Wisdom of Solomon, 6

1. Listen then, kings, and understand; rulers of remotest lands, take warning;

1. Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.

2. hear this, you who govern great populations, taking pride in your hosts of subject nations!

2. Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.

3. For sovereignty is given to you by the Lord and power by the Most High, who will himself probe your acts and scrutinise your intentions.

3. For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

4. If therefore, as servants of his kingdom, you have not ruled justly nor observed the law, nor followed the will of God,

4. Because, being ministers of his kingdom, ye have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of God;

5. he will fall on you swiftly and terribly. On the highly placed a ruthless judgement falls;

5. Horribly and speedily shall he come upon you: for a sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places.

6. the lowly are pardoned, out of pity, but the mighty will be mightily tormented.

6. For mercy will soon pardon the meanest: but mighty men shall be mightily tormented.

7. For the Lord of all does not cower before anyone, he does not stand in awe of greatness, since he himself has made small and great and provides for all alike;

7. For he which is Lord over all shall fear no man's person, neither shall he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he hath made the small and great, and careth for all alike.

8. but a searching trial awaits those who wield power.

8. But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty.

9. So, monarchs, my words are meant for you, so that you may learn wisdom and not fall into error;

9. Unto you therefore, O kings, do I speak, that ye may learn wisdom, and not fall away.

10. for those who in holiness observe holy things will be adjudged holy, and, accepting instruction from them, will find their defence in them.

10. For they that keep holiness holily shall be judged holy: and they that have learned such things shall find what to answer.

11. Set your heart, therefore, on what I have to say, listen with a will, and you will be instructed.

11. Wherefore set your affection upon my words; desire them, and ye shall be instructed.

12. Wisdom is brilliant, she never fades. By those who love her, she is readily seen, by those who seek her, she is readily found.

12. Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.

13. She anticipates those who desire her by making herself known first.

13. She preventeth them that desire her, in making herself first known unto them.

14. Whoever gets up early to seek her will have no trouble but will find her sitting at the door.

14. Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travail: for he shall find her sitting at his doors.

15. Meditating on her is understanding in its perfect form, and anyone keeping awake for her will soon be free from care.

15. To think therefore upon her is perfection of wisdom: and whoso watcheth for her shall quickly be without care.

16. For she herself searches everywhere for those who are worthy of her, benevolently appearing to them on their ways, anticipating their every thought.

16. For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, sheweth herself favourably unto them in the ways, and meeteth them in every thought.

17. For Wisdom begins with the sincere desire for instruction, care for instruction means loving her,

17. For the very true beginning of her is the desire of discipline; and the care of discipline is love;

18. loving her means keeping her laws, attention to her laws guarantees incorruptibility,

18. And love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed unto her laws is the assurance of incorruption;

19. and incorruptibility brings us near to God;

19. And incorruption maketh us near unto God:

20. the desire for Wisdom thus leads to sovereignty.

20. Therefore the desire of wisdom bringeth to a kingdom.

21. If then thrones and sceptres delight you, monarchs of the nations, honour Wisdom, so that you may reign for ever.

21. If your delight be then in thrones and sceptres, O ye kings of the people, honour wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore.

22. What Wisdom is and how she was born, I shall now explain; I shall hide no mysteries from you, but shall follow her steps from the outset of her origin, setting out what we know of her in full light, without departing from the truth.

22. As for wisdom, what she is, and how she came up, I will tell you, and will not hide mysteries from you: but will seek her out from the beginning of her nativity, and bring the knowledge of her into light, and will not pass over the truth.

23. Blighting envy is no companion for me, for envy has nothing in common with Wisdom.

23. Neither will I go with consuming envy; for such a man shall have no fellowship with wisdom.

24. In the greatest number of the wise lies the world's salvation, in a sagacious king the stability of a people.

24. But the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.

25. Learn, therefore, from my words; the gain will be yours.

25. Receive therefore instruction through my words, and it shall do you good.