Bible Browser

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

9‘O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word,
⁷ You have chosen me to be king of your people
and to be judge over your sons and daughters.
⁸ You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain,
and an altar in the city of your habitation,
a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning.
⁹ With you is wisdom, she who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
she understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.
¹⁰ Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may labour at my side,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you.
¹¹ For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
¹² Then my works will be acceptable,
and I shall judge your people justly,
and shall be worthy of the throne^* of my father.
¹³ For who can learn the counsel of God?
Or who can discern what the Lord wills?
¹⁴ For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,
and our designs are likely to fail;
¹⁵ for a perishable body weighs down the soul,
and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful^* mind.
¹⁶ We can hardly guess at what is on earth,
and what is at hand we find with labour;
but who has traced out what is in the heavens?
¹⁷ Who has learned your counsel,
unless you have given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?
¹⁸ And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,
and people were taught what pleases you,
and were saved by wisdom.’

¹⁹ Hear, my child, and be wise,
   and direct your mind in the way.
²⁰ Do not be among winebibbers,
   or among gluttonous eaters of meat;
²¹ for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
   and drowsiness will clothe them with rags.

²² Listen to your father who begot you,
   and do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³ Buy truth, and do not sell it;
   buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
   he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.
²⁵ Let your father and mother be glad;
   let her who bore you rejoice.

²⁶ My child, give me your heart,
   and let your eyes observe^* my ways.
²⁷ For a prostitute is a deep pit;
   an adulteress^* is a narrow well.
²⁸ She lies in wait like a robber
   and increases the number of the faithless.

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
   Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
   Who has redness of eyes?
³⁰ Those who linger late over wine,
   those who keep trying mixed wines.
³¹ Do not look at wine when it is red,
   when it sparkles in the cup
   and goes down smoothly.
³² At the last it bites like a serpent,
   and stings like an adder.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
   and your mind utter perverse things.
³⁴ You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
   like one who lies on the top of a mast.^*
35 ‘They struck me’, you will say,^* ‘but I was not hurt;
   they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
   I will seek another drink.’

24Do not envy the wicked,
   nor desire to be with them;
² for their minds devise violence,
   and their lips talk of mischief.