Verse 1
Happy the man, who finds the grace,
The blessing of God’s chosen race,
The wisdom coming from above,
The faith that sweetly works by love.
Verse 2
Happy beyond description he,
Who knows, the Saviour died for me,
The gift unspeakable obtains,
And heav’nly understanding gains.
Verse 3
Wisdom divine! Who tells the price
Of wisdom’s costly merchandize!
Wisdom to silver we prefer,
And gold is dross, compar’d to her.
Verse 4
Better she is than richest mines,
All earthly treasures she outshines,
Her value above rubies is,
And precious pearls are vile to this.
Verse 5
Whate’er thy heart can wish, is poor
To wisdom’s all-sufficient store:
Pleasure, and fame, and health, and friends,
She all created good transcends.
Verse 6
Her hands are fill’d with length of days,
True riches, and immortal praise,
Riches of Christ on all bestow’d,
And honour, that descends from God.
Verse 7
To purest joys she all invites,
Chaste, holy, spiritual delights:
Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her flowery paths are peace.
Verse 8
He finds, who wisdom apprehends,
A life begun that never ends,
The tree of life divine she is,
Set in the midst of paradise.
Verse 9
Happy the man who wisdom gains,
Thrice happy who his guest retains,
He owns, and shall for ever own
Wisdom, and Christ, and heaven are one.