Chapter VIII · Location 8 of 19
Chapter 8 · Open to readFrom Wisdom · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Wisdom Chapter 8 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
The speaker praises wisdom and purposes companionship with her. Honor, judgment, rule and repose remain expectations rather than completed history. Recognizing continence as God’s gift leads to wholehearted prayer.
Chapter breakdown
Wisdom 8 praises wisdom reaching mightily from end to end and ordering all things sweetly. Its speaker loved and sought her from youth, desired her as spouse, and admired her beauty. She is conversant with God and loved by the Lord, teaches God's knowledge and chooses his works. Riches and craftsmanship are compared with wisdom making all things. She teaches temperance, prudence, justice and fortitude as supremely profitable, knows past and future, speech's subtleties, arguments' solutions, signs, wonders and the events of times and ages.
The speaker purposed to live with her for good things and comfort in cares and grief. He anticipates youthful honor among elders, quick judgment and princes' admiration; others shall wait in his silence and cover their mouths when he speaks much. He expects immortality and enduring memory, ordering people and subjecting nations, frightening terrible kings, goodness among multitudes and valor in war. Future domestic repose brings conversation without bitterness and company without tedium. These are expectations, not accomplished royal achievements. Pondering immortal alliance, delightful friendship, inexhaustible works, wise conversation and glorious words led him to seek her. He recalls a witty childhood, good soul and undefiled body, then says continence could come only as God's gift. Recognizing whose gift it was, he went to the Lord and pleaded wholeheartedly. Kneeling, tyrants and later doctrinal history are not supplied here.
The story inside
Opening: The speaker praises wisdom and purposes companionship with her. Development: Honor, judgment, rule and repose remain expectations rather than completed history. Conclusion: Recognizing continence as God’s gift leads to wholehearted prayer.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1The speaker praises wisdom and purposes companionship with her.
- 2Honor, judgment, rule and repose remain expectations rather than completed history.
- 3Recognizing continence as God’s gift leads to wholehearted prayer.
Test your recall
Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?
Source edition and notes
Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.
Lines 72103–72104
She reacheth, therefore, from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly.
Lines 72106–72107
Her have I loved, and have sought her out from my youth, and have desired to take for my spouse, and I became a lover of her beauty.
Lines 72121–72123
And if a man love justice: her labours have great virtues: for she teacheth temperance, and prudence, and justice, and fortitude, which are such things as men can have nothing more profitable in life.
Lines 72145–72146
Moreover, by the means of her I shall have immortality: and shall leave behind me an everlasting memory to them that come after me.
Lines 72154–72156
When I go into my house, I shall repose myself with her: for her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness, but joy and gladness.
Lines 72170–72173
And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it, and this also was a point of wisdom, to know whose gift it was, I went to the Lord, and besought him, and said with my whole heart:
