Wisdom of Solomon · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Wisdom of Solomon 10 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
1 She preserved the first formed father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall,
1 Wisdom guarded to the end the first formed father of the world, who was created alone, and delivered him out of his own transgression,
2 And gave him power to rule all things.
2 and gave him strength to rule over all things.
3 But when the unrighteous went away from her in his anger, he perished also in the fury wherewith he murdered his brother.
3 But when an unrighteous man fell away from her in his anger, he perished himself in the rage with which he killed his brother.
4 For whose cause the earth being drowned with the flood, wisdom again preserved it, and directed the course of the righteous in a piece of wood of small value.
4 When for his cause the earth was drowning with a flood, wisdom again saved it, guiding the righteous man’s course by a paltry piece of wood.
5 Moreover, the nations in their wicked conspiracy being confounded, she found out the righteous, and preserved him blameless unto God, and kept him strong against his tender compassion toward his son.
5 Moreover, when nations consenting together in wickedness had been confounded, wisdom knew the righteous man, and preserved him blameless to God, and kept him strong when his heart yearned toward his child.
6 When the ungodly perished, she delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon the five cities.
6 While the ungodly were perishing, wisdom delivered a righteous man, when he fled from the fire that descended out of heaven on the five cities.
7 Of whose wickedness even to this day the waste land that smoketh is a testimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come to ripeness: and a standing pillar of salt is a monument of an unbelieving soul.
7 To whose wickedness a smoking waste still witnesses, and plants bearing fair fruit that doesn’t ripen, a disbelieving soul has a memorial: a standing pillar of salt.
8 For regarding not wisdom, they gat not only this hurt, that they knew not the things which were good; but also left behind them to the world a memorial of their foolishness: so that in the things wherein they offended they could not so much as be hid.
8 For having passed wisdom by, not only were they disabled from recognising the things which are good, but they also left behind them for their life a monument of their folly, to the end that where they stumbled, they might fail even to be unseen;
9 But wisdom delivered from pain those that attended upon her.
9 but wisdom delivered those who waited on her out of troubles.
10 When the righteous fled from his brother’s wrath she guided him in right paths, shewed him the kingdom of God, and gave him knowledge of holy things, made him rich in his travels, and multiplied the fruit of his labours.
10 When a righteous man was a fugitive from a brother’s wrath, wisdom guided him in straight paths. She showed him God’s kingdom, and gave him knowledge of holy things. She prospered him in his toils, and multiplied the fruits of his labor.
11 In the covetousness of such as oppressed him she stood by him, and made him rich.
11 When in their covetousness men dealt harshly with him, she stood by him and made him rich.
12 She defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait, and in a sore conflict she gave him the victory; that he might know that goodness is stronger than all.
12 She guarded him from enemies, and she kept him safe from those who lay in wait. Over his severe conflict, she watched as judge, that he might know that godliness is more powerful than every one.
13 When the righteous was sold, she forsook him not, but delivered him from sin: she went down with him into the pit,
13 When a righteous man was sold, wisdom didn’t forsake him, but she delivered him from sin. She went down with him into a dungeon,
14 And left him not in bonds, till she brought him the sceptre of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him: as for them that had accused him, she shewed them to be liars, and gave him perpetual glory.
14 and in bonds she didn’t depart from him, until she brought him the sceptre of a kingdom, and authority over those that dealt like a tyrant with him. She also showed those who had mockingly accused him to be false, and gave him eternal glory.
15 She delivered the righteous people and blameless seed from the nation that oppressed them.
15 Wisdom delivered a holy people and a blameless seed from a nation of oppressors.
16 She entered into the soul of the servant of the Lord, and withstood dreadful kings in wonders and signs;
16 She entered into the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood terrible kings in wonders and signs.
17 Rendered to the righteous a reward of their labours, guided them in a marvellous way, and was unto them for a cover by day, and a light of stars in the night season;
17 She rendered to holy men a reward of their toils. She guided them along a marvelous way, and became to them a covering in the day-time, and a starry flame through the night.
18 Brought them through the Red sea, and led them through much water:
18 She brought them over the Red sea, and led them through much water;
19 But she drowned their enemies, and cast them up out of the bottom of the deep.
19 but she drowned their enemies, and she cast them up from the bottom of the deep.
20 Therefore the righteous spoiled the ungodly, and praised thy holy name, O Lord, and magnified with one accord thine hand, that fought for them.
20 Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly, and they sang praise to your holy name, O Lord, and extolled with one accord your hand that fought for them,
21 For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of them that cannot speak eloquent.
21 because wisdom opened the mouth of the mute, and made the tongues of babes to speak clearly.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… the Emperor Julian, there was a law made by which Christians were forbidden to teach grammar and oratory, and he, in obedience to this law, chose rather to abandon the wordy school than Thy word, by which Thou makest eloquent the tongues of the dumb, --he appeared to me not more brave than happy, in having thus discovered an opportunity …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… disdained not to listen to him, but even admitted his opinion, and was persuaded, and recorded it; and was not ashamed to hand down the circumstances to history; casting down [so] the pride of the many. Wherefore also he left this story to the world engraven as it were on a pillar, for he knew that it would be useful …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)