1 O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,
2 And ordained man through thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which thou hast made,
3 And order the world according to equity and righteousness, and execute judgment with an upright heart:
4 Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne; and reject me not from among thy children:
5 For I thy servant and son of thine handmaid am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws.
6 For though a man be never so perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.
7 Thou hast chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters:
8 Thou hast commanded me to build a temple upon thy holy mount, and an altar in the city wherein thou dwellest, a resemblance of the holy tabernacle, which thou hast prepared from the beginning.
9 And wisdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy sight, and right in thy commandments.
10 O send her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory, that being present she may labour with me, that I may know what is pleasing unto thee.
11 For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power.
12 So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father’s seat.
13 For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is?
14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain.
15 For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things.
16 And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labour do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out?
17 And thy counsel who hath known, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above?
18 For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto thee, and were saved through wisdom.
1 Deus parentum et Domine
misericordiae tuae
qui fecisti omnia verbo tuo
2 et sapientia tua constituisti hominem
ut dominetur creaturae quae a te facta est
3 ut disponat orbem terrarum in aequitate et iustitia
et in directione cordis iudicium iudicet
4 da mihi sedium tuarum adsistricem sapientiam
et noli me reprobare a pueris tuis
5 quoniam ego servus tuus et filius ancillae tuae sum
homo infirmus et exigui temporis
et minor ad intellectum iudicii et legum
6 et si quis erit consummatus inter filios hominum
si afuerit ab illo sapientia tua in nihilum
conputabitur
7 tu me elegisti regem populo tuo
et iudicem filiorum tuorum et filiarum
8 dixisti aedificare templum in
monte sancto tuo
et in civitate habitationis tuae aram
similitudinem tabernaculi sancti tui quod praeparasti ab initio
9 et tecum sapientia quae novit opera tua
quae et adfuit tunc cum orbem terrarum faceres
et sciebat quid placitum esset oculis tuis
et quid directum in praeceptis tuis
10 mitte illam de sanctis caelis tuis
et mitte illam a sede magnitudinis
tuae
ut mecum sit et mecum laboret
et sciam quid acceptum sit apud te
11 scit enim illa omnia et intellegit
et deducet me in operibus meis sobrie
et custodiet me in sua potentia
12 et erunt accepta opera mea
et disponam populum tuum iuste et ero dignus sedium patris mei
13 quis enim hominum poterit scire consilium Dei
aut quis poterit cogitare quid velit Dominus
14 cogitationes enim mortalium timidae
et incertae providentiae nostrae
15 corpus enim quod corrumpitur adgravat animam
et deprimit terrena inhabitatio sensum multa cogitantem
16 et difficile aestimamus quae in terra sunt
et quae in prospectu sunt invenimus cum labore
quae in caelis sunt autem quis investigavit
17 sensum autem tuum quis scivit
nisi tu dederis sapientiam
et miseris sanctum spiritum tuum de altissimis
18 et sic correctae sunt semitae eorum qui in terris
sunt
et quae tibi placent didicerunt homines
19 et per sapientiam sanati sunt