8The end of something is better than its beginning ,
patience of spirit is better than the pride of spirit.
9Don’t be quick in your spirit to be exasperated,
because anger settles in the bosom of fools.
10Don’t say, ‘How is it
that the earlier days were better than these’,
because it’s not out of wisdom that you ask this.
11Wisdom is good, like an inheritance,
and something valuable to people who see the sun.
12Because as wisdom shades,
so silver shades.
But the value of knowledge
is that wisdom keeps its masters alive.
13See God’s activity,
because who is able to straighten what he has twisted?
14In the day of good, be in the good things,
and in the day when things are bad, see:
God made both this one as well as that one,
with the result that a person cannot find out
anything (that comes) after them.
O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.
Gertrude the Great