¹Melior est sapientia quam vires,Wisdom is better than power,et vir prudens quam fortis.and a prudent man is better than a powerful one.

¹Melior est sapientia quam vires,Wisdom is better than power,et vir prudens quam fortis.and a prudent man is better than a powerful one.

²Audite ergo,Therefore, hear,reges,O kings,et intelligite;and understand; learn,discite, judices finium terræ.you judges of the ends of the earth.

²Audite ergo,Therefore, hear,reges,O kings,et intelligite;and understand; learn,discite, judices finium terræ.you judges of the ends of the earth.

³Præbete aures,Listen closely,vos qui continetis multitudines,you who hold the attention of the crowds,et placetis vobis in turbis nationum.and who please yourselves by disturbing the nations.

³Præbete aures,Listen closely,vos qui continetis multitudines,you who hold the attention of the crowds,et placetis vobis in turbis nationum.and who please yourselves by disturbing the nations.

⁴Quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis,For power has been given to you from the Lordet virtus ab Altissimo:and strength from the Most High,qui interrogabit opera vestra,who will examine your workset cogitationes scrutabitur.and scrutinize your thoughts.

⁴Quoniam data est a Domino potestas vobis,For power has been given to you from the Lordet virtus ab Altissimo:and strength from the Most High,qui interrogabit opera vestra,who will examine your workset cogitationes scrutabitur.and scrutinize your thoughts.

⁵Quoniam cum essetis ministri regni illius,For, when you were ministers of his kingdom,non recte judicastis,you did not judge correctly,nec custodistis legem justitiæ,nor keep the law of justice,neque secundum voluntatem Dei ambulastis.nor walk according to the will of God.

⁵Quoniam cum essetis ministri regni illius,For, when you were ministers of his kingdom,non recte judicastis,you did not judge correctly,nec custodistis legem justitiæ,nor keep the law of justice,neque secundum voluntatem Dei ambulastis.nor walk according to the will of God.

⁶Horrende et cito apparebit vobis,Horribly and quickly he will appear to you,quoniam judicium durissimum his qui præsunt fiet.because he will make a severe judgment for those who are in charge.

⁶Horrende et cito apparebit vobis,Horribly and quickly he will appear to you,quoniam judicium durissimum his qui præsunt fiet.because he will make a severe judgment for those who are in charge.

⁷Exiguo enim conceditur misericordia;For, to the little, great mercy is granted,potentes autem potenter tormenta patientur.but the powerful will endure powerful torment.

⁷Exiguo enim conceditur misericordia;For, to the little, great mercy is granted,potentes autem potenter tormenta patientur.but the powerful will endure powerful torment.

⁸Non enim subtrahet personam cujusquam Deus,For the Lord will not exempt anyone’s character,nec verebitur magnitudinem ejus cujusquam,nor will he stand in awe of anyone’s greatness,quoniam pusillum et magnum ipse fecit,because he himself made the little and the great,et æqualiter cura est illi de omnibus.and he is equally concerned for everyone.

⁸Non enim subtrahet personam cujusquam Deus,For the Lord will not exempt anyone’s character,nec verebitur magnitudinem ejus cujusquam,nor will he stand in awe of anyone’s greatness,quoniam pusillum et magnum ipse fecit,because he himself made the little and the great,et æqualiter cura est illi de omnibus.and he is equally concerned for everyone.

⁹Fortioribus autem fortior instat cruciatio.But a powerful torture pursues the powerful.

⁹Fortioribus autem fortior instat cruciatio.But a powerful torture pursues the powerful.

¹⁰Ad vos ergo,Therefore, O kings,reges,these,sunt hi sermones mei:my words, are for you,ut discatis sapientiam, et non excidatis.so that you may learn wisdom and not perish.

¹⁰Ad vos ergo,Therefore, O kings,reges,these,sunt hi sermones mei:my words, are for you,ut discatis sapientiam, et non excidatis.so that you may learn wisdom and not perish.

¹¹Qui enim custodierint justa juste, justificabuntur;For those who have justly preserved justice will be justified,et qui didicerint ista, invenient quid respondeant.and those who have learned these things will find what to answer.

¹¹Qui enim custodierint justa juste, justificabuntur;For those who have justly preserved justice will be justified,et qui didicerint ista, invenient quid respondeant.and those who have learned these things will find what to answer.

¹²Concupiscite ergo sermones meos;Therefore, desire my words,diligite illos, et habebitis disciplinam.love them, and you will have instruction.

¹²Concupiscite ergo sermones meos;Therefore, desire my words,diligite illos, et habebitis disciplinam.love them, and you will have instruction.

¹³Clara est, et quæ numquam marcescit, sapientia:Wisdom is pure and never fades away,et facile videtur ab his qui diligunt eam, et invenitur ab his qui quærunt illam.and is easily seen by those who love her and found by those who seek her.

¹³Clara est, et quæ numquam marcescit, sapientia:Wisdom is pure and never fades away,et facile videtur ab his qui diligunt eam, et invenitur ab his qui quærunt illam.and is easily seen by those who love her and found by those who seek her.

¹⁴Præoccupat qui se concupiscunt,She anticipates those who desire her,ut illis se prior ostendat.so that she first reveals herself to them.

¹⁴Præoccupat qui se concupiscunt,She anticipates those who desire her,ut illis se prior ostendat.so that she first reveals herself to them.

¹⁵Qui de luce vigilaverit ad illam non laborabit;Whoever awakens early to seek her, will not labor,assidentem enim illam foribus suis inveniet.for he will find her sitting at his door.

¹⁵Qui de luce vigilaverit ad illam non laborabit;Whoever awakens early to seek her, will not labor,assidentem enim illam foribus suis inveniet.for he will find her sitting at his door.

¹⁶Cogitare ergo de illa sensus est consummatus,Therefore, by thinking about her, understanding is perfected,et qui vigilaverit propter illam cito securus erit.and whoever remains watchful for her, will quickly be secure.

¹⁶Cogitare ergo de illa sensus est consummatus,Therefore, by thinking about her, understanding is perfected,et qui vigilaverit propter illam cito securus erit.and whoever remains watchful for her, will quickly be secure.

¹⁷Quoniam dignos se ipsa circuit quærens,For she goes about seeking such as are worthy of her,et in viis ostendit se hilariter,and she reveals herself to them cheerfully in the ways,et in omni providentia occurrit illis.and meets them with all foresight.

¹⁷Quoniam dignos se ipsa circuit quærens,For she goes about seeking such as are worthy of her,et in viis ostendit se hilariter,and she reveals herself to them cheerfully in the ways,et in omni providentia occurrit illis.and meets them with all foresight.

¹⁸Initium enim illius verissima est disciplinæ concupiscentia.For the very true beginning of her is the desire for instruction.

¹⁸Initium enim illius verissima est disciplinæ concupiscentia.For the very true beginning of her is the desire for instruction.

¹⁹Cura ergo disciplinæ dilectio est,Therefore, the zeal for instruction is love,et dilectio custodia legum illius est;and love is the keeping of her laws,custoditio autem legum consummatio incorruptionis est;and the keeping of her laws is the perfection of incorruptibility,

¹⁹Cura ergo disciplinæ dilectio est,Therefore, the zeal for instruction is love,et dilectio custodia legum illius est;and love is the keeping of her laws,custoditio autem legum consummatio incorruptionis est;and the keeping of her laws is the perfection of incorruptibility,

²⁰incorruptio autem facit esse proximum Deo.while incorruptibility makes us near to God.

²⁰incorruptio autem facit esse proximum Deo.while incorruptibility makes us near to God.

²¹Concupiscentia itaque sapientiæ deducit ad regnum perpetuum.And so, the desire for wisdom leads to an everlasting kingdom.

²¹Concupiscentia itaque sapientiæ deducit ad regnum perpetuum.And so, the desire for wisdom leads to an everlasting kingdom.

²²Si ergo delectamini sedibus et sceptris,If, therefore, your delight is in thrones and scepters,o reges populi, diligite sapientiam,O kings of the people, love wisdom,ut in perpetuum regnetis:so that you may reign forever;

²²Si ergo delectamini sedibus et sceptris,If, therefore, your delight is in thrones and scepters,o reges populi, diligite sapientiam,O kings of the people, love wisdom,ut in perpetuum regnetis:so that you may reign forever;

²³diligite lumen sapientiæ,love the light of wisdom,omnes qui præestis populis.all you who lead the peoples.

²³diligite lumen sapientiæ,love the light of wisdom,omnes qui præestis populis.all you who lead the peoples.

²⁴Quid est autem sapientia,But what wisdom is,et quemadmodum facta sit,and how she was made,referam,I will report,et non abscondam a vobis sacramenta Dei:and I will not hide the mysteries of God from you,sed ab initio nativitatis investigabo,but I will investigate her from the beginning of her birth,et ponam in lucem scientiam illius,and I will place the knowledge of her in the light,et non præteribo veritatem.and will not pass over the truth.

²⁴Quid est autem sapientia,But what wisdom is,et quemadmodum facta sit,and how she was made,referam,I will report,et non abscondam a vobis sacramenta Dei:and I will not hide the mysteries of God from you,sed ab initio nativitatis investigabo,but I will investigate her from the beginning of her birth,et ponam in lucem scientiam illius,and I will place the knowledge of her in the light,et non præteribo veritatem.and will not pass over the truth.

²⁵Neque cum invidia tabescente iter habebo,Neither will I hold to the path that dwindles away with envy,quoniam talis homo non erit particeps sapientiæ.because such a man will not partake in wisdom.

²⁵Neque cum invidia tabescente iter habebo,Neither will I hold to the path that dwindles away with envy,quoniam talis homo non erit particeps sapientiæ.because such a man will not partake in wisdom.

²⁶Multitudo autem sapientium sanitas est orbis terrarum,For the proliferation of the wise is sanity for the world,et rex sapiens stabilimentum populi est.and a wise king is the mainstay of the people.

²⁶Multitudo autem sapientium sanitas est orbis terrarum,For the proliferation of the wise is sanity for the world,et rex sapiens stabilimentum populi est.and a wise king is the mainstay of the people.

²⁷Ergo accipite disciplinam per sermones meos,Therefore, receive instruction by my words,et proderit vobis.and it will benefit you.

²⁷Ergo accipite disciplinam per sermones meos,Therefore, receive instruction by my words,et proderit vobis.and it will benefit you.