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17 all good giving and every perfect gift[a] is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:17 All good giving and every perfect gift may be a proverb written in hexameter. Father of lights: God is here called the Father of the heavenly luminaries, i.e., the stars, sun, and moon that he created (Gn 1:14–18). Unlike orbs moving from nadir to zenith, he never changes or diminishes in brightness.

22     for Wisdom, the artisan of all, taught me.(A)

Nature and Incomparable Dignity of Wisdom

[a] For in her is a spirit
    intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
    clear, unstained, certain,
Never harmful, loving the good, keen,(B)
23     unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
    all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
    though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:22b–23 The twenty-one (7 × 3) attributes of the spirit in Wisdom reflect the influence of contemporary philosophy, especially the Stoa, but the personification rests also on Prv 8:22–31 and Sir 24.