1 O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,

2 And ordained man through thy wisedome, that he should haue dominion ouer the creatures, which thou hast made,

3 And order the world according to equitie and righteousnesse, and execute iudgement with an vpright heart:

4 Giue me wisedome that sitteth by thy Throne, and reiect me not from among thy children:

5 For I thy seruant and sonne of thine handmaide, am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the vnderstanding of iudgement and lawes.

6 For though a man be neuer so perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisedome be not with him, hee shall be nothing regarded.

7 Thou hast chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a Iudge of thy sons and daughters:

8 Thou hast commaunded me to build a Temple vpon thy holy mount, and an Altar in the city wherein thou dwellest, a resemblance of the holy Tabernacle which thou hast prepared from the beginning:

9 And wisedome was with thee: which knoweth thy workes, and was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy sight, and right in thy Commaundements.

10 O send her out of thy holy heauens, and from the Throne of thy glory, that being present shee may labour with mee, that I may know what is pleasing vnto thee.

11 For she knoweth and vnderstandeth all things, and shee shall leade me soberly in my doings, and preserue me in her power.

12 So shall my workes be acceptable, and then shall I iudge thy people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my fathers seate.

13 For what man is hee that can know the counsell of God? or who can thinke what the will of the Lord is?

14 For the thoughts of mortall men are miserable, and our deuices are but vncertaine.

15 For the corruptible body presseth downe the soule, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth downe the minde that museth vpon many things.

16 And hardly doe we gesse aright at things that are vpon earth, and with labour doe wee find the things that are before vs: but the things that are in heauen, who hath searched out?

17 And thy counsell who hath knowen, except thou giue wisedome, and send thy holy spirit from aboue?

18 For so the wayes of them which liued on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing vnto thee, and were saued through wisedome.