Prayer for Understanding

1 And I begged the Mighty One, and said: You alone, O Lord, know previously the deep things of the world, And the things which happen in their times You bring about by Your word, And against the works of the inhabitants of the earth You hurry the beginnings of the times, And the end of the seasons You alone know. 2 You for whom nothing is too hard, But who do everything easily by a nod: 3 You to whom the depths come as the heights, And whose word the beginnings of the ages serve: 4 You who reveal to those who fear You what is prepared for them, That from now on they may be comforted. 5 You show great acts to those who do not know; You break up the enclosure of those who are ignorant, And light up what is dark, And reveal what is hidden to the pure, who in faith have submitted themselves to You and Your law. 6 You have shown to Your servant this vision; Reveal to me also its interpretation. 7 For I know that as regards those things in which I begged You, I have received a response, And as regards what I begged, You did reveal to me with what voice I should praise You, And from what members I should cause praises and hallelujahs to ascend to You. 8 For if my members were mouths, And the hairs of my head voices, Even so I could not give You the portion of praise, Nor extol You as is fitting, Nor could I recount Your praise, Nor tell the glory of Your beauty. 9 For what am I among men, Or why am I reckoned among those who are more excellent than I, That I have heard all these marvelous things from the Most High, And countless promises from Him who created me? 10 Blessed be my mother among those that bear, And praised among women be she who bore me. 11 For I will not be silent in praising the Mighty One, And with the voice of praise I will recount His marvellous deeds. 12 For who does things like Your marvellous deeds, O God, Or who comprehends Your deep thought of life. 13 For with Your counsel You govern all the creatures which Your right hand has created, And You have established every fountain of light beside You, And the treasures of wisdom beneath Your throne You have prepared. 14 And justly do they perish who have not loved Your law, And the torment of judgement shall await those who have not submitted themselves to Your power. 15 For though Adam first sinned And brought untimely death upon all, Yet of those who were born from him Each one of them has prepared for his own soul torment to come, And again each one of them has chosen for himself glories to come.⁠a 16 For surely he who believes will receive reward. 17 But now, as for you, you wicked that now are, turn yourselves to destruction, because you shall soon be visited, in that previously you rejected the understanding of the Most High. 18 For His works have not taught you, Nor has the skill of His creation which is at all times persuaded you. 19 Adam is therefore not the cause, save only of his own soul, But each of us has been the Adam of his own soul.⁠b 20 But do You, O Lord, explain to me regarding those things which You have revealed to me, And inform me regarding that which I begged You. 21 For at the consummation of the world vengeance shall be taken upon those who have done wickedness according to their wickedness, And You will glorify the faithful according to their faithfulness. 22 For those who are among Your own You rule, And those who sin You blot out from among Your own.’