Read & explore together
The royal teacher promises instruction and shares ordinary mortality
This wisdom passage promises a truthful explanation of wisdom, then reminds readers that even a king shares the same human beginning and end as everyone else.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
In the Catholic additional book Wisdom of Solomon, the speaker says he will make wisdom known without hiding the truth. He rejects envy, praises wise people and an understanding king, then describes his own ordinary human birth and mortality.
Wisdom of Solomon 6:22–7:6Main takeaway
The passage presents wisdom as open and truthful, and it humbles rulers by reminding them that all people share the same mortal life.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Wisdom brought into clear lightThe speaker promises to declare what wisdom is, explore her beginning, and bring knowledge into clear light.
Explanation
The speaker promises to declare what wisdom is, explore her beginning, and bring knowledge into clear light. He says he will not pass by the truth. The stress is on honest teaching, not hidden secrets or vague words.
02Envy does not belong with wisdomThe speaker refuses to travel with consuming envy because envy has no fellowship with wisdom.
Explanation
The speaker refuses to travel with consuming envy because envy has no fellowship with wisdom. He then shows wisdom’s value in public life: many wise people are salvation to the world, and an understanding king gives stability to his people. His instruction is meant to profit the hearers.
03The teacher shares ordinary human lifeThe speaker says he is mortal like everyone else. He speaks of being formed in the womb and born through ordinary human life.
Explanation
The speaker says he is mortal like everyone else. He speaks of being formed in the womb and born through ordinary human life. These details do not lift him above others. They underline that he shares the same human condition as the people he addresses.
04No king begins life differentlyThe speaker breathed the common air, fell on the earth, cried like everyone else, and was cared for in swaddling clothes.
Explanation
The speaker breathed the common air, fell on the earth, cried like everyone else, and was cared for in swaddling clothes. Then the point is stated plainly: no king had a different beginning. All people enter life in one shared way and face a common departure.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does the speaker promise to do with wisdom?
Notice the words about declaring wisdom, bringing it into clear light, and not passing by the truth.
02Why does the speaker reject envy?
The verse says envy has no fellowship with wisdom, unlike wise and understanding leadership that helps others.
03How does the passage show that a king is human like everyone else?
Look at the shared details of birth, crying, care in infancy, and the statement that no king had a different beginning.
Read the Bible passages
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Wisdom of Solomon 6:22–25
22But what wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will declare. I won’t hide mysteries from you; but I will explore from her first beginning, bring the knowledge of her into clear light, and I will not pass by the truth.
23Indeed, I won’t travel with consuming envy, because envy will have no fellowship with wisdom.
24But a multitude of wise men is salvation to the world, and an understanding king is stability for his people.
25Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.
Wisdom of Solomon 7:1–6
1I myself am also mortal, like everyone else, and am a descendant of one formed first and born of the earth.
2I molded into flesh in the time of ten months in my mother’s womb, being compacted in blood from the seed of man and pleasure of marriage.
3I also, when I was born, drew in the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth, uttering, like all, for my first voice, the same cry.
4I was nursed with care in swaddling clothes.
5For no king had a different beginning,
6but all men have one entrance into life, and a common departure.