Anonymous (Septuagint) · a new plain-English translation from the original language
1| God of the fathers and Lord of your mercy, who made all things by your word,
2| and by your wisdom fashioned man to have dominion over the creatures that came into being through you,
3| and to govern the world in holiness and righteousness, and to render judgment in uprightness of soul —
4| give me the wisdom that sits beside your throne, and do not reject me from among your children.
5| For I am your servant, the son of your handmaid, a man weak and short-lived, and lesser in understanding of judgment and laws.
6| For even if someone should be perfect among the sons of men, yet if the wisdom that comes from you is absent, he will be reckoned as nothing.
7| You chose me before all to be king of your people and judge of your sons and daughters;
8| you commanded that a temple be built on your holy mountain, and an altar in the city of your dwelling, a copy of the holy tabernacle which you prepared beforehand from the beginning.
9| And with you is wisdom, who knows your works, and was present when you made the world, and understands what is pleasing in your eyes and what is right according to your commandments.
10| Send her forth from the holy heavens, and dispatch her from the throne of your glory, that being present with me she may labor at my side, and that I may know what is well-pleasing to you.
11| For she knows all things and understands them, and she will guide me wisely in my actions, and will guard me by her glory;
12| and my works will be acceptable, and I will judge your people justly, and I will be worthy of my father's throne.
13| For what man will come to know the counsel of God? Or who will conceive in his mind what the Lord wills?
14| For the reasonings of mortals are timid, and our devisings are unsure;
15| for a perishable body weighs down the soul, and this earthly tent burdens a mind full of cares.
16| And we can barely guess at the things on earth, and what lies in our hands we find only with toil; but the things in the heavens — who has traced them out?
17| And who has come to know your counsel, unless you gave wisdom and sent your holy spirit from the heights above?
18| And thus the paths of those on earth were set straight, and men were taught what is pleasing to you, and were saved by wisdom.