Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei
“The word of God is the fountain of wisdom.”
Vulgate Bible, Ecclesiasticus 1:5
What does “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei” mean?
Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei translates as “The word of God is the fountain of wisdom.”
Wisdom flows from the word of God.
“Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Fons | fountain, spring | nominative singular masculine of fons, “spring, fountain”; the subject of the sentence |
| sapientiae | of wisdom | genitive singular feminine of sapientia, “wisdom”; “fountain of wisdom” |
| verbum | word | nominative singular neuter of verbum, “word”; the second noun naming the same thing (apposition) |
| Dei | of God | genitive singular masculine of Deus, “God”; “word of God” |
How to pronounce “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei”
The two differ in the ti of sapientiae (tee-eye in Classical, tsee-eh in Church Latin). Stress falls on the third syllable of sapientiae (-EN-) and the first of verbum and Dei.
The story behind it
Word for word the line reads “fountain of wisdom, word of God”. The two parts sit side by side with no verb, and the English translation turns them into one sentence: the word of God is the fountain of wisdom.
It comes from the Latin Vulgate version of the Book of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus, at chapter 1, verse 5. The book is a collection of wisdom teaching, and it opens by tracing all wisdom back to God.
Today the line is best known as a school and institutional motto. It is the motto of Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle, and it suits any setting that links learning with faith.
How to use “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei”
A natural fit for a school or study-group motto, a bookplate, a Bible inscription or a gift for a teacher. It also works as a tattoo or wall print for someone who sees faith as the source of understanding.
- Latin
- Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei
- English
- The word of God is the fountain of wisdom.
- Source
- Vulgate Bible, Ecclesiasticus 1:5
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- The Latin has no verb. Do not add est (“is”) unless you accept that you are changing the wording of the Vulgate line.
- Dei is the genitive of Deus and means “of God”. It is not a separate noun, so verbum Dei is “the word of God”, not “word, God”.
- Sapientiae ends in -ae because it is genitive (“of wisdom”). Writing sapientia would be a mistake.
- The line is a Vulgate phrase, not a classical Roman quotation, so do not credit it to an ancient author.
Questions about “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei”
What does “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei” mean literally?
Literally “fountain of wisdom, word of God”. The usual English rendering is “The word of God is the fountain of wisdom.”
Where does “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei” come from?
From the Latin Vulgate Bible, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 1:5. It is a wisdom text, and the line presents God’s word as the source of wisdom.
How do you pronounce “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei”?
In Classical Latin: fohns sah-pee-EN-tee-eye WEHR-boom DEH-ee. In Church Latin: fohns sah-pee-EN-tsee-eh WEHR-boom DEH-ee.
Is “Fons sapientiae, verbum Dei” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is taken from the Vulgate and is grammatically sound. Copy it exactly, including the comma and the genitive endings -ae and -i.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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