The Holy Scripture
Chapter VI
Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.
ἀκούσατε οὖν βασιλεῖς καὶ σύνετε μάθετε δικασταὶ περάτων γῆς
Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.
ἐνωτίσασθε οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους καὶ γεγαυρωμένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν
For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.
ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ δυναστεία παρὰ ὑψίστου ὃς ἐξετάσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς βουλὰς διερευνήσει
Because, being ministers of his kingdom, ye have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of God;
ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπορεύθητε
horribly and speedily shall he come upon you: for a sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places.
φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν γίνεται
For mercy will soon pardon the meanest: but mighty men shall be mightily tormented.
ὁ γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται
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.
οὐ γὰρ ὑποστελεῖται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων
But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty.
τοῖς δὲ κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα
Unto you therefore, O kings, do I speak, that ye may learn wisdom, and not fall away.
πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὖν ὦ τύραννοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἵνα μάθητε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ παραπέσητε
For they that keep holiness holily shall be judged holy: and they that have learned such things shall find what to answer.
οἱ γὰρ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια ὁσιωθήσονται καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν
Wherefore set your affection upon my words; desire them, and ye shall be instructed.
ἐπιθυμήσατε οὖν τῶν λόγων μου ποθήσατε καὶ παιδευθήσεσθε
Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.
λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ εὐχερῶς θεωρεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτὴν καὶ εὑρίσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν ζητούντων αὐτήν
She preventeth them that desire her, in making herself first known unto them.
φθάνει τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας προγνωσθῆναι
Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travail: for he shall find her sitting at his doors.
ὁ ὀρθρίσας πρὸς αὐτὴν οὐ κοπιάσει πάρεδρον γὰρ εὑρήσει τῶν πυλῶν αὐτοῦ
To think therefore upon her is the perfection of wisdom: and whoso watcheth for her shall quickly be without care.
τὸ γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῆναι περὶ αὐτῆς φρονήσεως τελειότης καὶ ὁ ἀγρυπνήσας δι᾿ αὐτὴν ταχέως ἀμέριμνος ἔσται
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.
ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους αὐτῆς αὐτὴ περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα καὶ ἐν ταῖς τρίβοις φαντάζεται αὐτοῖς εὐμενῶς καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπινοίᾳ ὑπαντᾷ αὐτοῖς
For the very true beginning of her is the desire of discipline; and the care of discipline is love;
ἀρχὴ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἡ ἀληθεστάτη παιδείας ἐπιθυμία φροντὶς δὲ παιδείας ἀγάπη
and love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed unto her laws is the assurance of incorruption;
ἀγάπη δὲ τήρησις νόμων αὐτῆς προσοχὴ δὲ νόμων βεβαίωσις ἀφθαρσίας
and incorruption maketh us near unto God:
ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ θεοῦ
therefore the desire of wisdom bringeth to a kingdom.
ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας ἀνάγει ἐπὶ βασιλείαν
If your delight be then in thrones and sceptres, O ye kings of the people, honour wisdom, that ye may reign for evermore.
εἰ οὖν ἥδεσθε ἐπὶ θρόνοις καὶ σκήπτροις τύραννοι λαῶν τιμήσατε σοφίαν ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε
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.
τί δέ ἐστιν σοφία καὶ πῶς ἐγένετο ἀπαγγελῶ καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψω ὑμῖν μυστήρια ἀλλὰ ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς γενέσεως ἐξιχνιάσω καὶ θήσω εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς τὴν γνῶσιν αὐτῆς καὶ οὐ μὴ παροδεύσω τὴν ἀλήθειαν
Neither will I go with consuming envy; for such a man shall have no fellowship with wisdom.
οὔτε μὴν φθόνῳ τετηκότι συνοδεύσω ὅτι οὗτος οὐ κοινωνήσει σοφίᾳ
But the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people.
πλῆθος δὲ σοφῶν σωτηρία κόσμου καὶ βασιλεὺς φρόνιμος εὐστάθεια δήμου
Receive therefore instruction through my words, and it shall do you good.
ὥστε παιδεύεσθε τοῖς ῥήμασίν μου καὶ ὠφεληθήσεσθε