O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, the soul in distress and the spirit in anguish have cried unto Thee. Thou knowest where understanding is, and where strength is, and where discretion is, that Thou mayest also know where length of days and life is, and where light of eyes and peace is.

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy, for Thou art a merciful God. Have mercy, for we have sinned against Thee. And the children of Hagar also, that seek wisdom upon the earth, and the merchants of Meran and of Tema, and the speakers of parables, and the seekers of understanding, have not known the way of wisdom, neither have they remembered her paths. Great is He without limit, and high without measure. Who hath ascended into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds?

For Thou endurest forever, but we perish forever. Who hath passed over the sea, and found her, and bought her for pure gold? None knoweth her way, nor doth any discover her path. But He that knoweth all things, He knoweth her, and by His understanding hath He found her, even He that prepared the earth for evermore, and filled it with four-footed beasts. Who sendeth forth light, and it goeth; He calleth it, and it obeyeth Him with trembling.

Remember not the iniquities of our fathers, but remember Thy hand and Thy name in this time.

For Thou art the Lord our God, and Thee, O Lord, do we praise.

Because for this cause Thou didst put Thy fear in our hearts, that we should call upon Thy name. We praise Thee, for we have cast out of our hearts all the iniquity of our fathers, who sinned before Thee.

And behold, I am this day in captivity, where Thou hast scattered us for a reproach and a curse and a punishment for all the iniquities of our fathers, who turned away from the Lord our God.

Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life; give ear, and learn understanding.

Why, O Israel, why art thou in the land of thine enemies?

Thou art grown old in a strange country, thou art defiled with the dead, and art counted with them that go down into hell.

Thou hast forsaken the fountain of wisdom.

For if thou hadst walked in the way of God, thou shouldest have dwelt in peace for evermore.

Who hath found her place? or who hath come into her treasures?

Where are the princes of the nations, and they that rule over the beasts of the earth?

They that played with the fowls of the air,

And they that hoarded silver and gold, wherein men trust, and whose getting is without end, and who fashion silver with care, and are diligent in their searches?

They are vanished, and gone down to hell, and others are risen up in their stead.

Young men have seen light, and dwelt in the earth: but the way of discipline have they not known.

Neither have they understood her paths, neither have their children taken hold of it, and they have gone far from her way.

It hath not been heard of in Canaan, neither hath it been seen in Teman.

O Israel, how great is the house of God! and how large is the place of His possession!

There were the giants born, those famous men that were of great stature, and expert in war.

These did not the Lord choose, neither gave He them the way of discipline.

So they perished for want of wisdom; they perished through their foolishness.

The stars shined in their watches, and were glad.

He called them, and they said, Here we are; and they shined with cheerfulness unto Him that made them.

This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of Him.

He hath found out all the way of discipline, and hath given it unto Jacob His servant, and to Israel His beloved.

Afterward did He show Himself upon earth, and conversed with men.