsam mihi eam assumere, et amator factus sum formae illius.
3 She glorifieth her nobility by being conversant with God: yea and the Lord of all things hath loved her.
Generositatem illius glorificat, contubernium habens Dei; sed et omnium Dominus dilexit illam.
4 For it is she that teacheth the knowledge of God, and is the chooser of his works.
Doctrix enim est disciplinae Dei, et electrix operum illius.
5 And if riches be desired in life, what is richer than wisdom, which maketh all things?
Et si divitiae appetuntur in vita, quid sapientia locupletius quae operatur omnia?
6 And if sense do work: who is a more artful worker than she of those things that are?
Si autem sensus operatur, quis horum quae sunt magis quam illa est artifex?
7 And if a man love justice: her labours have great virtues; for she teacheth temperance, and prudence, and justice, and fortitude, which are such things as men can have nothing more profitable in life.
Et si justitiam quis diligit, labores hujus magnas habent virtutes : sobrietatem enim et prudentiam docet, et justitiam, et virtutem, quibus utilius nihil est in vita hominibus.
8 And if a man desire much knowledge: she knoweth things past, and judgeth of things to come: she knoweth the subtilties of speeches, and the solutions of arguments: she knoweth signs and wonders before they be done, and the events of times and ages.
Et si multitudinem scientiae desiderat quis, scit praeterita, et de futuris aestimat; scit versutias sermonum, et dissolutiones argumentorum; signa et monstra scit antequam fiant, et eventus temporum et saeculorum.
9 I purposed therefore to take her to me to live with me: knowing that she will communicate to me of her good things, and will be a comfort in my cares and grief.
Proposui ergo hanc adducere mihi ad convivendum; sciens quoniam mecum communicabit de bonis, et erit allocutio cogitationis et taedii mei.
10 For her sake I shall have glory among the multitude, and honour with the ancients, though I be young:
Habebo propter hanc claritatem ad turbas, et honorem apud seniores juvenis;
11 And I shall be found of a quick conceit in judgment, and shall be admired in the sight of the mighty, and the faces of princes shall wonder at me.
et acutus inveniar in judicio; et in conspectu potentium admirabilis ero, et facies principum mirabuntur me :
12 They shall wait for me when I hold my peace, and they shall look upon me when I speak, and if I talk much they shall lay their hands on their mouths.
tacentem me sustinebunt, et loquentem me respicient, et sermocinante me plura, manus ori suo imponent.
13 Moreover by the means of her I shall have immortality: and shall leave behind me an everlasting memory to them that come after me.
Praeterea habebo per hanc immortalitatem, et memoriam aeternam his qui post me futuri sunt relinquam.
14 I shall set the people in order: and nations shall be subject to me.
Disponam populos, et nationes mihi erunt subditae.
15 Terrible kings hearing shall be afraid of me: among the multitude I shall be found good, and valiant in war.
Timebunt me audientes reges horrendi. In multitudine videbor bonus, et in bello fortis.
16 When I go into my house, I shall repose myself with her: for her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness, but joy and gladness.
Intrans in domum meam, conquiescam cum illa : non enim habet amaritudinem conversatio illius, nec taedium convictus illius, sed laetitiam et gaudium.
17 Thinking these things with myself, and pondering them in my heart, that to be allied to wisdom is immortality,
Haec cogitans apud me et commemorans in corde meo, quoniam immortalitas est in cognatione sapientiae,
18 And that there is great delight in her friendship, and inexhaustible riches in the works of her hands, and in the exercise of conference with her, wisdom, and glory in the communication of her words: I went about seeking, that I might take her to myself.
et in amicitia illius delectatio bona, et in operibus manuum illius honestas sine defectione, et in certamine loquelae illius sapientia, et praeclaritas in communicatione sermonum ipsius, circuibam quaerens, ut mihi illam assumerem.
19 And I was a witty child and had received a good soul.
Puer autem eram ingeniosus, et sortitus sum animam bonam.
20 And whereas I was more good, I came to a body undefiled.
Et cum essem magis bonus, veni ad corpus incoinquinatum.
21 And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it, and this also was a point of wisdom, to know whose gift it was: I went to the Lord, and besought him, and said with my whole heart:
Et ut scivi quoniam aliter non possem esse continens, nisi Deus det; et hoc ipsum erat sapientiae, scire cujus esset hoc donum : adii Dominum, et deprecatus sum illum, et dixi ex totis praecordiis meis :
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