The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

For the children that are born of unlawful beds, are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial.

But the just man, if he be prevented with death, shall be in rest.

For venerable old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years: but the understanding of a man is grey hairs.

And a spotless life is old age.

He pleased God, and was beloved, and living among sinners, he was translated.

He was taken away, lest wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul.

For the bewitching of vanity obscureth good things, and the wandering of concupiscence overturneth the innocent mind.

Being made perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time.

For his soul pleased God: therefore he hastened to bring him out of the midst of iniquities: but the people see this, and understand not, nor lay up such things in their hearts:

That the grace of God, and his mercy is with his saints, and that he hath respect to his chosen.

But the just that is dead, condemneth the wicked that are living, and youth soon ended, the long life of the unjust.

For they shall see the end of the wise man, and shall not understand what God hath designed for him, and why the Lord hath set him in safety.

They shall see him, and shall despise him: but the Lord shall laugh them to scorn.

And they shall fall after this without honour, and be a reproach among the dead for ever: for he shall burst them puffed up and speechless, and shall shake them from the foundations, and they shall be utterly laid waste: they shall be in sorrow, and their memory shall perish.

They shall come with fear at the thought of their sins, and their iniquities shall stand against them to convict them.

Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours.

These seeing it, shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation,

Saying within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit: These are they, whom we had sometime in derision, and for a parable of reproach.

We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour.

Behold, how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.

Therefore we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us.

We wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction, and have walked through hard ways, but the way of the Lord we have not known.

What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us?

All those things are passed away like a shadow, and like a post that runneth on,

And as a ship that passeth through the waves: whereof when it is gone by, the trace cannot be found, nor the path of its keel in the waters:

Or as when a bird flieth through the air, of the passage of which no mark can be found, but only the sound of the wings beating the light air, and parting it by the force of her flight: she moved her wings, and hath flown through, and there is no mark found afterwards of her way:

Or as when an arrow is shot at a mark, the divided air quickly cometh together again, so that the passage thereof is not known:

So we also being born, forthwith ceased to be: and have been able to shew no mark of virtue: but are consumed in our wickedness.

Such things as these the sinners said in hell:

For the hope of the wicked is as dust, which is blown away with the wind, and as a thin froth which is dispersed by the storm: and a smoke that is scattered abroad by the wind: and as the remembrance of a guest of one day that passeth by.

But the just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord, and the care of them with the most High.

Therefore shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord: for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.

And his zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies.

He will put on justice as a breastplate, and will take true judgment instead of a helmet:

He will take equity for an invincible shield:

And he will sharpen his severe wrath for a spear, and the whole world shall fight with him against the unwise.

Then shafts of lightning shall go directly from the clouds, as from a bow well bent, they shall be shot out, and shall fly to the mark.

And thick hail shall be cast upon them from the stone casting wrath: the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the rivers shall run together in a terrible manner.

A mighty wind shall stand up against them, and as a whirlwind shall divide them: and their iniquity shall bring all the earth to a desert, and wickedness shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

Wisdom is better than strength: and a wise man is better than a strong man.

Hear, therefore, ye kings, and understand, learn ye that are judges of the ends of the earth.

Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in multitudes of nations:

For power is given you by the Lord, and strength by the most High, who will examine your works: and search out your thoughts:

Because being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly, nor kept the law of justice, nor walked according to the will of God.

Horribly and speedily will he appear to you: for a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule.

For to him that is little, mercy is granted: but the mighty shall be mightily tormented.

For God will not except any man's person, neither will he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all.

But a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty.

To you, therefore, O kings, are these my words, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall from it.

For they that have kept just things justly, shall be justified: and they that have learned these things, shall find what to answer.

Covet ye, therefore, my words, and love them, and you shall have instruction.

Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away, and is easily seen by them that love her, and is found by them that seek her.

She preventeth them that covet her, so that she first sheweth herself unto them.

He that awaketh early to seek her, shall not labour: for he shall find her sitting at his door.

To think, therefore, upon her, is perfect understanding: and he that watcheth for her, shall quickly be secure.

For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, and she sheweth herself to them cheerfully in the ways, and meeteth them with all providence.

For the beginning of her is the most true desire of discipline.

And the care of discipline is love: and love is the keeping of her laws: and the keeping of her laws is the firm foundation of incorruption:

And incorruption bringeth near to God.

Therefore the desire of wisdom bringeth to the everlasting kingdom.

If then your delight be in thrones, and sceptres, O ye kings of the people, love wisdom, that you may reign for ever.

Love the light of wisdom, all ye that bear rule over peoples.

Now what wisdom is, and what was her origin, I will declare: and I will not hide from you the mysteries of God, but will seek her out from the beginning of her birth, and bring the knowledge of her to light, and will not pass over the truth:

Neither will I go with consuming envy: for such a man shall not be partaker of wisdom.

Now the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the whole world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.

Receive, therefore, instruction by my words, and it shall be profitable to you.

I myself am a mortal man, like all others, and of the race of him, that was first made of the earth, and in the womb of my mother I was fashioned to be flesh.

In the time of ten months I was compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure of sleep concurring.

And being born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth, that is made alike, and the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.

I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and with great cares.

For none of the kings had any other beginning of birth.

For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.

Wherefore I wished, and understanding was given me: and I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me:

And I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her.

Neither did I compare unto her any precious stone: for all gold, in comparison of her, is as a little sand; and silver, in respect to her, shall be counted as clay.

I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for her light cannot be put out.

Now all good things came to me together with her, and innumerable riches through her hands,

And I rejoiced in all these: for this wisdom went before me, and I knew not that she was the mother of them all.

Which I have learned without guile, and communicate without envy, and her riches I hide not.

For she is an infinite treasure to men: which they that use, become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts of discipline.

And God hath given to me to speak as I would, and to conceive thoughts worthy of those things that are given me: because he is the guide of wisdom, and the director of the wise:

For in his hand are both we, and our words, and all wisdom, and the knowledge and skill of works.

For he hath given me the true knowledge of the things that are: to know the disposition of the whole world, and the virtues of the elements,

The beginning, and ending, and midst of the times, the alterations of their courses, and the changes of seasons,

The revolutions of the year, and the dispositions of the stars,

The natures of living creatures, and rage of wild beasts, the force of winds, and reasonings of men, the diversities of plants, and the virtues of roots,

And all such things as are hid, and not foreseen, I have learned: for wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me.

For in her is the spirit of understanding; holy, one, manifold, subtile, eloquent, active, undefiled, sure, sweet, loving that which is good, quick, which nothing hindereth, beneficent,

Gentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits: intelligible, pure, subtile:

For wisdom is more active than all active things; and reacheth everywhere, by reason of her purity.

For she is a vapour of the power of God, and a certain pure emmanation of the glory of the Almighty God: and therefore no defiled thing cometh into her.

For she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God's majesty, and the image of his goodness.

And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself the same, she reneweth all things, and through nations conveyeth herself into holy souls, she maketh the friends of God and prophets.

For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom.

For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it.

For after this cometh night, but no evil can overcome wisdom.

She reacheth, therefore, from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly.

Her have I loved, and have sought her out from my youth, and have desired to take for my spouse, and I became a lover of her beauty.

She glorifieth her nobility by being conversant with God: yea, and the Lord of all things hath loved her.

For it is she that teacheth the knowledge of God and is the chooser of his works.