Page:KJV 1772 Oxford Edition, vol. 2.djvu/83

Apocrypha. Horribly and speedily shall he come upon you: for a sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places.

For mercy will soon pardon the meanest: but mighty men shall be mightily tormented.

For he which is Lord over all shall fear no man's person, neither shall he stand in awe of any man's greatness: for he hath made the small and great, and careth for all alike.

But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty.

Unto you therefore, O kings, do I speak, that ye may learn wisdom, and not fall away.

For they that keep holiness holily shall be judged holy: and they that have learned such things shall find what to answer.

Wherefore set your affection upon my words; desire them, and ye shall be instructed.

Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.

She preventeth them that desire her, in making herself first known unto them.

Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travail: for he shall find her sitting at his doors.

To think therefore upon her is perfection of wisdom: and whoso watcheth for her shall quickly be without care.

For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, sheweth herself favourably unto them in the ways, and meeteth them in every thought.

For the very true beginning of her is the desire of discipline; and the care of discipline is love;

And love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed unto her laws is the assurance of incorruption;

And incorruption maketh us near unto God:

Therefore the desire of wisdom bringeth to a kingdom.

If your delight be then in thrones and sceptres, O ye kings of the people, honour wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore.

As for wisdom, what she is, and how she came up, I will tell you, and will not hide mysteries from you: but will seek her out from the beginning of her nativity, and bring the knowledge of her into light, and will not pass over the truth.

Neither will I go with consuming envy; for such a man shall have no fellowship with wisdom.

But the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.

Receive therefore instruction through my words, and it shall do you good.

I myself also am a mortal man, like to all, and the offspring of him that was first made of the earth,

And in my mother's womb was fashioned to be flesh in the time of ten months, being compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure that came with sleep.

And when I was born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth, which is of like nature, and the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.

I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and that with cares.

For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth.

For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.

Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.

I preferred her before sceptres and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her.

Neither compared I unto her any precious stone, because all gold in respect of her is as a little sand, and silver shall be counted as clay before her.

I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for the light that cometh from her never goeth out.

All good things together came to me with her, and innumerable riches in her hands.

And I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom goeth before them: and I knew not that she was the mother of them.

I learned diligently, and do communicate her liberally: I do not hide her riches.

For she is a treasure unto men that never faileth: which they that use become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts that come from learning.

God hath granted me to speak as I would, and to conceive as is meet for the things that are given me: because it is he that leadeth unto wisdom, and directeth the wise.