A reading from
the Book of Wisdom 7:22b–8:1
In Wisdom is a spirit/ intelligent, holy, unique,/ Manifold, subtle, agile,/ clear, unstained, certain,/ Not baneful, loving the good, keen,/ unhampered, beneficent, kindly,/ Firm, secure, tranquil,/ all-powerful, all-seeing,/ And pervading all spirits,/ though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle./ For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,/ and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity./ For she is an aura of the might of God/ and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;/ therefore nought that is sullied enters into her./ For she is the refulgence of eternal light,/ the spotless mirror of the power of God,/ the image of his goodness./ And she, who is one, can do all things,/ and renews everything while herself perduring;/ And passing into holy souls from age to age,/ she produces friends of God and prophets./ For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom./ For she is fairer than the sun/ and surpasses every constellation of the stars./ Compared to light, she takes precedence;/ for that, indeed, night supplants,/ but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.
Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily/ and governs all things well.
The word of the Lord.
