9:1 [Deus patrum meorum, et Domine misericordiae, qui fecisti omnia verbo tuo,
*H God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,
Ver. 1. God. This prayer, which continues to the end of the book, is a paraphrase of 3 K. iii. 6. &c. with several additional instructions, to remind people in authority of the love of justice. C.
* Footnote * 1_Kings 3 : 9
And said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went, and slept in his place.
9:2 et sapientia tua constituisti hominem, ut dominaretur creaturae quae a te facta est,
And by thy wisdom hast appointed man, that he should have dominion over the creature that was made by thee,
9:3 ut disponat orbem terrarum in aequitate et justitia, et in directione cordis judicium judicet :
That he should order the world according to equity and justice, and execute justice with an upright heart:
9:4 da mihi sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam, et noli me reprobare a pueris tuis :
Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne, and cast me not off from among thy children:
9:5 quoniam servus tuus sum ego, et filius ancillae tuae ; homo infirmus, et exigui temporis, et minor ad intellectum judicii et legum.
For I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid, a weak man, and of short time, and falling short of the understanding of judgment and laws.
* Footnote * Psalms 115 : 16
O Lord, for I am thy servant: I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds:
9:6 Nam etsi quis erit consummatus inter filios hominum, si ab illo abfuerit sapientia tua, in nihilum computabitur.
For if one be perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.
9:7 Tu elegisti me regem populo tuo, et judicem filiorum tuorum et filiarum :
*H Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters:
Ver. 7. King. Hence it appears, that the sentiments of Solomon are expressed. W. — Judge. This is the first duty of a king. — Thy sons. He ought to govern his people, remembering that they are God's creatures and children.
* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 28 : 4
But the Lord God of Israel chose me of all the house of my father, to be king over Israel for ever: for of Juda he chose the princes: and of the house of Juda, my father's house: and among the sons of my father, it pleased him to choose me king over all Israel.* Footnote * 1_Paralipomenon 28 : 5
And among my sons (for the Lord hath given me many sons) he hath chosen Solomon my son, to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.* Footnote * 2_Paralipomenon 1 : 9
Now therefore, O Lord God, let thy word be fulfilled, which thou hast promised to David my father: for thou hast made me king over thy great people, which is as innumerable as the dust of the earth.
9:8 et dixisti me aedificare templum in monte sancto tuo, et in civitate habitationis tuae altare : similitudinem tabernaculi sancti tui quod praeparasti ab initio.
*H And hast commanded me to build a temple on thy holy mount, and an altar in the city of thy dwelling place, a resemblance of thy holy tabernacle, which thou hast prepared from the beginning:
Ver. 8. Beginning. In thy eternal decrees, or when thou madest choice of Israel. H. — The temple was greater, but very like the tabernacle: only the court of the priests was divided from that of the people. In the desert, the whole camp was considered a the court of the latter. C.
9:9 Et tecum sapientia tua, quae novit opera tua, quae et affuit tunc cum orbem terrarum faceres, et sciebat quid esset placitum oculis tuis, et quid directum in praeceptis tuis.
*H And thy wisdom with thee, which knoweth thy works, which then also was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was agreeable to thy eyes, and what was right in thy commandments.
Ver. 9. With thee. The uncreated wisdom is God himself: that which is communicated to man is his gift. v. 10. W. — World. Prov. viii. 22. This request shews what idea Solomon had of God's majesty, for which he was preparing a temple.
* Footnote * Proverbs 8 : 22
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.* Footnote * Proverbs 8 : 27
When he prepared the heavens, I was present: when with a certain law, and compass, he enclosed the depths:* Footnote * John 1 : 1
In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God.
9:10 Mitte illam de caelis sanctis tuis, et a sede magnitudinis tuae, ut mecum sit et mecum laboret, ut sciam quid acceptum sit apud te :
Send her out of thy holy heaven, and from the throne of thy majesty, that she may be with me, and may labour with me, that I may know what is acceptable with thee:
9:11 scit enim illa omnia, et intelligit, et deducet me in operibus meis sobrie, et custodiet me in sua potentia.
For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and shall lead me soberly in my works, and shall preserve me by her power.
9:12 Et erunt accepta opera mea, et disponam populum tuum juste, et ero dignus sedium patris mei.
So shall my works be acceptable, and I shall govern thy people justly, and shall be worthy of the throne of my father.
9:13 Quis enim hominum poterit scire consilium Dei ? aut quis poterit cogitare quid velit Deus ?
For who among men is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of God is?
* Footnote * Isaias 40 : 13
Who hath forwarded the spirit of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor, and hath taught him?* Footnote * Romans 11 : 34
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?* Footnote * 1_Corinthians 2 : 16
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
9:14 Cogitationes enim mortalium timidae, et incertae providentiae nostrae ;
For the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels uncertain.
9:15 corpus enim quod corrumpitur aggravat animam, et terrena inhabitatio deprimit sensum multa cogitantem.
For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things.
9:16 Et difficile aestimamus quae in terra sunt, et quae in prospectu sunt invenimus cum labore : quae autem in caelis sunt, quis investigabit ?
And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth: and with labour do we find the things that are before us. But the things that are in heaven, who shall search out?
9:17 Sensum autem tuum, quis sciet, nisi tu dederis sapientiam, et miseris spiritum sanctum tuum de altissimis,
*H And who shall know thy thought, except thou give wisdom, and send thy holy Spirit from above:
Ver. 17. Thought. How shall we govern as we ought, and act as thy vicegerents, without thy Spirit? Prov. xvi. 10. and 2 K. xiv. 17.
9:18 et sic correctae sint semitae eorum qui sunt in terris, et quae tibi placent didicerint homines ?
And so the ways of them that are upon earth may be corrected, and men may learn the things that please thee?
9:19 Nam per sapientiam sanati sunt quicumque placuerunt tibi, Domine, a principio.]
*H For by wisdom they were healed, whosoever have pleased thee, O Lord, from the beginning.
Ver. 19. Whosoever, &c. is not in the Sept. But men includes as much. H. — The saints have been preserved from the contagion and punishments of the world only by means of the divine benefit. C.