The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Solomon 10
1 Wisdom† guarded to the end the first
formedfather ofthe world, who was
created alone, and delivered him out of his own
transgression,
2 and gave him strength to rule over all
things.
3 But when an unrighteous man fell away
from her in his anger, he perished him self
in the rage with which he killed his brother.
4 When for his cause the earth was drowning
with a flood, wisdom again saved it, guiding
the righteous man’s course by a paltry piece of wood.
5 Moreover, when nations consenting together in
wickedness had been confounded,
wisdom‡ knew the righteous man, and
preserved him blameless to God,
and kept him strong when his heart
yearned toward his child.
6 While the ungodly were perishing, wisdom§ delivered a
righteous man, when he fled from the fire that
descended out of heaven on the five cities.
7 To whose wickedness a smoking waste
still witnesses, and plants bearing fair fruit that
doesn’t ripen, a disbelieving soul has a memorial: a
standing pillar of salt.
8 For having passed wisdom by,
not only were they disabled from
recognising the things which are
good, butthey also left behind them for their
life a monument of their folly,
to the end that where they stumbled,
they might fail even to be unseen;
9 but wisdom delivered those who waited
on her out of troubles.
10 When a righteous man was a fugitive
from a brother’s wrath,† wisdom
guided him in straight paths.
She showed him God’s kingdom, and
gave him knowledge of holy things.
She prospered him in his toils, and
multiplied the fruits of his labor.
11 When in their covetousness men dealt
harshly with him, she stood by him
and made him rich.
12 She guarded him from enemies,
and she kept him safe from those who
lay in wait. Over his severe conflict, she watched
as judge, that he might know that godliness is
more powerful than every one.
13 When a righteous man was sold,‡ wisdom
didn’t forsake him, but she delivered him from sin.
She went down with him into a dungeon,
14 and in bonds she didn’t departfrom him,
until she brought him the sceptre of a
kingdom, and authority over those that dealt
like a tyrant with him. She also showed those
who had mockingly accused him to be false,
and gave him eternal glory.
15 Wisdom§ delivered a holy people and
a blameless seed from a nation of
oppressors.
16 She entered into the soul of a servant of
the Lord, and withstood terrible kings in wonders and signs.
17 She rendered to holy men a reward of
their toils. She guided them along a marvelous
way, and became to them a covering in the
day-time, and a starry flame through the night.
18 She brought them over the Red sea,
and led them through much water;
19 but she drowned their enemies,
and she cast them up from the bottom
of the deep.
20 Therefore the righteous plundered the
ungodly, and they sang praise to your holy
name, O Lord, and extolled with one accord your
hand that fought for them,
21 because wisdom opened the mouth of
the mute, and made the tongues of babes to speak
clearly.