3 And now, Lord Almighty, God of Israel, a soul in anguishes, and a spirit annoyed (or harmed), crieth to thee. [And now, Lord God of Israel, the soul in anguishes, and the spirit tormented, crieth to thee.]
2 Lord, hear thou, and have mercy, for thou art merciful God [or Hear, Lord, and have mercy, for God thou art merciful]; and have thou mercy on us, for we have sinned before thee,
3 (for) thou sittest without end, and we shall not perish without end.
4 Lord God Almighty, God of Israel, hear thou now the prayer of the dead men of Israel, and of the sons of them, that (have) sinned before thee, and heard not the voice of their Lord God, and evils be fastened to us. [Lord God Almighty, God of Israel, hear now the orison of the dead men of Israel, and of the sons of them, for they have sinned before thee, and they heard not the voice of the Lord their God, and joined be to us evils.]
5 Do not thou have mind on the wickedness of our fathers, but have thou mind on thine hand, and on thy name, in this time;
6 for thou art our Lord God, and, Lord, we shall praise thee. [for thou art (the) Lord our God, and we shall praise thee, Lord.]
7 For why for this thing thou hast given thy dread in our hearts, (so) that we call (on) thy name to (or for) help, and praise thee in our captivity; for we shall be converted from the wickedness of our fathers, that sinned against thee. [For that thou hast given thy dread in our hearts, that we inwardly call thy name, and praise thee in our captivity; for we shall be turned from the wickedness of our fathers, that sinned in thee.]
8 And lo! we be in our captivity today, whither thou scatteredest us, into shame, and into cursing, and into sin, by all the wickedness of our fathers, that went away from thee, thou our Lord God. [And lo! we in our captivity be today, that us thou hast scattered, into reproof, and into cursing, and into sin, after all the wickednesses of our fathers, that went away from thee, Lord our God.]
9 Israel, hear thou the commandments of life; perceive thou with ears, (so) that thou know prudence. [Hear thou, Israel, the commandments of life; with ears perceive, that thou know prudence.]
10 Israel, what (or why) is it [or What (or Why) is (it), Israel], that thou art in the land of (thy) enemies? Thou waxedest eld in an alien land, thou art defouled with dead men,
11 (and) thou art areckoned with them, that go down into hell (or into the grave)?
12 Thou hast forsaken the well of wisdom;
13 for why if thou haddest gone in the ways of God, soothly thou haddest dwelled in peace on (the) earth. [for if in the ways of God thou haddest gone, thou shouldest have dwelled forsooth in peace upon earth.]
14 Learn thou, where is wisdom, where is prudence, where is virtue, where is understanding, (so) that thou know (al)together, where is long (en)during of life, [or where be long abiding of life], and lifelode, (or livelihood), (and) where is (the) light of (the) eyes, and peace.
15 Who found the place thereof, and who entered into the treasures thereof? [Who found his place? who entered into his treasures?]
16 Where be the princes of (the) heathen men, and that be lords over the beasts, that be on (the) earth?
17 Which played with the birds of heaven; which treasure silver and gold, in which men trust, and none end is [or and there is none end] of the purchasing of them?
18 Which make silver, and be busy, and no finding is of their works? [That forge silver, and be busy, nor there is finding of the works of them?]
19 They be destroyed, and went down to hells, [or to hell], (or to the grave); and other men rose (up) in the place of them.
20 The young men of them saw light, and dwelled on (the) earth. But they knew not the way of wisdom, [The young men of them saw light, and dwelt on earth. Soothly they knew not the way of discipline,]
21 neither understood the paths thereof [or neither understood the paths of it]; neither the sons of them received it. It was made far from the face of them;
22 it is not heard (of) in the land of Canaan, neither [it] is seen in Teman.
23 Also the sons of Hagar, that sought out prudence which is of (or on) (the) earth, the merchants of (the) earth, and of Teman, and the tale tellers [or the fablers, or janglers], and seekers out of prudence, and of understanding. But they knew not the way of wisdom, neither had mind on the paths thereof.
24 O! Israel, the house of God is full great, and the place of his possession is great; [O! Israel, how great is the house of God, and how great (is) the place of his possession;]
25 it is great and hath none end, high and great without measure. [great and not having end, high and without measure great.]
26 (The) Named giants were there; they that were of great stature at the beginning, and knew battle. [There were (the) named giants; those that from the beginning were in great stature, witting (in) battle.]
27 The Lord chose not these, neither they found the way of wisdom [or of discipline]; therefore they perished.
28 And for they had not wisdom, they perished for their unwisdom.
29 Who ascended, or went up, into heaven, and took that wisdom, and brought it down from the clouds?
30 Who (hath) passed over the sea, and found it, and brought it more than chosen gold?
31 None is, that may know the way thereof, neither that seeketh (out) the paths thereof; [There is not, that may know the way thereof, neither that seeketh out the paths thereof;]
32 but he that have all things [or but he that knoweth all things], knew it, and found it by his prudence. Which made ready the earth in everlasting time, and filled it with two-footed beasts, and (with) four-footed beasts.
33 Which sendeth out (the) light, and it goeth, and called it (again); and it obeyeth to him in trembling.
34 Forsooth (the) stars gave light in their keepings, and were glad; those were called, and those said, We be present; and those shined to him with mirth, that made those. [Forsooth stars gave light in their keepings, and gladded; they be called, and they said, We come to (thee); and they shined to him with mirth, that made them.]
35 This is our God, and none other shall be guessed against him.
36 (He) This found each way of wisdom, and gave it to Jacob, his child (or his servant), and to Israel, his darling. [He this found all way of discipline, and betook to Jacob, his child, and to Israel, his dearworth.]
37 After these things he was seen in lands [or in earth’s (or upon the earth)], and lived with men.