Apo

1 Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.

2 Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.

3 For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels.

4 Because, being ministers of his kingdom, ye have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of God;

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

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

7 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.

8 But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 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.

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

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

19 And incorruption maketh us near unto God:

20 Therefore the desire of wisdom bringeth to a kingdom.

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

22 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.

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

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

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

Sep

1 ἀκούσατε οὖν βασιλεῖς καὶ σύνετε μάθετε δικασταὶ περάτων γῆς

2 ἐνωτίσασθε οἱ κρατοῦντες πλήθους καὶ γεγαυρωμένοι ἐπὶ ὄχλοις ἐθνῶν

3 ὅτι ἐδόθη παρὰ κυρίου ἡ κράτησις ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ δυναστεία παρὰ ὑψίστου ὃς ἐξετάσει ὑμῶν τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς βουλὰς διερευνήσει

4 ὅτι ὑπηρέται ὄντες τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας οὐκ ἐκρίνατε ὀρθῶς οὐδὲ ἐφυλάξατε νόμον οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπορεύθητε

5 φρικτῶς καὶ ταχέως ἐπιστήσεται ὑμῖν ὅτι κρίσις ἀπότομος ἐν τοῖς ὑπερέχουσιν γίνεται

6 ὁ γὰρ ἐλάχιστος συγγνωστός ἐστιν ἐλέους δυνατοὶ δὲ δυνατῶς ἐτασθήσονται

7 οὐ γὰρ ὑποστελεῖται πρόσωπον ὁ πάντων δεσπότης οὐδὲ ἐντραπήσεται μέγεθος ὅτι μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν ὁμοίως τε προνοεῖ περὶ πάντων

8 τοῖς δὲ κραταιοῖς ἰσχυρὰ ἐφίσταται ἔρευνα

9 πρὸς ὑμᾶς οὖν ὦ τύραννοι οἱ λόγοι μου ἵνα μάθητε σοφίαν καὶ μὴ παραπέσητε

10 οἱ γὰρ φυλάξαντες ὁσίως τὰ ὅσια ὁσιωθήσονται καὶ οἱ διδαχθέντες αὐτὰ εὑρήσουσιν ἀπολογίαν

11 ἐπιθυμήσατε οὖν τῶν λόγων μου ποθήσατε καὶ παιδευθήσεσθε

12 λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντός ἐστιν ἡ σοφία καὶ εὐχερῶς θεωρεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγαπώντων αὐτὴν καὶ εὑρίσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν ζητούντων αὐτήν

13 φθάνει τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας προγνωσθῆναι

14 ὁ ὀρθρίσας πρὸς αὐτὴν οὐ κοπιάσει πάρεδρον γὰρ εὑρήσει τῶν πυλῶν αὐτοῦ

15 τὸ γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῆναι περὶ αὐτῆς φρονήσεως τελειότης καὶ ὁ ἀγρυπνήσας δι᾽ αὐτὴν ταχέως ἀμέριμνος ἔσται

16 ὅτι τοὺς ἀξίους αὐτῆς αὐτὴ περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα καὶ ἐν ταῖς τρίβοις φαντάζεται αὐτοῖς εὐμενῶς καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἐπινοίᾳ ὑπαντᾷ αὐτοῖς

17 ἀρχὴ γὰρ αὐτῆς ἡ ἀληθεστάτη παιδείας ἐπιθυμία φροντὶς δὲ παιδείας ἀγάπη

18 ἀγάπη δὲ τήρησις νόμων αὐτῆς προσοχὴ δὲ νόμων βεβαίωσις ἀφθαρσίας

19 ἀφθαρσία δὲ ἐγγὺς εἶναι ποιεῖ θεοῦ

20 ἐπιθυμία ἄρα σοφίας ἀνάγει ἐπὶ βασιλείαν

21 εἰ οὖν ἥδεσθε ἐπὶ θρόνοις καὶ σκήπτροις τύραννοι λαῶν τιμήσατε σοφίαν ἵνα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα βασιλεύσητε

22 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

23 οὔτε μὴν φθόνῳ τετηκότι συνοδεύσω ὅτι οὗτος οὐ κοινωνήσει σοφίᾳ

24 πλῆθος δὲ σοφῶν σωτηρία κόσμου καὶ βασιλεὺς φρόνιμος εὐστάθεια δήμου

25 ὥστε παιδεύεσθε τοῖς ῥήμασίν μου καὶ ὠφεληθήσεσθε

Vul

1 [Melior est sapientia quam vires,
et vir prudens quam fortis.

2 Audite ergo, reges, et intelligite;
discite, judices finium terræ.

3 Præbete aures, vos qui continetis multitudines,
et placetis vobis in turbis nationum.

4 Quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis,
et virtus ab Altissimo:
qui interrogabit opera vestra, et cogitationes scrutabitur.

5 Quoniam cum essetis ministri regni illius,
non recte judicastis, nec custodistis legem justitiæ,
neque secundum voluntatem Dei ambulastis.

6 Horrende et cito apparebit vobis,
quoniam judicium durissimum his qui præsunt fiet.

7 Exiguo enim conceditur misericordia;
potentes autem potenter tormenta patientur.

8 Non enim subtrahet personam cujusquam Deus,
nec verebitur magnitudinem ejus cujusquam,
quoniam pusillum et magnum ipse fecit,
et æqualiter cura est illi de omnibus.

9 Fortioribus autem fortior instat cruciatio.

10 Ad vos ergo, reges, sunt hi sermones mei:
ut discatis sapientiam, et non excidatis.

11 Qui enim custodierint justa juste, justificabuntur;
et qui didicerint ista, invenient quid respondeant.

12 Concupiscite ergo sermones meos;
diligite illos, et habebitis disciplinam.

13 Clara est, et quæ numquam marcescit, sapientia:
et facile videtur ab his qui diligunt eam,
et invenitur ab his qui quærunt illam.

14 Præoccupat qui se concupiscunt,
ut illis se prior ostendat.

15 Qui de luce vigilaverit ad illam non laborabit;
assidentem enim illam foribus suis inveniet.

16 Cogitare ergo de illa sensus est consummatus,
et qui vigilaverit propter illam cito securus erit.

17 Quoniam dignos se ipsa circuit quærens,
et in viis ostendit se hilariter,
et in omni providentia occurrit illis.

18 Initium enim illius verissima est disciplinæ concupiscentia.

19 Cura ergo disciplinæ dilectio est,
et dilectio custodia legum illius est;
custoditio autem legum consummatio incorruptionis est;

20 incorruptio autem facit esse proximum Deo.

21 Concupiscentia itaque sapientiæ deducit ad regnum perpetuum.

22 Si ergo delectamini sedibus et sceptris, o reges populi,
diligite sapientiam, ut in perpetuum regnetis:

23 diligite lumen sapientiæ, omnes qui præestis populis.]

24 [Quid est autem sapientia, et quemadmodum facta sit, referam,
et non abscondam a vobis sacramenta Dei:
sed ab initio nativitatis investigabo,
et ponam in lucem scientiam illius,
et non præteribo veritatem.

25 Neque cum invidia tabescente iter habebo,
quoniam talis homo non erit particeps sapientiæ.

26 Multitudo autem sapientium sanitas est orbis terrarum,
et rex sapiens stabilimentum populi est.

27 Ergo accipite disciplinam per sermones meos,
et proderit vobis.]