Loving Wisdom and Keeping Laws

Wisdom of Solomon 6:18–20; 8:13–19

1st Century CE

Chapter 6

¹⁸[A]‌nd love of her is the keeping of her laws,

and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,

¹⁹and immortality brings one near to God;

²⁰so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom. [ . . . ]

¹³Because of her I shall have immortality,

and leave an everlasting remembrance to those who come after me.

¹⁴I shall govern peoples,

and nations will be subject to me;

¹⁵dread monarchs will be afraid of me when they hear of me;

among the people I shall show myself capable, and courageous in war.

¹⁶When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her;

for companionship with her has no bitterness,

and life with her has no pain, but gladness and joy.

¹⁷When I considered these things inwardly,

and pondered in my heart

that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality,

¹⁸and in friendship with her, pure delight,

and in the labors of her hands, unfailing wealth,

and in the experience of her company, understanding,

and renown in sharing her words,

I went about seeking how to get her for myself.

¹⁹As a child I was naturally gifted,

and a good soul fell to my lot.

Translation from the New Revised Standard Version.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.