7 — Wisdom

1I myself also am a mortal man, like all others, and of the race of him, that was first made of the earth, and in the womb of my mother I was fashioned to be flesh.Perocchè sono pur io un uomo mortale simile a tutti gli altri, e della stirpe di colui, che fu fatto il primo di terra, e nell'utero della madre fui effigiato uomo di carne.I also certes am a mortal man, like to al, and of the earthlie kinred of him, that was made first, and in the wombe of my mother was I fashioned flesh,Sum quidem et ego mortalis homo, similis omnibus, / et ex genere terreni illius qui prior factus est: / et in ventre matris figuratus sum caro; 2In the time of ten months I was compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure of sleep concurring.Nello spazio di dieci mesi fui formato di sangue, e del seme dell'uomo concorrendo il notturno diletto.the time of ten monethes was I brought together in bloud, of the seede of man, and the delectation of sleepe concurring.decem mensium tempore coagulatus sum in sanguine: / ex semine hominis, et delectamento somni conveniente. 3And being born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth, that is made alike, and the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do.Ed io, nato che fui, bevvi l'aere comune, e sopra simile terra io caddi, e la mia prima voce, come di tutti gli altri, fu di vagito.And I being borne receiued the common ayre, and fel vpon the earth, that is made alike, and the first voice like to al men did I put forth weeping.Et ego natus accepi communem aërem, / et in similiter factam decidi terram, / et primam vocem similem omnibus emisi plorans. 4I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and with great cares.Fui rilevato nelle fascie, e con pene grandi.I was nourished in swadling clothes, and great cares.In involumentis nutritus sum, et curis magnis: 5For none of the kings had any other beginning of birth.Perocché nissuno dei regi ebbe diverso il principio del suo nascimento.For none of the kinges had other begynning of natiuitie.nemo enim ex regibus aliud habuit nativitatis initium. 6For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.Così tutti gli uomini allo stesso modo vengono alla vita, e allo stesso modo sen vanno.There is one entrance therfore into life to al men, and like departureUnus ergo introitus est omnibus ad vitam, / et similis exitus. 7Wherefore I wished, and understanding was given me: and I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me:Quindi io desiderai l'intelligenza, e mi fu conceduta, e invocai lo spirito di sapienza, ed ei venne in me:For this cause I wished, and vnderstanding was geuen me: and I inuocated, and the spirit of wisdom came vpon me:Propter hoc optavi, et datus est mihi sensus; / et invocavi, et venit in me spiritus sapientiæ:

8And I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her.E questa io preferii ai regni, ed ai troni, e i tesori stimai un nulla a paragone di lei:and I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and riches I counted to be nothing in comparison offer.et præposui illam regnis et sedibus, / et divitias nihil esse duxi in comparatione illius. 9Neither did I compare unto her any precious stone: for all gold, in comparison of her, is as a little sand; and silver, in respect to her, shall be counted as clay.Né con essa paragonai le pietre preziose, perché tutto l'oro appetto a lei è come un poco di rena, e l'argento sarà stimato come fango dinanzi a lei.Neither did I compare the precious stone to here because al gold in comparison of her, is a litle sand, and siluer in the sight of her shal be estemed as clay.Nec comparavi illi lapidem pretiosum, / quoniam omne aurum in comparatione illius arena est exigua, / et tamquam lutum æstimabitur argentum in conspectu illius. 10I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for her light cannot be put out.La amai più che la sanità, e la bellezza, e la anteposi alla luce, perché lo splendore di lei mai non si spegne.Aboue health and beautie did I loue her and purposed to haue her for light: because her light can not be extinguished.Super salutem et speciem dilexi illam, / et proposui pro luce habere illam, / quoniam inextinguibile est lumen illius. 11Now all good things came to me together with her, and innumerable riches through her hands,E vennero a me insieme con lei tutti i beni, e infinita ricchezza per man di lei.And al good thinges came to me together with her, and very much honestie by her handes,Venerunt autem mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa, / et innumerabilis honestas per manus illius; 12And I rejoiced in all these: for this wisdom went before me, and I knew not that she was the mother of them all.E di tutto questo io mi godei, perché questa sapienza era mia guida, ed io non sapeva, come di tutte queste cose ella è madre.and I reioyced in al: because this wisdom went before me, and I was ignorant that she is the mother of al these.et lætatus sum in omnibus, / quoniam antecedebat me ista sapientia, / et ignorabam quoniam horum omnium mater est. 13Which I have learned without guile, and communicate without envy, and her riches I hide not.Ed io senza finzione la apparai, e la comunico senza invidia, e non tengo ascose le sue ricchezze.Which I lerned without fiction, and doe communicate without enuie, and her honestie I hid not.Quam sine fictione didici, / et sine invidia communico, / et honestatem illius non abscondo.

14For she is an infinite treasure to men: which they that use, become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts of discipline.Perocché ella è tesoro infinito per gli uomini, e coloro, che la impiegano, hanno parte all'amicizia di Dio, divenuti commendevoli pei doni della dottrina.For she is an infinite treasure to men: which who so haue, are made partakers of the frenship of God, commended for the gifts of discipline.Infinitus enim thesaurus est hominibus; / quo qui usi sunt, participes facti sunt amicitiæ Dei, / propter disciplinæ dona commendati. 15And God hath given to me to speak as I would, and to conceive thoughts worthy of those things that are given me: because he is the guide of wisdom, and the director of the wise:E a me concedette Dio di parlare secondo quello, ch'io sento, e di avere concetti degni dei doni a me dati; perocchè egli è il direttore della sapienza, e il correttore de' sapienti:And to me God hath geuen to speake according to my minde, and to presume thinges worthie of those, that are geuen me: because he is the guide of wisdom, and the creator of the wise:Mihi autem dedit Deus dicere ex sententia, / et præsumere digna horum quæ mihi dantur: / quoniam ipse sapientiæ dux est, / et sapientium emendator. 16For in his hand are both we, and our words, and all wisdom, and the knowledge and skill of works.Perocché in mano di lui siamo e noi, e le nostre parole, e tutta la sapienza, e la scienza dell'operare, e la disciplina.for in his hand are both we, & our wordes, and wisdom, and the knowlege and discipline of workes.In manu enim illius et nos et sermones nostri, / et omnis sapientia, et operum scientia, et disciplina. 17For he hath given me the true knowledge of the things that are: to know the disposition of the whole world, and the virtues of the elements,Egli mi diede la vera scienza delle cose, che sono, affinchè io conosca la disposizione del mondo, e le virtù degli elementi;For he gaue me the true knowlege of those thinges, which are: that I may know the disposition of the round world, and the vertues of the elements,Ipse enim dedit mihi horum quæ sunt scientiam veram, / ut sciam dispositionem orbis terrarum, et virtutes elementorum, 18The beginning, and ending, and midst of the times, the alterations of their courses, and the changes of seasons,E il cominciamento e la fine, e il mezzo dei tempi, e le varie vicissitudini, e mutazioni dei tempi,the beginning, & end, & middes of times, the permutations of changeable seasons, and consummations of times,initium, et consummationem, et medietatem temporum, / vicissitudinum permutationes, et commutationes temporum, 19The revolutions of the year, and the dispositions of the stars,Il corso degli anni, e le posizioni delle stelle,the courses of the yeare, and dispositions of the starres,anni cursus, et stellarum dispositiones, 20The natures of living creatures, and rage of wild beasts, the force of winds, and reasonings of men, the diversities of plants, and the virtues of roots,Le nature degli animali, e le ire delle fiere, la forza dei venti, e le inclinazioni degli uomini, le differenze degli arboscelli, e le virtù delle radiche.the natures of beastes, and furies of wilde beastes, the force of windes, and the cogitations of men, the differences of plantes, and vertues of rootes,naturas animalium, et iras bestiarum, / vim ventorum, et cogitationes hominum, / differentias virgultorum, et virtutes radicum. 21And all such things as are hid, and not foreseen, I have learned: for wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me.E imparai tutte le cose nascoste, e che giungono nuove, perché la sapienza fattrice di tutte mi addottrinò.and whatsoeuer are hid thinges and not forsene, I haue lerned: for wisdom the worker of al taught me.Et quæcumque sunt absconsa et improvisa didici: / omnium enim artifex docuit me sapientia.

22For in her is the spirit of understanding; holy, one, manifold, subtile, eloquent, active, undefiled, sure, sweet, loving that which is good, quick, which nothing hindereth, beneficent,Perocché in lei risiede lo spirito di intelligenza santo, unico, molteplice, sottile, eloquente, attivo, incontaminato, infallibile, soave, amante del bene, penetrante, irresistibile, benefico,For in her is the spirite of vnderstanding, holie, onlie, manifold, subtil, eloquent, moueable, vndefiled, sure, swete, louing good, sharpe, who nothing hindereth wel doing,Est enim in illa spiritus intelligentiæ, / sanctus, unicus, multiplex, subtilis, / disertus, mobilis, incoinquinatus, certus, / suavis, amans bonum, acutus, / quem nihil vetat, benefaciens, 23Gentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power, overseeing all things, and containing all spirits: intelligible, pure, subtile:Amatore degli uomini, benigno, costante, sicuro, tranquillo, che tutto può, tutto prevede, e tutti contiene gli spiriti, intelligente, puro, sottile.gentle, benigne, stable, certaine, secure, hauing al powre, forseing al thinges, and that conteyneth al spirites: intelligible, cleane, subtile.humanus, benignus, stabilis, certus, securus, / omnem habens virtutem, omnia prospiciens, / et qui capiat omnes spiritus, / intelligibilis, mundus, subtilis. 24For wisdom is more active than all active things; and reacheth everywhere, by reason of her purity.Or più veloce di qualunque mobile ella è la sapienza, e per tutto arriva, mediante la sua purezza.For wisdom is more moueable then al moueable thinges: and reacheth euerie where because of her cleannes.Omnibus enim mobilibus mobilior est sapientia: / attingit autem ubique propter suam munditiam. 25For she is a vapour of the power of God, and a certain pure emmanation of the glory of the Almighty God: and therefore no defiled thing cometh into her.Perocché ella è vapore della virtù; di Dio, e come una pura emanazione della gloria di Dio onnipotente, e perciò nulla in lei cade di immondo:For she is a vapour of the powre of God, & a certaine sincere emanation of the glorie of God omnipotent: and therfore no defiled thing cometh vnto her.Vapor est enim virtutis Dei, / et emanatio quædam est claritatis omnipotentis Dei sincera, / et ideo nihil inquinatum in eam incurrit: 26For she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God’s majesty, and the image of his goodness.Perché ella è splendore di luce eterna, e specchio senza macchia della maestà di Dio, e immagine di sua bontà.For she is the brightnes of eternal light, & the vnspotted glasse of Gods maiestie, and the image of his goodnes.candor est enim lucis æternæ, / et speculum sine macula Dei majestatis, / et imago bonitatis illius.

27And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself the same, she reneweth all things, and through nations conveyeth herself into holy souls, she maketh the friends of God and prophets.Ed essendo una sola, ella può tutto, e immutabile in se stessa le cose tutte rinnovella, e tralle nazioni ella si spande nelle anime sante, e forma degli amici di Dio, e de' profeti.And wheras she is one, she can doe al thinges: and permanent in herselfe she reneweth al thinges, and by nations transporteth herself into holie soules, she maketh the frendes of God, and Prophetes.Et cum sit una, omnia potest; / et in se permanens omnia innovat: / et per nationes in animas sanctas se transfert; / amicos Dei et prophetas constituit. 28For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdom.Perocché non altri ama Dio, se non quelli, che convivono colla sapienza.For God loueth none, but him, that dwelleth with wisdom.Neminem enim diligit Deus, / nisi eum qui cum sapientia inhabitat. 29For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it.Ella è più bella del sole, e ogni ordine di stelle sorpassa, e ove alla luce si paragoni, ella le va innanzi.For she is more beautiful then the sunne, and aboue al disposition of the starres, being compared to light she is found the first.Est enim hæc speciosior sole, / et super omnem dispositionem stellarum: / luci comparata, invenitur prior. 30For after this cometh night, but no evil can overcome wisdom.Imperocché a quella va presso la notte: ma la sapienza non è vinta dalla malizia.For night succedeth to it, but malice ouercometh not wisdom.Illi enim succedit nox; / sapientiam autem non vincit malitia.