القراءة بلغتين

«يا إِلٰهَ الآباءِ ويا رَبَّ الرَّحمَة يا صانِعَ كُلِّ شَيءٍ بِكَلِمَتِكَ

ومُكَوِّنَ الإِنْسانِ بِحِكمَتِكَ لِكَي يَسودَ الخَلائِقَ الَّتي صَنَعتَها

و يسوس العالم بالقداسة والبر ويجري الحكم باستقامة النفس

هَبْ لِيَ الحِكمةَ الجالِسَةَ مَعَكَ إِلى عَرشِكَ ولا تَنبُذْني مِن بَينِ أَبْنائِكَ

فإِنِّي أَنا عَبدُكَ وٱبنُ أَمَتِكَ إِنْسانٌ ضَعيفٌ قَصيرُ الحَياة قَليلُ الإِدراكِ لِلقَضاءِ والشَّرائِع

فلَو كانَ في بَني البَشَرِ أَحَدٌ كامِل ولم تَكُنْ معَه الحِكمَةُ الَّتي مِنكَ فلا يُحسَبُ شَيئًا

قدِ ٱختَرتَني أَنتَ لِشَعبِكَ مَلِكًا ولِأَبْنائِكَ وبَناتِكَ قاضِيًا

وأَمَرتَني أَن أَبنِيَ هَيكَلًا في جَبَلِ قُدسِكَ ومَذبَحًا في المَدينَةِ الَّتي نَصَبتَ فيها خَيمَتَكَ على مِثالِ الخَيمَةِ المُقَدَّسَةِ الَّتي هَيَّأتَها مُنذُ البَدْء

إِنَّ مَعكَ الحِكمةَ العَليمةَ بِأَعْمالِكَ والَّتي كانَت حاضِرةً حينَ صَنعتَ العالَم وهي عارِفةٌ ما المَرضِيُّ في عَينَيكَ والمُستَقيمُ بِحَسَبِ وَصاياكَ

فأَرسِلْها مِنَ السَّمواتِ المُقَدَّسة وٱبعَثْها مِن عَرشِ مَجدِكَ لِكَي تَقِفَ إِلى جانِبي وتَجِدَّ معي وأَعلَمَ ما المَرضِيُّ لَدَيكَ

فإِنَّها تَعلَمُ وتَفهَمُ كُلَّ شَيء فتَكونُ لي في أَفْعالي مُرشِدًا فَطينًا وبِمَجدِها تَحْميني

فتُصبِحُ أَعْمالي مَقْبولةً وأَحكُمُ لِشَعبِكَ بِالعَدْل وأَكونُ أَهْلًا لِعَرشِ أَبي

فأَيُّ إِنْسانٍ يَعلَمُ قَضاءَ الله أَو مَنِ الَّذي يَتَصَوَّرُ ما يُريدُ الرَّبّ؟

لِأَنَّ أَفْكارَ البَشَرِ مُتَرَدِّدة وخَواطِرَنا غَيرُ راسِخَة

فإِنَّ الجَسَدَ الفاسِدَ يُثَقِّلُ النَّفْس والخَيمَةَ التُّرابِيَّةَ عِبءٌ لِلعَقلِ الكَثيرِ الهُموم

ونَحنُ بِالجَهْدِ نَتَكَهَّنُ بِمَا على الأَرض وبِالكَدِّ نَهتَدي إِلى ما بَينَ أَيدينا فما في السَّمٰواتِ مَنِ الَّذي ٱكتَشَفَه؟

ومَنِ الَّذي عَلِمَ بِمَشيئَتِكَ لو لم تُؤتِ الحِكمة وتُرسِلْ مِنَ العُلى رُوحَكَ القُدُّوس؟

هٰكذا قُوِّمَت سُبُلُ الَّذينَ على الأَرض وتَعَلَّمَ النَّاسُ ما يُرضيكَ وبِالحِكمَةِ نالوا الخَلاص»

“O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy, who made all things by your word;

and by your wisdom you formed man, that he should have dominion over the creatures that were made by you,

and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and execute judgment in uprightness of soul,

give me wisdom, her who sits by you on your thrones. Don’t reject me from among your servants,

because I am your servant and the son of your handmaid, a weak and short-lived man, with little power to understand judgment and laws.

For even if a man is perfect among the sons of men, if the wisdom that comes from you is not with him, he will count for nothing.

You chose me to be king of your people, and a judge for your sons and daughters.

You gave a command to build a sanctuary on your holy mountain, and an altar in the city where you live, a copy of the holy tent which you prepared from the beginning.

Wisdom is with you and knows your works, and was present when you were making the world, and understands what is pleasing in your eyes, and what is right according to your commandments.

Send her from the holy heavens, and ask her to come from the throne of your glory, that being present with me she may work, and I may learn what pleases you well.

For she knows all things and understands, and she will guide me prudently in my actions. She will guard me in her glory.

So my works will be acceptible. I will judge your people righteously, and I will be worthy of my father’s throne.

For what man will know the counsel of God? Or who will conceive what the Lord wills?

For the thoughts of mortals are unstable, and our plans are prone to fail.

For a corruptible body weighs down the soul. The earthy tent burdens a mind that is full of cares.

We can hardly guess the things that are on earth, and we find the things that are close at hand with labor; but who has traced out the things that are in the heavens?

Who gained knowledge of your counsel, unless you gave wisdom, and sent your holy spirit from on high?

It was thus that the ways of those who are on earth were corrected, and men were taught the things that are pleasing to you. They were saved through wisdom.”