Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

1 Merciful Lord God

of my ancestors,

you created everything

by your word.

2And by your Wisdom,

you let us humans rule

all other creatures.

3We are to be honest and fair

in every decision,

4so share with me the Wisdom

that sits beside your throne,

and let me be a child of yours.

5My mother was your servant,

and so am I--a mere human

whose life is short.

I understand only a little

about laws and judgments,

6because even a perfect human

is really nothing

without Wisdom from you.

7You have chosen me to rule

and judge your people,

8and here, on your holy mountain

in the city where you live,

you have commanded me to build

an altar and a temple,

just like that sacred temple

you made at the beginning.

9Wisdom has always been with you.

She knows your mighty deeds,

and she was there

when you created the world.

Wisdom knows what pleases you,

and she knows what is right

according to your commands.

10So from your glorious and holy

throne in the heavens,

please send Wisdom

to work beside me and teach me

what is pleasing to you.

11Wisdom will guide me

in all that I do,

and her glory will guard me,

because she knows everything.

12Then you will approve my actions,

and I will rule your people

with fairness,

which will show that I am worthy

to succeed my father as king.

13No one can know what you,

the Lord God,

demand of us humans--

14our reasoning is faulty,

and our schemes often fail,

15because our mortal bodies

are merely earthly tents

that burden down our souls

and our anxious minds.

16We struggle and know so little

about things here on earth.

How could we possibly learn

about things in heaven?

17Who has known your thoughts

before you gave them Wisdom

and your Holy Spirit?

18Then they found the right path;

they learned what pleased you

and were saved by Wisdom.