A prayer (made by Solomon) for wisdom, 9. whereby Superiors are able to govern: 13. Which by only human wisdom, they can not rightly perform.A prayer ( made by Salomon ) for wisdom, 9. wherby Superiors are able to gouerne: 13. Which by only humane wisdom, they can not rightly performe.✦
God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, which madest all things with thy word,GOD of my fathers, and Lord of mercie, which madest al thinges with thy word,✦Deus patrum meorum, et Domine misericordiæ, qui fecisti omnia verbo tuo,
2and by thy wisdom didst appoint man, that he should have dominion of the creature, that was made by thee,and by thy wisdom didst appoint man, that he should haue dominion of the creature, that was made by thee,✦et sapientia tua constituisti hominem, ut dominaretur creaturæ quæ a te facta est,
3that he should dispose the round world in equity and justice, and execute judgement in directione: guidance, a course to follow; uprightness, straightness, rectitude of heart:that he should dispose the roundworld in equitie and iustice, and execute iudgement in direction of hart:✦ut disponat orbem terrarum in æquitate et justitia, et in directione cordis judicium judicet :
4give me wisdom the assistricem: a helper, a subordinate; she that sitteth by, an attendant of thy seats, and repel me not from thy children:geue me wisdom the assistant of thy seates, and repel me not from thy children:✦da mihi sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam, et noli me reprobare a pueris tuis :
5because I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid, a weak man, and of small time, and less to the understanding of judgement and laws.because I am thy seruant, and the sonne of thy handmaide, a weake man, and of smal time, and lesse to the vnderstanding of iudgement and lawes.✦quoniam servus tuus sum ego, et filius ancillæ tuæ ; homo infirmus, et exigui temporis, et minor ad intellectum judicii et legum.
6And if one be perfect among the children of men, and thy wisdom be absent from him, he shall be counted for nothing.And if one be perfect among the children of men, and thy wisdom be absent from him, he shal be counted for nothing.✦Nam etsi quis erit consummatus inter filios hominum, si ab illo abfuerit sapientia tua, in nihilum computabitur.
7Thou hast chosen me king to thy people, and judge of thy sons, and daughters:Thou hast chosen me king to thy people, and iudge of thy sonnes, and daughters:✦Tu elegisti me regem populo tuo, et judicem filiorum tuorum et filiarum :
8and badst me build a temple in thy holy mount, and an altar in the city of thy habitation, a similitude of thy holy tabernacle, which thou didst prepare from the beginning:and badst me build a temple in thy holie mount, and an altar in the citie of thy habitation, a similitude of thy holie tabernacle, which thou didst prepare from the beginning:✦et dixisti me ædificare templum in monte sancto tuo, et in civitate habitationis tuæ altare : similitudinem tabernaculi sancti tui quod præparasti ab initio.
9and thy wisdom with thee, which knew thy works, which then also was present when thou madest the round world, and knew what was pleasing to thine eyes, and what was direct in thy precepts.and thy wisdom with thee, which knew thy workes, which then also was present when thou madest the roundworld, and knew what was pleasing to thyne eyes, and what was direct in thy precepts.✦Et tecum sapientia tua, quæ novit opera tua, quæ et affuit tunc cum orbem terrarum faceres, et sciebat quid esset placitum oculis tuis, et quid directum in præceptis tuis.
10Send her from thy holy heavens, and from the seat of thy greatness, that she may be with me, and may labour with me, that I may know what is acceptable with thee:Send her from thy holy heauens, and from the seate of thy greatnes, that she may be with me, and may labour with me, that I may know what is acceptable with thee:✦Mitte illam de cælis sanctis tuis, et a sede magnitudinis tuæ, ut mecum sit et mecum laboret, ut sciam quid acceptum sit apud te :
11for she knoweth all things, & understandeth, and shall conduct me in my works soberly, & shall keep me with her might.for she knoweth al thinges, & vnderstandeth, and shal conduct me in my workes soberly, & shal keepe me with her might.✦scit enim illa omnia, et intelligit, et deducet me in operibus meis sobrie, et custodiet me in sua potentia.
12And my works shall be acceptable, and I shall govern thy people justly, and shall be worthy of the seats of my father.And my workes shal be acceptable, and I shal gouerne thy people iustly, and shal be worthie of the seates of my father.✦Et erunt accepta opera mea, et disponam populum tuum juste, et ero dignus sedium patris mei.
13For who of men is able to know the counsel of God? or who can think what God will?For who of men is able to know the counsel of God? or who can thinke what God wil?✦Quis enim hominum poterit scire consilium Dei ? aut quis poterit cogitare quid velit Deus ?
14For the cogitationes: thoughts, the workings of the mind of mortal men be fearful, and our providentiæ: divine providence, God's care; our foresight, forethought, provision uncertain.For the cogitations of mortal men be fearful, and our prouidences vncertaine.✦Cogitationes enim mortalium timidæ, et incertæ providentiæ nostræ ;
15For the body, that is corrupted burdeneth the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the understanding that thinketh many things.For the bodie, that is corrupted burdeneth the soule, and the earthlie habitation presseth downe the vnderstanding that thinketh manie thinges.✦corpus enim quod corrumpitur aggravat animam, et terrena inhabitatio deprimit sensum multa cogitantem.
16And we do difficile: scarcely, barely; with difficulty conjecture the things that are in the earth: and the things that are in sight, we find with labour. But the things that are in the heavens who shall search out?And we doe hardly coniecture the thinges that are in the earth: and the thinges that are in sight, we finde with labour. But the thinges that are in the heauens who shal search our?✦Et difficile æstimamus quæ in terra sunt, et quæ in prospectu sunt invenimus cum labore : quæ autem in cælis sunt, quis investigabit ?
17And thy sense who shall know, unless thou give wisdom. and send thy holy spirit from on high:And thy sense who shal know, vnles thou geue wisdom. and send thy holie spirit from on high:✦Sensum autem tuum, quis sciet, nisi tu dederis sapientiam, et miseris spiritum sanctum tuum de altissimis,
18and so the paths of them, that are on the earth may be corrected, and men learn the things that please thee?and so the pathes of them, that are on the earth may be corrected, and men lerne the thinges that please thee?✦et sic correctæ sint semitæ eorum qui sunt in terris, et quæ tibi placent didicerint homines ?
19For by wisdom they were healed, whosoever have pleased thee O Lord from the beginning.For by wisdom they were healed, whosoeuer haue pleased thee ô Lord from the begynning.✦Nam per sapientiam sanati sunt quicumque placuerunt tibi, Domine, a principio.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.