WISDOM 39

1 But he who gives his mind to the Law of the Most High,
And is occupied in the study of it,
Seeks out of all the ancient wisdom, and is occupied in neḇuoth.

2 He guards the sayings of the men of name;
And where wise parables are, he shall be there also.

3 He shall seek out the secrets of proverbs,
And speak of hidden parables.

4 He shall serve among great men, and appear before princes;
He shall travel through foreign countries;
For he has examined the good and the evil among men.

5 He applies his heart early to look to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 who made him,
And shall pray before the Most High, And opens his mouth in prayer,
And makes supplication for his sins.

6 When 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 the Almighty acts, he shall be filled with the spirit of understanding;
He shall pour out wise sayings, and give thanks to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 his prayer.

7 He shall guide his counsel and knowledge,
And on His secrets he meditates.

8 He reveals that which he has learned,
And shall boast in the Law of the Covenant of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

9 Many shall commend his understanding;
And as long as the world endures, it shall not be blotted out;
His remembrance shall not depart, and his name shall live from generation to generation.

10 Nations shall speak of his wisdom,
And the assembly shall declare him baruḵ.

11 If he dies, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand:
And if he lives, he shall increase it.

12 Yet I have more to say, which I have thought upon;
For I am filled as at the full moon.

13 Listen to me, you qodesh children,
And bud as a rose of the field growing by the wadi;

14 And give a sweet fragrance as frankincense, and flourish as a lily.
Send out a fragrance, and sing a song of praise,
Baraḵ 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in all His works.

15 Exalt His Name, and extol His praise with the songs of your lips, and with harps,
And in praising Him you shall say after this manner:

16 All the works of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 are exceedingly good,
And whatever He commands shall be accomplished in due season.

17 And none shall say, “What is this? Why is that?”
For at an appropriate time they shall all be sought out:
At His command the waters stood as a heap,
And the reservoir of waters at the words of His mouth.

18 Whatever pleases Him is done at His command;
And none reverses His deliverance.

19 The works of all flesh are before Him,
And there is none hidden from His eyes.

20 He sees from everlasting to everlasting;
And there is no matter too marvellous for Him.

21 A man need not say, “What is this? Why is that?”
For He has made all for their uses.

22 His beraḵah covered the dry land as a river,
And watered it as a flood.

23 As He has turned the waters salty;
So shall the gentiles inherit His wrath.

24 As His ways are clear to the qodesh;
So they are stumbling blocks to the wicked.

25 The good matters are created for the good from the beginning;
So evil matters for sinners.

26 The basic necessities for the whole use of man’s life are:
Water, fire, iron, and salt, flour of wheat, honey, milk, and the juice of grapes, and oil, and garments.

27 All these are for good to the righteous;
So to the sinners they are turned to evil.

28 There are spirits that are created for punishment,
Who in their wrath lay on many strokes;
In the time of destruction they pour out their strength,
And appease the wrath of He who made them.

29 Fire, and hail, and scarcity of food, and death,
All these were created for punishment;

30 Teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, serpents,
And the sword punishing the wicked to destruction.

31 They shall rejoice in His Command,
and they shall be ready upon earth when needed;
And when their time comes, they do not transgress His Word.

32 Therefore from the beginning I knew,
And thought upon these, and have left them in writing.

33 All the works of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 are good;
And He shall give all that is needed in due season;

34 So that a man cannot say, “This is worse than that.”
For in time they all shall be prove good;

35 And therefore praise 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 with all your heart and voice,
And baraḵ the Name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.