1 | Wisdom will praise her own mind, and she will be honored by God, and she will be glorified in the midst of her people. |
2 | And she will open her mouth in the churches of the Most High, and she will be glorified in the sight of his virtue. |
3 | And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly. |
4 | And she will have praise within the multitude of the elect. And she will be blessed among the blessed. And she will say: |
5 | "I went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures. |
6 | I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud. |
7 | I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud. |
8 | I alone have encompassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated to the depths of the abyss, and have walked upon the waves of the sea, |
9 | and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people, |
10 | and in every nation, I have held primacy. |
11 | And by virtue, I have tread upon the hearts of all, the great and the lowly. And I have sought my rest in all of them. And I will continue, as the inheritance of the Lord. |
12 | Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle. |
13 | And he said to me: 'Let your dwelling place be with Jacob, and let your inheritance be in Israel, for you shall take root among my elect.' |
14 | From the beginning, and before the world, I was created. And even unto the future world, I will not cease to exist. For I have ministered before him in the holy habitation. |
15 | And in this way, I was established in Zion. And likewise, in the holy city, I found rest. And my authority was in Jerusalem. |
16 | And I took root among an honorable people, within the portion of my God, within his inheritance. And so my abode is in the full assembly of the saints. |
17 | I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion. |
18 | I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho. |
19 | I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road. |
20 | I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh. |
21 | And I perfumed my dwelling place with sweet gum, and aromatic resin, and flower petals, and aloe, as well as the finest cedar from Lebanon. And my fragrance is like undiluted balsam. |
22 | I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace. |
23 | Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity. |
24 | I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. |
25 | All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me. |
26 | Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest. |
27 | For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb. |
28 | My memory is for the generations of all ages. |
29 | Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still. |
30 | Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin. |
31 | Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life." |
32 | All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth. |
33 | Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel. |
34 | God appointed David as his servant, in order to raise up from him a most mighty King, who would sit upon the throne of honor forever. |
35 | It is he who fulfills wisdom, like the Phison river and the Tigris river in the first days. |
36 | It is he who fulfills understanding, like the river Euphrates. It is he who multiplies understanding, like the river Jordan in the time of the harvest. |
37 | He sends forth discipline like the light, and he stands forth like the river Gehon in the time of the vintage. |
38 | He first had perfect knowledge of her, for a weaker one would not search for her. |
39 | For her thoughts abound like the sea, and her counsels abound like the great abyss. |
40 | "I, wisdom, have poured forth rivers. |
41 | I am like a brook leading to a river of immense waters. I am like a channel flowing from a river. And I went forth from Paradise like an aqueduct. |
42 | I said: I will irrigate my garden of plantings, and I will thoroughly water the fruits of my field. |
43 | And behold, my brook became overflowing, and my river drew near to the sea. |
44 | For I illuminate doctrine to all, like the first light. And I will announce doctrine, even to those who are far away. |
45 | I will reach to all the lower parts of the earth, and I will gaze upon all who sleep, and I will illuminate all who hope in the Lord. |
46 | Even now, I pour forth doctrine like prophecy. And even now, I bequeath doctrine to those who seek wisdom. And I will not cease from their progeny, even unto the holy time. |
47 | See how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking truth!" |