2 I louede this wisdom maad, and Y souyte it out fro my yongthe; and Y souyte to take it a spousesse to me, and Y am maad a louyere of the fairnesse therof.3 He that hath the felouschip of God, glorifieth the gentilnesse therof; but also the Lord of alle thingis louede it.4 For it is the techeresse of the lernyng of God, and cheseresse of hise werkis.5 And if richessis ben coueitid in lijf, what is richere than wisdom, that worchith alle thingis?6 Sotheli if wit worchith, who is a crafti maker more than wisdom, of these thingis that ben?7 And if a man loueth riytfulnesse, the trauels of this wisdom han grete vertues; for it techith sobrenesse, and prudence, and riytfulnesse, and vertu; and no thing is profitablere than these in lijf to men.8 And if a man desirith multitude of kunnyng, wisdom knowith thingis passid, and gessith of thingis to comynge; it kan the felnessis of wordis, and asoilyngis of argumentis; it kan signes and schewyngis of thingis to comynge, bifore that tho ben maad; and the bifallyngis of tymes and of worldus.9 Therfor Y purposide to brynge to me this wisdom, to lyue togidere; witynge that it schal comyne with me of goodis, and spekyng togidere of my thouyt, and of myn anoi schal be.10 For this wisdom Y schal haue clerenesse at cumpenyes, and onour at eldre men;11 Y schal be foundun yong and scharp in doom, and in the siyt of myyti men Y schal be wondurful, and the faces of princes schulen worschipe me.12 Thei schulen abide me, beynge stille, and thei schulen biholde me, spekynge; and the while I speke many thingis, thei schulen sette hondis on her mouth.13 Ferthermore bi this wisdom Y schal haue vndedlynesse; and Y schal leeue euerlastynge mynde to hem, that schulen come aftir me.14 I schal dispose puplis; and naciouns schulen be suget to me.15 Hidouse kyngis herynge me schulen drede; and in multitude Y schal be seyn good, and strong in batel.16 Y schal entre in to myn hous, and Y schal reste with wisdom; for the conuersacioun therof hath no bitternesse, and the dwellynge togidere therof hath noon anoye, but gladnesse and ioye.17 Y thouyte these thingis at me, and Y remembride in myn herte; forwhi wisdom is vndeedli in thouyt,18 and good delityng is in the frendschipe therof; and onestee without defaute is in the werkis of hondis therof; and wisdom is in the strijf of speche therof; and greet clerenesse is in the comyning of wordis therof; Y yede aboute, sekinge to take wisdom to me.19 Forsothe Y was a witti child, and Y gat a good soule.20 And whanne Y was more good, Y cam to a bodi vndefoulid.21 And as Y knew, that ellis Y mai not be chaste, no but God yyue, and this same thing was wisdom, to wite whos this yifte was; Y yede to the Lord, and Y bisouyte hym, and Y seide, of alle myn entralis.