Wis 8

1 Therfor wisdom stretchith forth fro the ende til to the ende strongli, and disposith alle thingis swetly. 2 I louede this wisdom maad, and Y souyte it out fro my yongthe; and Y souyte to take it a spousesse to me, and Y am maad a louyere of the fairnesse therof. 3 He that hath the felouschip of God, glorifieth the gentilnesse therof; but also the Lord of alle thingis louede it. 4 For it is the techeresse of the lernyng of God, and cheseresse of hise werkis. 5 And if richessis ben coueitid in lijf, what is richere than wisdom, that worchith alle thingis? 6 Sotheli if wit worchith, who is a crafti maker more than wisdom, of these thingis that ben? 7 And if a man loueth riytfulnesse, the trauels of this wisdom han grete vertues; for it techith sobrenesse, and prudence, and riytfulnesse, and vertu; and no thing is profitablere than these in lijf to men. 8 And if a man desirith multitude of kunnyng, wisdom knowith thingis passid, and gessith of thingis to comynge; it kan the felnessis of wordis, and asoilyngis of argumentis; it kan signes and schewyngis of thingis to comynge, bifore that tho ben maad; and the bifallyngis of tymes and of worldus. 9 Therfor Y purposide to brynge to me this wisdom, to lyue togidere; witynge that it schal comyne with me of goodis, and spekyng togidere of my thouyt, and of myn anoi schal be. 10 For this wisdom Y schal haue clerenesse at cumpenyes, and onour at eldre men; 11 Y schal be foundun yong and scharp in doom, and in the siyt of myyti men Y schal be wondurful, and the faces of princes schulen worschipe me. 12 Thei schulen abide me, beynge stille, and thei schulen biholde me, spekynge; and the while I speke many thingis, thei schulen sette hondis on her mouth. 13 Ferthermore bi this wisdom Y schal haue vndedlynesse; and Y schal leeue euerlastynge mynde to hem, that schulen come aftir me. 14 I schal dispose puplis; and naciouns schulen be suget to me. 15 Hidouse kyngis herynge me schulen drede; and in multitude Y schal be seyn good, and strong in batel. 16 Y schal entre in to myn hous, and Y schal reste with wisdom; for the conuersacioun therof hath no bitternesse, and the dwellynge togidere therof hath noon anoye, but gladnesse and ioye. 17 Y thouyte these thingis at me, and Y remembride in myn herte; forwhi wisdom is vndeedli in thouyt, 18 and good delityng is in the frendschipe therof; and onestee without defaute is in the werkis of hondis therof; and wisdom is in the strijf of speche therof; and greet clerenesse is in the comyning of wordis therof; Y yede aboute, sekinge to take wisdom to me. 19 Forsothe Y was a witti child, and Y gat a good soule. 20 And whanne Y was more good, Y cam to a bodi vndefoulid. 21 And as Y knew, that ellis Y mai not be chaste, no but God yyue, and this same thing was wisdom, to wite whos this yifte was; Y yede to the Lord, and Y bisouyte hym, and Y seide, of alle myn entralis.