1. “God of my ancestors, merciful Lord, by your word you created everything.
2. By your Wisdom you made the human race to rule all creation,
3. to govern the world with holiness and righteousness, to administer justice with integrity.
4. Give me the Wisdom that sits beside your throne; give me a place among your children.
5. I am your slave, as was my mother before me. I am only human. I am not strong, and my life will be short. I have little understanding of the Law or of how to apply it.
6. Even if someone is perfect, he will be thought of as nothing without the Wisdom that comes from you.
7. You chose me rather than anyone else to be the king of your own people, to judge your sons and daughters.
8. You told me to build a temple on your sacred mountain, an altar in Jerusalem, the city you chose as your home. It is a copy of that temple in heaven, which you prepared at the beginning.