Ecclesiasticus 15

¹ He who fears the Lord will do this. He who has possession of the law will obtain her.

² She will meet him like a mother, and receive him like a wife married in her virginity.

³ She will feed him with bread of understanding and give him water of wisdom to drink.

⁴ He will be stayed upon her, and will not be moved. He will rely upon her, and will not be confounded.

⁵ She will exalt him above his neighbors. She will open his mouth in the midst of the congregation.

⁶ He will inherit joy, a crown of gladness, and an everlasting name.

⁷ Foolish men will not obtain her. Sinners will not see her.

⁸ She is far from pride. Liars will not remember her.

⁹ Praise is not attractive in the mouth of a sinner; for it was not sent to him from the Lord.

¹⁰ For praise will be spoken in wisdom; The Lord will prosper it.

¹¹ Don’t say, “It is through the Lord that I fell away;” for you shall not do the things that he hates.

¹² Don’t say, “It is he that caused me to err;” for he has no need of a sinful man.

¹³ The Lord hates every abomination; and those who fear him don’t love them.

¹⁴ He himself made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his own counsel.

¹⁵ If you choose, you can keep the commandments. To be faithful is a matter of your choice.

¹⁶ He has set fire and water before you. You will stretch forth your hand to whichever you desire.

¹⁷ Before man is life and death. Whichever he likes, it will be given to him.

¹⁸ For the wisdom of the Lord is great. He is mighty in power, and sees all things.

¹⁹ His eyes are upon those who fear him. He knows every act of man.

²⁰ He has not commanded any man to be ungodly. He has not given any man license to sin.

¹ HHe that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her,

² And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

³ With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved.

⁴ And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours.

⁵ And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory.

⁶ She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

⁷ But foolish men shall not obtain her, and wise men shall meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit.

⁸ Lying men shall be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight of God.

⁹ Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner:

¹⁰ For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it.

¹¹ Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for do not thou the things that he hateth.

¹² Say not: He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of wicked men.

¹³ The Lord hateth all abomination of error, and they that fear him shall not love it.

¹⁴ God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel.

¹⁵ He added his commandments and precepts.

¹⁶ If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee.

¹⁷ He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to which thou wilt.

¹⁸ Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall choose shall be given him:

¹⁹ For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power, seeing all men without ceasing.

²⁰ The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and he knoweth al the work of man.

²¹ He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man license to sin;

²² For he desireth not a multitude of faithless and unprofitable children.