1 Thus, she reaches mightily from one end all the way to the other, and she orders all things sweetly.
2 I have loved her and searched for her from my youth, and have asked to take her to me as my spouse, and I became a lover of her form.
3 She glorifies her lineage by having companionship with God; yes and of all things, the Lord loves her.
4 For she teaches the teaching of God and is the chooser of his works.
5 And if riches are longed for in life, what is richer than wisdom, which is being served in all things?
6 But if the mind is to be served, who, of all that exists, is a greater artisan than she?
7 And if anyone loves justice, her labors hold great virtues; for she teaches temperance and prudence, justice and virtue, and nothing is more useful in human life.
8 And if one desires a multitude of knowledge, she knows the past and forecasts the future; she knows the subtleties of conversation and the response to arguments; she understands the signs and portents, before the events take place, events both of the present time and of future ages.
9 Therefore, I resolved to take her to me to live together, knowing that she will be a good counselor and will console my thoughts and my weariness.
10 Because of her, I have clarity in the midst of confusion, and honor among the elders in my youth;
11 and I will be found to be astute in judgment, and will be admired in the sight of the mighty, and the faces of leaders will wonder at me.
12 When I am silent, they will wait for me; when I speak, they will respect me; and when I talk for too long, they will put their hands on their mouths.
13 Thus, by means of her, I will have immortality, and I will bequeath an everlasting memorial to those who come after me.
14 I will set the peoples in order, and nations will be subject to me.
15 Hearing me, terrible kings will be afraid; to the multitude, I will be seen as good and valiant in war.
16 When I go into my house, I will repose myself with her, for her conversation has no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness, but only joy and gladness.
17 Thinking these things within myself, and recalling in my heart that immortality is the intention of wisdom,
18 and that in her friendship is good enjoyment, and in the works of her hands are honors without flaw, and in debate with her is understanding, and glory in sharing conversation with her; I went about seeking, so that I might take her to myself.
19 For I was an ingenious boy and had been dealt a good soul.
20 Even more so, being good, I came to have an undefiled body.
21 And since I know that it is not possible to be chaste except as a gift from God, and that it is a point of wisdom to know whose gift it is, I approached the Lord, and I besought him, and I said with my whole heart:
1 God of my fathers and Lord of mercy, who has made all things with your word,
2 and by your wisdom has established man to have dominion over the creatures which have been made by you,
3 so that he would order the world in equity and justice, and execute judgment with an upright heart,
4 give me wisdom, the handmaiden at your throne, and be unwilling to reject me from among your children,
5 because I am your servant, and the son of your handmaid, a weak man, and short-lived, with limited understanding of judgment and laws.
6 And if someone were perfect among the sons of men, yet if your wisdom was taken away from him, he would be counted as nothing.
7 You have chosen me to be a king of your people, and a judge of your sons and daughters.
8 And you called me to construct a temple on your holy mount, and, in the city of your dwelling, an altar in the likeness of your holy tabernacle, which you have prepared from the beginning.
9 And with you is wisdom, who is familiar with your works, and who was nearby when you made the world, and who knows what is pleasing to your eyes, and who is guided by your teachings.
10 Send her out of your holy heavens and from the throne of your majesty, so that she is with me and labors with me, and I will know what is acceptable with you.
11 For she knows and understands all things, and will lead me soberly in my works, and will guard me by her power.
12 And my works will be acceptable, and I will govern your people justly, and I will be worthy of the throne of my father.
13 For who among men can know the counsel of God? Or who can imagine the will of God?
14 For the thoughts of mortals are timid, and our foresight is uncertain.
15 For the corruptible body weighs down the soul, and this earthy dwelling presses many thoughts upon the mind.
16 And we assess with difficulty the things that are of earth, and we discover with labor the things that are within our view. So who will search out the things that are in heaven?
17 Moreover, who will know your mind, unless you give wisdom and send your holy spirit from on high?
18 And in this way, those who are on earth are corrected in their path, and men learn the things that are pleasing to you.
19 For by wisdom they are saved, who have pleased you, O Lord, from the beginning.”
1 This is he, who was formed first by God, the father of the world, who was alone when created; she preserved him,
2 and led him out of his offense, and gave him the power to maintain all things.
3 After this, when the unjust man withdrew from her in his anger, he perished through anger by the murder of his brother.
4 Because of this, when water destroyed the earth, wisdom healed it again, guiding the just by means of contemptible wood.
5 Moreover, when the nations had conspired together to consent to wickedness, she knew the just, and preserved him without blame before God, and preserved his strength out of mercy for his sons.
6 She freed this just man from the destruction of the impious, fleeing descending fire in the Five Cities,
7 which, as a testimony to their wickedness, is a constantly smoking desolate land, and the trees bear fruit at uncertain times, and a figure of salt stands as a monument to an unbelieving soul.
8 For, in disregarding wisdom, they are fallen, not so much in this, that they were ignorant of good, but that they bequeathed to men a memorial of their foolishness, so that, in the things in which they sinned, they were unable to escape notice.
9 Yet wisdom has freed from sorrow those who are self-observant.
10 She led the just man, this fugitive of his brother’s wrath, by the right ways, and revealed to him the kingdom of God, and gave him the knowledge of holiness, honored him in his labors, and completed his labors.
11 In the midst of encircling deceit, she flowed around him and made him honest.
12 She guarded him from his enemies, and she defended him from seducers, and she gave him a strong conflict so that he might overcome and might know that the power of all things is wisdom.
13 She did not abandon the just man when he was sold, but freed him from sinners; she went down with him into the pit,
14 and she did not abandon him in chains, while she brought him the scepter of the kingdom and power against those who oppressed him, and revealed them to be liars who had dishonored him, and gave him everlasting glory.
15 She freed this just people and the blameless offspring, from the nations that had oppressed them.
16 She entered the soul of the servant of God and stood against dreadful kings in the midst of portents and signs,
17 and she rendered to the just the wages of their labors, and led them along a wondrous way; and she was to them, like a cover by day, and like the light of the stars by night.
18 She carried them through the Red Sea, and led them across a great water.
19 But their enemies, she submerged in the sea, and from the furthest depths, she drew them up. Therefore, the just carried off the spoils of the impious.
20 And they chanted to your holy name, Lord, and they together praised your victorious hand,
21 because wisdom opened the mouth of the mute, and made the speech of infants eloquent.
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38 For whatever we have established remains in force for you. The strongholds that you have built, let them be yours.
39 Likewise, any oversight or fault, even to this day, we forgive it, along with the crown that you owed. And if anything else was taxed in Jerusalem, now let it not be taxed.
40 And if any of you is fit to be enrolled among our own, let them be enrolled. And let there be peace between us.”
41 In the one hundred and seventieth year, the yoke of the Gentiles was taken away from Israel.
42 And the people of Israel began to write in the tablets and the public records, in the first year under Simon: high priest, great commander, and leader of the Jews.
43 In those days, Simon took up a position at Gaza, and he encamped around it, and he made machines of war, and he applied them to the city, and he struck one tower and captured it.
44 And those who were within the machine broke forth into the city. And a great commotion occurred in the city.
45 And those who were in the city ascended upon the wall, with their wives and children, having torn their tunics. And they cried out with a loud voice, asking Simon to grant them a pledge.
46 And they said, “Do not repay us according to our malice, but according to your mercy.”
47 And weeping, Simon did not destroy them. Yet he cast them out of the city, and he cleansed the buildings, in which there had been idols. And then he entered into it with hymns, blessing the Lord.
48 And, having cast out of it all uncleanness, he placed in it men who would observe the law. And he fortified it and made it his dwelling place.
49 But those who were in the stronghold of Jerusalem were prohibited from going out and entering the region, and from buying and selling. And they were very hungry, and many of them perished through famine.
50 And they cried out to Simon, that they might receive a pledge, and he granted it to them. And he cast them out of there, and he cleansed the stronghold from contaminations.
51 And they entered into it on the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year, with thanksgiving, and palm branches, and lyres, and cymbals, and psalteries, and hymns, and canticles, because a great enemy had been crushed out of Israel.
52 And he established that these days should be kept every year with rejoicing.
53 And he fortified the mountain of the temple, which was near the stronghold, and he lived there himself, along with those who were with him.
54 And Simon saw that John, his son, was a valiant man in battle. And so he appointed him as commander of all the forces. And he lived in Gazara.
1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity.
2 Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, Which ran down to the skirt of his garment:
3 As the dew of Hermon, which descendeth upon mount Sion. For there the Lord hath commandeth blessing, and life for evermore.
1 Behold now bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
2 In the nights lift up your hands to the holy places, and bless ye the Lord.
3 May the Lord out of Sion bless thee, he that made heaven and earth.
1 Act now, you who are wealthy! Weep and wail in your miseries, which will soon come upon you!
2 Your riches have been corrupted, and your garments have been eaten by moths.
3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be a testimony against you, and it will eat away at your flesh like fire. You have stored up wrath for yourselves unto the last days.
4 Consider the pay of the workers who reaped your fields: it has been misappropriated by you; it cries out. And their cry has entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have feasted upon the earth, and you have nourished your hearts with luxuries, unto the day of slaughter.
6 You led away and killed the Just One, and he did not resist you.
7 Therefore, be patient, brothers, until the advent of the Lord. Consider that the farmer anticipates the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently, until he receives the early and the late rains.
8 Therefore, you too should be patient and should strengthen your hearts. For the advent of the Lord draws near.
9 Brothers, do not complain against one another, so that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge stands before the door.
10 My brothers, consider the Prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of departing from evil, of labor, and of patience.
11 Consider that we beatify those who have endured. You have heard of the patient suffering of Job. And you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is merciful and compassionate.
12 But before all things, my brothers, do not choose to swear, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor in any other oath. But let your word ‘Yes’ be yes, and your word ‘No’ be no, so that you may not fall under judgment.
13 Is any of you sad? Let him pray. Is he even-tempered? Let him sing psalms.
14 Is anyone ill among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And a prayer of faith will save the infirm, and the Lord will alleviate him. And if he has sins, these will be forgiven him.
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be saved. For the unremitting prayer of a just person prevails over many things.
17 Elijah was a mortal man like us, and in prayer he prayed that it would not rain upon the earth. And it did not rain for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again. And the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19 My brothers, if anyone of you strays from the truth, and if someone converts him,
20 he ought to know that whoever causes a sinner to be converted from the error of his ways will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
