1 If you fear the Lord, you will do this. Master his Law, and you will find Wisdom. 2 She will come to welcome you, like a mother or a young bride. 3 She will give you wisdom and knowledge like food and drink. 4 Rely on her for support, and you will never know the disgrace of failure. 5 She will make you more honored than all your neighbors; when you speak in the assembly, she will give you the right words. 6 You will find happiness and genuine joy; your name will be remembered forever.
7 But people who are foolish or sinful will never even catch sight of Wisdom. 8 She will have nothing to do with conceited people; she never enters the mind of liars. 9 It is not appropriate for a sinner to sing hymns of praise, because his worship is insincere. 10 A hymn should be an expression of wisdom, inspired by the Lord himself.
Free Will
11 Don't blame the Lord for your sin; the Lord does not cause what he hates. 12 Don't claim that he has misled you; he doesn't need the help of sinners to accomplish his purposes. 13 The Lord hates evil in all its forms, and those who fear the Lord find nothing attractive in evil. 14 When, in the beginning, the Lord created human beings, he left them free to do as they wished. 15 If you want to, you can keep the Lord's commands. You can decide whether you will be loyal to him or not. 16 He has placed fire and water before you; reach out and take whichever you want. 17 You have a choice between life and death; you will get whichever you choose. 18 The Lord's wisdom and power are great and he sees everything. 19 He is aware of everything a person does, and he takes care of those who fear him. 20 He has never commanded anyone to be wicked or given anyone permission to sin.
1 He that feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.
2 And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.
3 With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
4 He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.
5 She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.
6 He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.
7 But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.
8 For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.
9 Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.
10 For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.
11 Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.
12 Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.
13 The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.
14 He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;
15 If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.
16 He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.
17 Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.
18 For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:
19 And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.
20 He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.