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WEBC: World English Bible, Catholic Edition

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Patriarchs
Egypt and Exodus
Desert Wanderings
Conquest and Judges
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Divided Kingdom
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Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
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Maccabean Revolt
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Day 206 of 365

about 14 minutes

Wisdom 4-7

Wisdom Chapter 4

¹It is better to be childless with virtue, for immortality is in the memory of virtue, because it is recognized both before God and before men. ²When it is present, people imitate it. They long after it when it has departed. Throughout all time it marches, crowned in triumph, victorious in the competition for the prizes that are undefiled. ³But the multiplying brood of the ungodly will be of no profit, and their illegitimate offshoots won’t take deep root, nor will they establish a sure hold. ⁴For even if they grow branches and flourish for a season, standing unsure, they will be shaken by the wind. They will be uprooted by the violence of winds. ⁵Their branches will be broken off before they come to maturity. Their fruit will be useless, never ripe to eat, and fit for nothing. ⁶For unlawfully conceived children are witnesses of wickedness against parents when they are investigated. ⁷But a righteous man, even if he dies before his time, will be at rest. ⁸For honorable old age is not that which stands in length of time, nor is its measure given by number of years, ⁹but understanding is gray hair to men, and an unspotted life is ripe old age. ¹⁰Being found well-pleasing to God, someone was loved. While living among sinners he was transported. ¹¹He was caught away, lest evil should change his understanding, or guile deceive his soul. ¹²For the fascination of wickedness obscures the things which are good, and the whirl of desire perverts an innocent mind. ¹³Being made perfect quickly, he filled a long time; ¹⁴for his soul was pleasing to the Lord. Therefore he hurried out of the midst of wickedness. ¹⁵But the peoples saw and didn’t understand, not considering this, that grace and mercy are with his chosen, and that he visits his holy ones; ¹⁶but a righteous man who is dead will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth who is quickly perfected will condemn the many years of an unrighteous man’s old age. ¹⁷For the ungodly will see a wise man’s end, and won’t understand what the Lord planned for him, and why he safely kept him. ¹⁸They will see, and they will despise; but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this, they will become a dishonored carcass and a reproach among the dead forever; ¹⁹because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and will shake them from the foundations. They will lie utterly waste. They will be in anguish and their memory will perish. ²⁰They will come with coward fear when their sins are counted. Their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.

1: It is better to be childless with virtue, for immortality is in the memory of virtue, because it is recognized both before God and before men.

2: When it is present, people imitate it. They long after it when it has departed. Throughout all time it marches, crowned in triumph, victorious in the competition for the prizes that are undefiled.

3: But the multiplying brood of the ungodly will be of no profit, and their illegitimate offshoots won’t take deep root, nor will they establish a sure hold.

4: For even if they grow branches and flourish for a season, standing unsure, they will be shaken by the wind. They will be uprooted by the violence of winds.

5: Their branches will be broken off before they come to maturity. Their fruit will be useless, never ripe to eat, and fit for nothing.

6: For unlawfully conceived children are witnesses of wickedness against parents when they are investigated.

7: But a righteous man, even if he dies before his time, will be at rest.

8: For honorable old age is not that which stands in length of time, nor is its measure given by number of years,

9: but understanding is gray hair to men, and an unspotted life is ripe old age.

10: Being found well-pleasing to God, someone was loved. While living among sinners he was transported.

11: He was caught away, lest evil should change his understanding, or guile deceive his soul.

12: For the fascination of wickedness obscures the things which are good, and the whirl of desire perverts an innocent mind.

13: Being made perfect quickly, he filled a long time;

14: for his soul was pleasing to the Lord. Therefore he hurried out of the midst of wickedness.

15: But the peoples saw and didn’t understand, not considering this, that grace and mercy are with his chosen, and that he visits his holy ones;

16: but a righteous man who is dead will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth who is quickly perfected will condemn the many years of an unrighteous man’s old age.

17: For the ungodly will see a wise man’s end, and won’t understand what the Lord planned for him, and why he safely kept him.

18: They will see, and they will despise; but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this, they will become a dishonored carcass and a reproach among the dead forever;

19: because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and will shake them from the foundations. They will lie utterly waste. They will be in anguish and their memory will perish.

20: They will come with coward fear when their sins are counted. Their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.

Wisdom Chapter 5

¹Then the righteous man will stand in great boldness before the face of those who afflicted him, and those who make his labors of no account. ²When they see him, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and will be amazed at the marvel of salvation. ³They will speak among themselves repenting, and for distress of spirit they will groan, “This was he whom we used to hold in derision, as a parable of reproach. ⁴We fools considered his life madness, and his end without honor. ⁵How was he counted among sons of God? How is his lot among saints? ⁶Truly we went astray from the way of truth. The light of righteousness didn’t shine for us. The sun didn’t rise for us. ⁷We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction. We traveled through trackless deserts, but we didn’t know the Lord’s way. ⁸What did our arrogance profit us? What good have riches and boasting brought us? ⁹Those things all passed away as a shadow, like a rumor that runs by, ¹⁰like a ship passing through the billowy water, which, when it has gone by, there is no trace to be found, no pathway of its keel in the waves. ¹¹Or it is like when a bird flies through the air, no evidence of its passage is found, but the light wind, lashed with the stroke of its pinions, and torn apart with the violent rush of the moving wings, is passed through. Afterwards no sign of its coming remains. ¹²Or it is like when an arrow is shot at a mark, the air it divided closes up again immediately, so that men don’t know where it passed through. ¹³So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be; and we had no sign of virtue to show, but we were utterly consumed in our wickedness.” ¹⁴Because the hope of the ungodly man is like chaff carried by the wind, and as foam vanishing before a tempest; and is scattered like smoke by the wind, and passes by as the remembrance of a guest who stays just a day. ¹⁵But the righteous live forever. Their reward is in the Lord, and the care for them with the Most High. ¹⁶Therefore they will receive the crown of royal dignity and the diadem of beauty from the Lord’s hand, because he will cover them with his right hand, and he will shield them with his arm. ¹⁷He will take his zeal as complete armor, and will make the whole creation his weapons to punish his enemies: ¹⁸He will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and will wear impartial judgment as a helmet. ¹⁹He will take holiness as an invincible shield. ²⁰He will sharpen stern wrath for a sword. The universe will go with him to fight against his frenzied foes. ²¹Shafts of lightning will fly with true aim. They will leap to the mark from the clouds, as from a well-drawn bow. ²²Hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult. The water of the sea will be angered against them. Rivers will sternly overwhelm them. ²³A mighty wind will encounter them. It will winnow them away like a tempest. So lawlessness will make all the land desolate. Their evil-doing will overturn the thrones of princes.

1: Then the righteous man will stand in great boldness before the face of those who afflicted him, and those who make his labors of no account.

2: When they see him, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and will be amazed at the marvel of salvation.

3: They will speak among themselves repenting, and for distress of spirit they will groan, “This was he whom we used to hold in derision, as a parable of reproach.

4: We fools considered his life madness, and his end without honor.

5: How was he counted among sons of God? How is his lot among saints?

6: Truly we went astray from the way of truth. The light of righteousness didn’t shine for us. The sun didn’t rise for us.

7: We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction. We traveled through trackless deserts, but we didn’t know the Lord’s way.

8: What did our arrogance profit us? What good have riches and boasting brought us?

9: Those things all passed away as a shadow, like a rumor that runs by,

10: like a ship passing through the billowy water, which, when it has gone by, there is no trace to be found, no pathway of its keel in the waves.

11: Or it is like when a bird flies through the air, no evidence of its passage is found, but the light wind, lashed with the stroke of its pinions, and torn apart with the violent rush of the moving wings, is passed through. Afterwards no sign of its coming remains.

12: Or it is like when an arrow is shot at a mark, the air it divided closes up again immediately, so that men don’t know where it passed through.

13: So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be; and we had no sign of virtue to show, but we were utterly consumed in our wickedness.”

14: Because the hope of the ungodly man is like chaff carried by the wind, and as foam vanishing before a tempest; and is scattered like smoke by the wind, and passes by as the remembrance of a guest who stays just a day.

15: But the righteous live forever. Their reward is in the Lord, and the care for them with the Most High.

16: Therefore they will receive the crown of royal dignity and the diadem of beauty from the Lord’s hand, because he will cover them with his right hand, and he will shield them with his arm.

17: He will take his zeal as complete armor, and will make the whole creation his weapons to punish his enemies:

18: He will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and will wear impartial judgment as a helmet.

19: He will take holiness as an invincible shield.

20: He will sharpen stern wrath for a sword. The universe will go with him to fight against his frenzied foes.

21: Shafts of lightning will fly with true aim. They will leap to the mark from the clouds, as from a well-drawn bow.

22: Hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult. The water of the sea will be angered against them. Rivers will sternly overwhelm them.

23: A mighty wind will encounter them. It will winnow them away like a tempest. So lawlessness will make all the land desolate. Their evil-doing will overturn the thrones of princes.

Wisdom Chapter 6

¹Hear therefore, you kings, and understand. Learn, you judges of the ends of the earth. ²Give ear, you rulers who have dominion over many people, and make your boast in multitudes of nations, ³because your dominion was given to you from the Lord, and your sovereignty from the Most High. He will search out your works, and will inquire about your plans, ⁴because being officers of his kingdom, you didn’t judge rightly, nor did you keep the law, nor did you walk according to God’s counsel. ⁵He will come upon you awfully and swiftly, because a stern judgment comes on those who are in high places. ⁶For the man of low estate may be pardoned in mercy, but mighty men will be mightily tested. ⁷For the Sovereign Lord of all will not be impressed with anyone, neither will he show deference to greatness; because it is he who made both small and great, and cares about them all; ⁸but the scrutiny that comes upon the powerful is strict. ⁹Therefore, my words are to you, O princes, that you may learn wisdom and not fall away. ¹⁰For those who have kept the things that are holy in holiness will be made holy. Those who have been taught them will find what to say in defense. ¹¹Therefore set your desire on my words. Long for them, and you princes will be instructed. ¹²Wisdom is radiant and doesn’t fade away; and is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who seek her. ¹³She anticipates those who desire her, making herself known. ¹⁴He who rises up early to seek her won’t have difficulty, for he will find her sitting at his gates. ¹⁵For to think upon her is perfection of understanding, and he who watches for her will quickly be free from care; ¹⁶because she herself goes around, seeking those who are worthy of her, and in their paths she appears to them graciously, and in every purpose she meets them. ¹⁷For her true beginning is desire for instruction; and desire for instruction is love. ¹⁸And love is observance of her laws. To give heed to her laws confirms immortality. ¹⁹Immortality brings closeness to God. ²⁰So then desire for wisdom promotes to a kingdom. ²¹If therefore you delight in thrones and sceptres, you princes of peoples, honor wisdom, that you may reign forever. ²²But what wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will declare. I won’t hide mysteries from you; but I will explore from her first beginning, bring the knowledge of her into clear light, and I will not pass by the truth. ²³Indeed, I won’t travel with consuming envy, because envy will have no fellowship with wisdom. ²⁴But a multitude of wise men is salvation to the world, and an understanding king is stability for his people. ²⁵Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.

1: Hear therefore, you kings, and understand. Learn, you judges of the ends of the earth.

2: Give ear, you rulers who have dominion over many people, and make your boast in multitudes of nations,

3: because your dominion was given to you from the Lord, and your sovereignty from the Most High. He will search out your works, and will inquire about your plans,

4: because being officers of his kingdom, you didn’t judge rightly, nor did you keep the law, nor did you walk according to God’s counsel.

5: He will come upon you awfully and swiftly, because a stern judgment comes on those who are in high places.

6: For the man of low estate may be pardoned in mercy, but mighty men will be mightily tested.

7: For the Sovereign Lord of all will not be impressed with anyone, neither will he show deference to greatness; because it is he who made both small and great, and cares about them all;

8: but the scrutiny that comes upon the powerful is strict.

9: Therefore, my words are to you, O princes, that you may learn wisdom and not fall away.

10: For those who have kept the things that are holy in holiness will be made holy. Those who have been taught them will find what to say in defense.

11: Therefore set your desire on my words. Long for them, and you princes will be instructed.

12: Wisdom is radiant and doesn’t fade away; and is easily seen by those who love her, and found by those who seek her.

13: She anticipates those who desire her, making herself known.

14: He who rises up early to seek her won’t have difficulty, for he will find her sitting at his gates.

15: For to think upon her is perfection of understanding, and he who watches for her will quickly be free from care;

16: because she herself goes around, seeking those who are worthy of her, and in their paths she appears to them graciously, and in every purpose she meets them.

17: For her true beginning is desire for instruction; and desire for instruction is love.

18: And love is observance of her laws. To give heed to her laws confirms immortality.

19: Immortality brings closeness to God.

20: So then desire for wisdom promotes to a kingdom.

21: If therefore you delight in thrones and sceptres, you princes of peoples, honor wisdom, that you may reign forever.

22: But what wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will declare. I won’t hide mysteries from you; but I will explore from her first beginning, bring the knowledge of her into clear light, and I will not pass by the truth.

23: Indeed, I won’t travel with consuming envy, because envy will have no fellowship with wisdom.

24: But a multitude of wise men is salvation to the world, and an understanding king is stability for his people.

25: Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.

Wisdom Chapter 7

¹I myself am also mortal, like everyone else, and am a descendant of one formed first and born of the earth. ²I molded into flesh in the time of ten months in my mother’s womb, being compacted in blood from the seed of man and pleasure of marriage. ³I also, when I was born, drew in the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth, uttering, like all, for my first voice, the same cry. ⁴I was nursed with care in swaddling clothes. ⁵For no king had a different beginning, ⁶but all men have one entrance into life, and a common departure. ⁷For this cause I prayed, and understanding was given to me. I asked, and a spirit of wisdom came to me. ⁸I preferred her before sceptres and thrones. I considered riches nothing in comparison to her. ⁹Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold in her presence is a little sand, and silver will be considered as clay before her. ¹⁰I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her bright shining is never laid to sleep. ¹¹All good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches are in her hands. ¹²And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leads them; although I didn’t know that she was their mother. ¹³As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging. I don’t hide her riches. ¹⁴For she is a treasure for men that doesn’t fail, and those who use it obtain friendship with God, commended by the gifts which they present through discipline. ¹⁵But may God grant that I may speak his judgment, and to conceive thoughts worthy of what has been given me; because he is one who guides even wisdom and who corrects the wise. ¹⁶For both we and our words are in his hand, with all understanding and skill in various crafts. ¹⁷For he himself gave me an unerring knowledge of the things that are, to know the structure of the universe and the operation of the elements; ¹⁸the beginning, end, and middle of times; the alternations of the solstices and the changes of seasons; ¹⁹the circuits of years and the positions of stars; ²⁰the natures of living creatures and the raging of wild beasts; the violence of winds and the thoughts of men; the diversities of plants and the virtues of roots. ²¹All things that are either secret or manifest I learned, ²²for wisdom, that is the architect of all things, taught me. For there is in her a spirit that is quick to understand, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, freely moving, clear in utterance, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving what is good, keen, unhindered, ²³beneficent, loving toward man, steadfast, sure, free from care, all-powerful, all-surveying, and penetrating through all spirits that are quick to understand, pure, most subtle. ²⁴For wisdom is more mobile than any motion. Yes, she pervades and penetrates all things by reason of her purity. ²⁵For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty. Therefore nothing defiled can find entrance into her. ²⁶For she is a reflection of everlasting light, an unspotted mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. ²⁷Although she is one, she has power to do all things. Remaining in herself, she renews all things. From generation to generation passing into holy souls, she makes friends of God and prophets. ²⁸For God loves nothing as much as one who dwells with wisdom. ²⁹For she is fairer than the sun, and above all the constellations of the stars. She is better than light. ³⁰For daylight yields to night, but evil does not prevail against wisdom.

1: I myself am also mortal, like everyone else, and am a descendant of one formed first and born of the earth.

2: I molded into flesh in the time of ten months in my mother’s womb, being compacted in blood from the seed of man and pleasure of marriage.

3: I also, when I was born, drew in the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth, uttering, like all, for my first voice, the same cry.

4: I was nursed with care in swaddling clothes.

5: For no king had a different beginning,

6: but all men have one entrance into life, and a common departure.

7: For this cause I prayed, and understanding was given to me. I asked, and a spirit of wisdom came to me.

8: I preferred her before sceptres and thrones. I considered riches nothing in comparison to her.

9: Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold in her presence is a little sand, and silver will be considered as clay before her.

10: I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her bright shining is never laid to sleep.

11: All good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches are in her hands.

12: And I rejoiced over them all because wisdom leads them; although I didn’t know that she was their mother.

13: As I learned without guile, I impart without grudging. I don’t hide her riches.

14: For she is a treasure for men that doesn’t fail, and those who use it obtain friendship with God, commended by the gifts which they present through discipline.

15: But may God grant that I may speak his judgment, and to conceive thoughts worthy of what has been given me; because he is one who guides even wisdom and who corrects the wise.

16: For both we and our words are in his hand, with all understanding and skill in various crafts.

17: For he himself gave me an unerring knowledge of the things that are, to know the structure of the universe and the operation of the elements;

18: the beginning, end, and middle of times; the alternations of the solstices and the changes of seasons;

19: the circuits of years and the positions of stars;

20: the natures of living creatures and the raging of wild beasts; the violence of winds and the thoughts of men; the diversities of plants and the virtues of roots.

21: All things that are either secret or manifest I learned,

22: for wisdom, that is the architect of all things, taught me. For there is in her a spirit that is quick to understand, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, freely moving, clear in utterance, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving what is good, keen, unhindered,

23: beneficent, loving toward man, steadfast, sure, free from care, all-powerful, all-surveying, and penetrating through all spirits that are quick to understand, pure, most subtle.

24: For wisdom is more mobile than any motion. Yes, she pervades and penetrates all things by reason of her purity.

25: For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty. Therefore nothing defiled can find entrance into her.

26: For she is a reflection of everlasting light, an unspotted mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness.

27: Although she is one, she has power to do all things. Remaining in herself, she renews all things. From generation to generation passing into holy souls, she makes friends of God and prophets.

28: For God loves nothing as much as one who dwells with wisdom.

29: For she is fairer than the sun, and above all the constellations of the stars. She is better than light.

30: For daylight yields to night, but evil does not prevail against wisdom.

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Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

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