The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.

Sapientiam omnium antiquorum exquiret sapiens, et in prophetis vacabit.

But the wise man will be learning the lore of former times; the prophets will be his study.

He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.

Narrationem virorum nominatorum conservabit, et in versutias parabolarum simul introibit.

The tradition handed down by famous men will be in his keeping; his to con the niceties of every parable,

He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.

Occulta proverbiorum exquiret, et in absconditis parabolarum conversabitur.

learn the hidden meaning of every proverb, make himself acquainted with sayings hard to understand.

He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor.

In medio magnatorum ministrabit, et in conspectu præsidis apparebit.

To great men he will render good service, will be summoned to the prince’s own council;

He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.

In terram alienigenarum gentium pertransiet: bona enim et mala in hominibus tentabit.

will go upon his travels in foreign countries, to learn by experience what the world offers of good and of harm.

He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.

Cor suum tradet ad vigilandum diluculo ad Dominum, qui fecit illum, et in conspectu Altissimi deprecabitur.

With dedicated heart, he will keep early vigil at the Lord’s gates, the Lord that made him, to win audience for his plea from the most High.

He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.

Aperiet os suum in oratione, et pro delictis suis deprecabitur.

His lips will be eloquent in prayer, as he entreats pardon for his sins.

For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:

Si enim Dominus magnus voluerit, spiritu intelligentiæ replebit illum:

At the Lord’s sovereign pleasure, he will be filled with a spirit of discernment,

And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.

et ipse tamquam imbres mittet eloquia sapientiæ suæ, et in oratione confitebitur Domino:

so that he pours out showers of wise utterance, giving thanks to the Lord in his prayer.

And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

et ipse diriget consilium ejus, et disciplinam, et in absconditis suis consiliabitur.

His plans and thoughts guided from above, he will have skill in the divine mysteries;

He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

Ipse palam faciet disciplinam doctrinæ suæ, et in lege testamenti Domini gloriabitur.

will make known to all the tradition of teaching he has received, and take pride in that law which is the Lord’s covenant with man.

Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.

Collaudabunt multi sapientiam ejus, et usque in sæculum non delebitur.

This wisdom of his, extolled on every side, will never fall into oblivion;

The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.

Non recedet memoria ejus, et nomen ejus requiretur a generatione in generationem.

the memory of him, the renown of him, will be held in honour from age to age.

Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.

Sapientiam ejus enarrabunt gentes, et laudem ejus enuntiabit ecclesia.

His wise words will become a legend among the nations; where faithful men assemble, his praise will be told.

If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.

Si permanserit, nomen derelinquet plus quam mille: et si requieverit, proderit illi.

A life that shall leave such fame as one man wins in a thousand; a death not unrewarded.

I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.

Adhuc consiliabor ut enarrem: ut furore enim repletus sum.

And still I have thoughts worth the telling; madman as easily might contain himself.

By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.

In voce dicit: Obaudite me, divini fructus, et quasi rosa plantata super rivos aquarum fructificate.

A voice proclaims, Give heed to me, you that are scions of the divine stock; yours to burgeon like a rose-bush that is planted by running water;

Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.

Quasi Libanus odorem suavitatis habete.

yours to yield the fragrance of incense;

Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.

Florete flores quasi lilium: et date odorem, et frondete in gratiam: et collaudate canticum, et benedicite Dominum in operibus suis.

yours to blossom like the lily, and smell sweet, and put forth leaves for your adornment; yours to sing songs of praise, and bless the Lord for all things he has made.

Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:

Date nomini ejus magnificentiam, et confitemini illi in voce labiorum vestrorum, et in canticis labiorum, et citharis: et sic dicetis in confessione:

His name extol; songs of praise let your lips utter, and let harp’s melody mingle with the song. And you shall praise him in these words following.

All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.

Opera Domini universa bona valde.

Good, wondrously good, is all the Lord has made.

At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:

In verbo ejus stetit aqua sicut congeries: et in sermone oris illius sicut exceptoria aquarum:

Piled high the waters stand at his command, shut in by cisterns of his appointing.

For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.

quoniam in præcepto ipsius placor fit, et non est minoratio in salute ipsius.

All-sufficient is his will, unfailing his power to save;

The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.

Opera omnis carnis coram illo, et non est quidquam absconditum ab oculis ejus.

open to his view are all deeds of mortal men, nothing can escape that scrutiny.

He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.

A sæculo usque in sæculum respicit, et nihil est mirabile in conspectu ejus.

On every age of time his glance rests; marvel is none beyond his compass.

There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.

Non est dicere: Quid est hoc, aut quid est istud? omnia enim in tempore suo quærentur.

Not for man to ask what this or that may be, each shall be needed in its turn.

His blessing hath overflowed like a river.

Benedictio illius quasi fluvius inundavit.

His blessings flow like a stream in full flood,

And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him:

Quomodo cataclysmus aridam inebriavit, sic ira ipsius gentes quæ non exquisierunt eum hæreditabit.

like rain pouring down to refresh the parched earth. But the nations that never look to find him, shall be the prey of his vengeance;

Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumblingblocks in his wrath.

Quomodo convertit aquas in siccitatem, et siccata est terra, et viæ illius viis illorum directæ sunt, sic peccatoribus offensiones in ira ejus.

did he not turn the waters into firm ground, and dry up the floor of them, so that it made a path for the passage of his own people, and yet a trap to punish the wicked?

Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.

Bona bonis creata sunt ab initio: sic nequissimis bona et mala.

From the first, good things were made for good men to enjoy; for sinners, they are good and evil at once.

The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.

Initium necessariæ rei vitæ hominum, aqua, ignis, et ferrum, sal, lac, et panis similagineus, et mel, et botrus uvæ, et oleum, et vestimentum.

What are the first needs of man’s life? Water, fire, iron, salt, milk, wheat-meal, honey, the grape-cluster, oil and clothing.

All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.

Hæc omnia sanctis in bona, sic et impiis et peccatoribus in mala convertentur.

Thereby, for just men, nought but good is intended, yet for sinners they turn to evil.

There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.

Sunt spiritus qui ad vindictam creati sunt, et in furore suo confirmaverunt tormenta sua.

Some powers there be that are created for wreaking of vengeance, and sternly they wield the lash in their raging;

In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.

In tempore consummationis effundent virtutem, et furorem ejus qui fecit illos placabunt.

when the time for reckoning comes, they will put out all their force, until their Maker’s anger is appeased.

Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.

Ignis, grando, fames, et mors, omnia hæc ad vindictam creata sunt:

Fire, hail, hunger and death, all these were made for wreaking of vengeance;

The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.

bestiarum dentes, et scorpii, et serpentes, et rhomphæa vindicans in exterminium impios.

ravening beasts, too, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword that punishes the wicked till there are none left.

In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.

In mandatis ejus epulabuntur: et super terram in necessitatem præparabuntur, et in temporibus suis non præterient verbum.

All these hold high revel as they perform his will; ready they stand till earth has need of them, and when the need comes, they will obey.

Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing,

Propterea ab initio confirmatus sum, et consiliatus sum, et cogitavi, et scripta dimisi.

From the first, all my questioning and all my thought confirms me in what I have written,

All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.

Omnia opera Domini bona, et omne opus hora sua subministrabit.

all things God has made are good, and each of them serves its turn;

It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.

Non est dicere: Hoc illo nequius est: omnia enim in tempore suo comprobabuntur.

nor ever must we complain things have happened for the worse, since each has its own occasion to justify it.

Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.

Et nunc in omni corde et ore collaudate, et benedicite nomen Domini.

With full hearts, then, and full voice, praise we and bless the Lord’s name.