1 [Sum quidem et ego mortalis homo, similis omnibus, et ex genere terreni illius qui prior factus est: et in ventre matris figuratus sum caro; 2 decem mensium tempore coagulatus sum in sanguine: ex semine hominis, et delectamento somni conveniente. 3 Et ego natus accepi communem aërem, et in similiter factam decidi terram, et primam vocem similem omnibus emisi plorans. 4 In involumentis nutritus sum, et curis magnis: 5 nemo enim ex regibus aliud habuit nativitatis initium. 6 Unus ergo introitus est omnibus ad vitam, et similis exitus. 7 Propter hoc optavi, et datus est mihi sensus; et invocavi, et venit in me spiritus sapientiæ: 8 et præposui illam regnis et sedibus, et divitias nihil esse duxi in comparatione illius. 9 Nec comparavi illi lapidem pretiosum, quoniam omne aurum in comparatione illius arena est exigua, et tamquam lutum æstimabitur argentum in conspectu illius. 10 Super salutem et speciem dilexi illam, et proposui pro luce habere illam, quoniam inextinguibile est lumen illius. 11 Venerunt autem mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa, et innumerabilis honestas per manus illius; 12 et lætatus sum in omnibus, quoniam antecedebat me ista sapientia, et ignorabam quoniam horum omnium mater est. 13 Quam sine fictione didici, et sine invidia communico, et honestatem illius non abscondo. 14 Infinitus enim thesaurus est hominibus; quo qui usi sunt, participes facti sunt amicitiæ Dei, propter disciplinæ dona commendati. 15 Mihi autem dedit Deus dicere ex sententia, et præsumere digna horum quæ mihi dantur: quoniam ipse sapientiæ dux est, et sapientium emendator. 16 In manu enim illius et nos et sermones nostri, et omnis sapientia, et operum scientia, et disciplina. 17 Ipse enim dedit mihi horum quæ sunt scientiam veram, ut sciam dispositionem orbis terrarum, et virtutes elementorum, 18 initium, et consummationem, et medietatem temporum, vicissitudinum permutationes, et commutationes temporum, 19 anni cursus, et stellarum dispositiones, 20 naturas animalium, et iras bestiarum, vim ventorum, et cogitationes hominum, differentias virgultorum, et virtutes radicum. 21 Et quæcumque sunt absconsa et improvisa didici: omnium enim artifex docuit me sapientia.] 22 [Est enim in illa spiritus intelligentiæ, sanctus, unicus, multiplex, subtilis, disertus, mobilis, incoinquinatus, certus, suavis, amans bonum, acutus, quem nihil vetat, benefaciens, 23 humanus, benignus, stabilis, certus, securus, omnem habens virtutem, omnia prospiciens, et qui capiat omnes spiritus, intelligibilis, mundus, subtilis. 24 Omnibus enim mobilibus mobilior est sapientia: attingit autem ubique propter suam munditiam. 25 Vapor est enim virtutis Dei, et emanatio quædam est claritatis omnipotentis Dei sincera, et ideo nihil inquinatum in eam incurrit: 26 candor est enim lucis æternæ, et speculum sine macula Dei majestatis, et imago bonitatis illius. 27 Et cum sit una, omnia potest; et in se permanens omnia innovat: et per nationes in animas sanctas se transfert; amicos Dei et prophetas constituit. 28 Neminem enim diligit Deus, nisi eum qui cum sapientia inhabitat. 29 Est enim hæc speciosior sole, et super omnem dispositionem stellarum: luci comparata, invenitur prior. 30 Illi enim succedit nox; sapientiam autem non vincit malitia.]
Wisdom of Solomon · Clementine Vulgate
Wisdom of Solomon 7 Clementine Vulgate
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).
In Holy Scripture, it is true, the Spirit of wisdom is called "manifold" because it contains many things in it; but what it contains it also is, and it being one is all these things.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… the Light of the World." Wisdom and Power, "Christ, the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God." The Effulgence, the Impress, the Image, the Seal; "Who being the Effulgence of His glory and the Impress of His Essence," and "the Image of His Goodness," and "Him hath God the Father sealed." Lord, King, He That Is, The Almighty.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… they address it may give ear; and when the discourse has a happy issue, they ought to render thanks to Him from whom they know such blessings come, so that all the praise may be His "in whose hand are both we and our words." Chapter 31 — Apology for the Length of the Work
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
… good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Whether you are to understand His sun as being not that which is visible to the fleshly eyes, but that wisdom of which it is said, "She is the brightness of the everlasting light;" of which it is also said, "The Sun of righteousness has arisen upon me;" and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)