Solomon's prayer for wisdom.

 1 God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,
Deus patrum meorum, et Domine misericordiae, qui fecisti omnia verbo tuo,

 2 And by thy wisdom hast appointed man, that he should have dominion over the creature that was made by thee,
et sapientia tua constituisti hominem, ut dominaretur creaturae quae a te facta est,

 3 That he should order the world according to equity and justice, and execute justice with an upright heart:
ut disponat orbem terrarum in aequitate et justitia, et in directione cordis judicium judicet :

 4 Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne, and cast me not off from among thy children:
da mihi sedium tuarum assistricem sapientiam, et noli me reprobare a pueris tuis,

 5 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.
quoniam servus tuus sum ego, et filius ancillae tuae; homo infirmus, et exigui temporis, et minor ad intellectum judicii et legum.

 6 For if one be perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.
Nam et si quis erit consummatus inter filios hominum, si ab illo abfuerit sapientia tua, in nihilum computabitur.

 7 Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters.
Tu elegisti me regem populo tuo, et judicem filiorum tuorum et filiarum.

 8 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:
Et dixisti me aedificare templum in monte sancto tuo, et in civitate habitationis tuae altare, similitudinem tabernaculi sancti tui quod praeparasti ab initio;

 9 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.
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.

 10 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:
Mitte illam de caelis sanctis tuis, et a sede magnitudinis tuae, ut mecum sit et mecum laboret, ut sciam quid acceptum sit apud te :

 11 For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and shall lead me soberly in my works, and shall preserve me by her power.
scit enim illa omnia, et intelligit, et deducet me in operibus meis sobrie, et custodiet me in sua potentia.

 12 So shall my works be acceptable, and I shall govern thy people justly, and shall be worthy of the throne of my father.
Et erunt accepta opera mea; et disponam populum tuum juste, et ero dignus sedium patris mei.

 13 For who among men is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of God is?
Quis enim hominum poterit scire consilium Dei? Aut quis poterit cogitare quid velit Deus?

 14 For the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels uncertain.
Cogitationes enim mortalium timidae, et incertae providentiae nostrae;

 15 For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things.
corpus enim quod corrumpitur aggravat animam, et terrena inhabitatio deprimit sensum multa cogitantem.

 16 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?
Et difficile aestimamus quae in terra sunt, et quae in prospectu sunt invenimus cum labore : quae autem in caelis sunt quis investigabit?

 17 And who shall know thy thought, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above:
Sensum autem tuum quis sciet, nisi tu dederis sapientiam, et miseris spiritum sanctum tuum de altissimis,

 18 And so the ways of them that are upon earth may be corrected, and men may learn the things that please thee?
et sic correctae sint semitae eorum qui sunt in terris, et quae tibi placent didicerint homines?

 19 For by wisdom they were healed, whosoever have pleased thee, O Lord, from the beginning.
Nam per sapientiam sanati sunt quicumque placuerunt tibi, Domine, a principio.