1 Arī es esmu mirstīgs, cilvēks kā visi citi, pirmdarinātā, no zemes veidotā, pēctecis;
miesā izveidots mātes klēpī,
2 asinīs desmit mēnešos
vīra sēklas un viņa apskāvienos gūtās baudas siets.
3 Piedzimis arī es ievilku gaisu,
kas kopīgs visiem,
uz zemes nonākot, kas visiem viena,
ļaujot – tāpat kā citi –
atskanēt pirmajam brēcienam,
kas visiem ir vienāds,
4 mani ietina autiņos un aprūpēja.
5 Nav ķēniņa, kas dzīvi būtu sācis citādi.
6 Viens visiem ceļš, pasaulē nākot,
un vienāds – aizejot.
7 Tādēļ lūdzos, un man tika dāvāta sapratne;
karsti lūdzoties, saucu, un pār mani nāca gudrības gars, –
8 to augstāk vērtēju par scepteriem un troņiem,
salīdzinot ar to, man bagātība nebija nekas.
9 Nevienu dārgakmeni tās vērtu neatzinu,
jo līdzās gudrībai viss zelts – tik vien kā sauja smilšu,
kā dubļi – sudrabs tās priekšā.
10 Par veselību un par skaistumu to karstāk iemīlēju,
vēl vairāk nekā gaismu vēlējos,
jo tā nemitas pat naktī spulgot.
11 Reizē ar gudrību man iekrita klēpī viss labais,
neizmērojama bagātība, kas tai rokās,
12 bet, tā kā gudrība valda pār labo, par visu līksmojos,
nezinādams, ka viņa to radījusi.
13 Bez aprēķina mācījos, bez skaudības dalos,
neslēpju no citiem tās bagātību,
14 neizsīkstošu dārgumu krātuvi cilvēkiem.
Kas, ar audzināšanā gūtajām dāvanām apveltīts, tajā smeļas,
draudzību noslēdz ar Dievu.
15 Lai Dievs man palīdz izteikties kā iecerēts
un domāt atbilstoši dāvanām,
ar kurām esmu apveltīts,
jo viņš ir tas, kas vada gudrību,
uz pareizā ceļa mudina atgriezties gudros.
16 Viņa rokās esam mēs un tas, ko sakām,
izprotam, ikviena mūsu prasme.
17 Viņš nemaldīgu izpratni man dāvājis par visu, kas ir,
lai pazītu es pasauli tās sastāvdaļu kopumā
un pamatelementu darbībā,
18 laiku iesākumu, galu un gaitu,
saulgriežus un gadalaiku miju;
19 gadu ritumus un zvaigžņu kārtību,
20 dzīvnieku dabu un zvēru dziņas,
vēju stiprumu un cilvēka domu gaitu,
augu dažādību un sakņu dziedinošo spēku.
21 Lai cik apslēpts, lai cik atklāts bija – iepazinu,
22 jo to man iemācīja gudrība, it visā lietpratēja.
Ir tajā gars, saprātīgs, svēts,
viens vienīgs, daudzveidīgs,
netverams un kustības pārpilns,
dzidrs, neaptraipāms un nepārprotami skaidrs,
ļauna nedarītājs, labā mīlētājs, skaudrs,
23 neaizturams, labvēlīgs un cilvēkus mīlošs,
drošs, uzticams un nesatraucams,
visvarens, visu pārredzošs,
kas caurstrāvo ikvienu saprātīgo, skaidro,
netverami smalko garu,
24 jo par ikvienu kustību ir kustīgāka gudrība
savā skaidrībā tā visu caurauž,
25 jo tā ir Dieva varenības dvesma,
Visuvaldītāja godības starojums,
kas ne ar ko nesajaucas,
tālab tajā nekas aptraipīts neielaužas.
26 Tā – mūžīgās gaismas atspulgs,
spodrs Dieva darbīgā spēka spogulis
un viņa labestības atveids.
27 Viena pati – spēj visu,
sevī nemainoties – visu atjauno;
no svētas dvēseles uz svētu ejot,
Dieva draugus un praviešus no paaudzes paaudzē audzina,
28 jo Dievs mīl vienīgi tos,
kam gudrība ir dzīvesbiedre.
29 Tādēļ ka viņa daiļāka par sauli,
par katru zvaigznāju,
pārāka salīdzinājumā ar gaismu,
30 pēc kuras nāk nakts,
bet gudrību neuzveic ļaunums,
A King Is Like Everyone Else
1-2 Like every human being, I am mortal. I am a descendant of that first man, who was made from the soil. I was conceived from the sperm of a man, in the pleasure of intercourse. For nine months my flesh took shape in the blood of my mother's womb. 3 When I was born, I came into the world like anyone else. I began to breathe the same air we all breathe; and like everyone else, the first sound I made was a cry. 4 I was wrapped in cloths and cared for. 5 No king ever began life differently. 6 For all of us, there is one way into life, and there is one way out.
Solomon Declares His Love for Wisdom
7 Realizing that I was only human, I prayed and was given understanding. The spirit of Wisdom came to me. 8 I regarded her more highly than any throne or crown. Wealth was nothing compared to her. 9 Precious jewels could not equal her worth; beside Wisdom all the gold in the world is a handful of sand, and silver is nothing more than clay. 10 I valued her more than health and good looks. Hers is a brightness that never grows dim, and I preferred it to any other light.
11 When Wisdom came to me, all good things came with her. She brought me untold riches. 12 I was happy with them all, because Wisdom had brought them to me. I had not realized before that she was the source of all these things. 13 I was sincere in learning from her, and now I am glad to share what I learned. 14 No one can ever exhaust the treasures of Wisdom. Use those treasures and you are God's friends; he approves of what you learn from her.
15 I pray to God that my thoughts may be worthy of what I have learned, and that I may speak according to his will. He is Wisdom's guide; he gives correction to those who are wise. 16 We are under his power and authority—we ourselves, our words, all our understanding and skills. 17 It is he who gave me true knowledge of the forces of nature: what the world is made of; how the elements behave; 18 how the calendar is determined by the movements of the sun, the changing seasons, 19 the constellations, and the cycles of years. 20 He has taught me about the nature of living creatures, the behavior of wild animals, the force of the winds, the reasoning powers of human beings, the different kinds of plants, and the use of their roots as medicine. 21 I learned things that were well known and things that had never been known before, 22 because Wisdom, who gave shape to everything that exists, was my teacher.
The Nature of Wisdom
The spirit of Wisdom is intelligent and holy. It is of one nature but reveals itself in many ways. It is not made of any material substance, and it moves about freely. It is clear, clean, and confident; it cannot be harmed. It loves what is good. It is sharp and unconquerable, 23 kind, and a friend of humanity. It is dependable and sure, and has no worries. It has power over everything, and sees everything. It penetrates every spirit that is intelligent and pure, no matter how delicate its substance may be.
24 Wisdom moves more easily than motion itself; she is so pure that she penetrates everything. 25 She is a breath of God's power—a pure and radiant stream of glory from the Almighty. Nothing that is defiled can ever steal its way into Wisdom. 26 She is a reflection of eternal light, a perfect mirror of God's activity and goodness. 27 Even though Wisdom acts alone, she can do anything. She makes everything new, although she herself never changes. From generation to generation she enters the souls of holy people, and makes them God's friends and prophets. 28 There is nothing that God loves more than people who are at home with Wisdom. 29 Wisdom is more beautiful than the sun and all the constellations. She is better than light itself, 30 because night always follows day, but evil never overcomes Wisdom.
