Description of Wisdom

¹²Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her,
and is found by those who seek her.
¹³She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.
¹⁴One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.
¹⁵To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,
¹⁶because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths,
and meets them in every thought.

¹⁷The beginning of wisdom^* is the most sincere desire for instruction,
and concern for instruction is love of her,
¹⁸and love of her is the keeping of her laws,
and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,
¹⁹and immortality brings one near to God;
²⁰so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.

²¹Therefore if you delight in thrones and sceptres, O monarchs over the peoples,
honour wisdom, so that you may reign for ever.
²²I will tell you what wisdom is and how she came to be,
and I will hide no secrets from you,
but I will trace her course from the beginning of creation,
and make knowledge of her clear,
and I will not pass by the truth;
²³nor will I travel in the company of sickly envy,
for envy^* does not associate with wisdom.