17 And so I thought it over: to be wedded to Wisdom is to live for ever,
18 to love her is to be perfectly happy, to do her work is to be rich beyond measure, to share her company is to have sound judgement, to converse with her is to be honoured. Then I was determined to take Wisdom as my bride.
19 I had a pleasant personality, even as a child. I had been fortunate enough to receive a good soul, or rather, I was given a sound body to live in because I was already good.
20 Still, I realized that I would never receive Wisdom unless God gave her to me — and knowing that only God could give her to me was itself a sign of understanding. So I prayed, begging the Lord with all my heart: