1 But she reacheth from one end [of the world ] to the other with full strength, And ordereth all things graciously. 2 Her I loved and sought out from my youth, And I sought to take her for my bride, And I became enamoured of her beauty. 3 She glorifieth [her ] noble birth in that it is given her to live with God, And the Sovereign Lord of all loved her. 4 For she is initiated into the knowledge of God, And she chooseth out [for him ] his works. 5 But if riches are a desired possession in life, What is richer than wisdom, which worketh all things? 6 And if understanding worketh, Who more than wisdom is an artificer of the things that are? 7 And if a man loveth righteousness, The fruits of wisdom’s labour are virtues, For she teacheth soberness and understanding, righteousness and courage; And there is nothing in life for men more profitable than these. 8 And if a man longeth even for much experience, She knoweth the things of old, and divineth the things to come: She understandeth subtilties of speeches and interpretations of dark sayings: She foreseeth signs and wonders, and the issues of seasons and times. 9 I determined therefore to take her unto me to live with me, Knowing that she is one who would give me good [thoughts ] for counsel, And encourage me in cares and grief. 10 Because of her I shall have glory among multitudes, And honour in the sight of elders, though I be young. 11 I shall be found of a quick conceit when I give judgement, And in the presence of princes I shall be admired. 12 When I am silent, they shall wait for me; And when I open my lips, they shall give heed unto me; And if I continue speaking, they shall lay their hand upon their mouth. 13 Because of her I shall have immortality, And leave behind an eternal memory to them that come after me. 14 I shall govern peoples, And nations shall be subjected to me. 15 Dread princes shall fear me when they hear [of me: ] Among [my ] people I shall shew myself a good [ruler, ] and in war courageous. 16 When I am come into my house, I shall find rest with her; For converse with her hath no bitterness, And to live with her hath no pain, but gladness and joy. 17 When I considered these things in myself, And took thought in my heart how that in kinship unto wisdom is immortality, 18 And in her friendship is good delight, And in the labours of her hands is wealth that faileth not, And in assiduous communing with her is understanding, And great renown in having fellowship with her words, I went about seeking how to take her unto myself. 19 Now I was a child of parts, and a good soul fell to my lot; 20 Nay rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled. 21 But perceiving that I could not otherwise possess [wisdom ] except God gave [her ] me (Yea and to know by whom the grace is given, this [too ] came of understanding), I pleaded with the Lord and besought him, and with my whole heart I said,
Wisdom of Solomon · Revised Version with Apocrypha
Wisdom of Solomon 8 Revised Version with Apocrypha
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).
that was a point of wisdom also to know whose gift she was." For by continency are we bound up and brought into one, whence we were scattered abroad into many.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… also their form, not from without, but from the secret and profound might of the Creator, who said, "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" and whose wisdom it is that "reacheth from one end to another mightily; and sweetly doth she order all things." Wherefore I know not what kind of aid the angels, themselves created first, afforded to …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Therefore it is said that he was born "according to the flesh,"--not because such births are not the gifts of God, nor His handiwork, whose creative wisdom "reaches," as it is written, "from one end to another mightily, and sweetly doth she order all things," but because, in a case in which the gift of God, which was not due …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)