Therefore no man that utters unrighteous things will be unseen; Neither will Justice, when it convicts, pass him by.
For in the midst of his counsels the ungodly will be searched out; And the sound of his words will come to the Lord To bring to conviction his lawless deeds:
Because there is an ear of jealousy that listens to all things, And the noise of murmurings is not hid.
Beware then of unprofitable murmuring, And refrain your tongue from backbiting; Because no secret utterance will go on its way void, And a mouth that belies destroys a soul.
He professes to have knowledge of God, And names himself servant of the Lord.
He became to us a reproof of our thoughts.
Let us see if his words be true, And let us try what shall befall in the ending of his life.
They that trust on him will understand truth, And the faithful will abide with him in love; Because grace and mercy are to his chosen.
When it is present, men imitate it; And they long after it when it is departed: And throughout all time it marcheth crowned in triumph, Victorious in the strife for the prizes that are undefiled.
Verily we went astray from the way of truth, And the light of righteousness shined not for us, And the sun rose not for us.
He will put on righteousness as a breastplate, And will array himself with judgement unfeigned as with a helmet;
Because your dominion was given you from the Lord, And your sovereignty from the Most High; Who will search out your works, And will make inquisition of your counsels:
Because being officers of his kingdom you⌃ did not judge aright, Neither kept you⌃ law, nor walked after the counsel of God.
To you therefore, O princes, are my words, That you⌃ may learn wisdom and fall not from the right way.
Wisdom is radiant and fades not away; And easily is she saw those who love her, And found of those who seek her.
But what wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will declare, And I will not hide mysteries from you; But I will trace her out from the beginning of creation, And bring the knowledge of her into clear light, And I will not pass by the truth;
Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, Because all the gold of the earth in her presence is a little sand, And silver will be accounted as clay before her.
Beneficent, loving toward man, Stedfast, sure, free from care, All-powerful, all-surveying, And penetrating through all spirits That are quick of understanding, pure, most subtle:
For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; Yes, she pervadeth and penetrateth all things by reason of her pureness.
And she, being one, has power to do all things; And remaining in herself, reneweth all things: And from generation to generation passing into holy souls She makes men friends of God and prophets.
For she is fairer than the sun, And above all the constellations of the stars: Being compared with light, she is found to be before it;
But she reaches from one end of the world to the other with full strength, And ordereth all things graciously.
And it was thus that the ways of them which are on earth were corrected, And men were taught the things that are pleasing to you; And through wisdom were they saved.
For your incorruptible spirit is in all things.
For when men believe not that you are perfect in power, you show your strength, And in dealing with those who know it you put their boldness to confusion.
For through the sufferings whereat they were indignant, Being punished in these creatures which they supposed to be gods, They saw, and recognized as the true God him whom before they refused to know: Wherefore also the last end of condemnation came upon them.
For verily all men by nature were but vain who had no perception of God, And from the good things that are seen they gained not power to know him that is, Neither by giving heed to the works did they recognize the architect;
But you, our God, are gracious and true, Longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things.
He will hide his words for a season, And the lips of many will tell forth his understanding.
Disobey not the fear of the Lord; And come not to him with a double heart.
Be not a hypocrite in the mouths of men; And take good heed to your lips.
The things that have been commanded you, think thereupon; For you have no need of the things that are secret.
Accept not the person of any against your soul; And reverence no man to your falling.
Refrain not speech, when it tendeth to safety; And hide not your wisdom for the sake of fair-seeming.
For by speech wisdom will be known; And instruction by the word of the tongue.
Speak not against the truth; And be abashed for your ignorance.
Strive for the truth to death, and the Lord God will fight for you.
Winnow not with every wind, And walk not in every path: Thus does the sinner that has a double tongue.
Be stedfast in your understanding; And let your word be one.
If you have understanding, answer your neighbor; And if not, let your hand be upon your mouth.
Glory and dishonor is in talk: And the tongue of a man is his fall.
Be not called a whisperer; And lie not in wait with your tongue: For upon the thief there is shame, And an evil condemnation upon him that has a double tongue.
Devise not a lie against your brother; Neither do the like to a friend.
Love not to make any manner of lie; For the custom thereof is not for good.
Let your converse be with men of understanding; And let all your discourse be in the law of the Most High.
A man full of tongue is dangerous in his city; And he that is headlong in his speech will be hated.
Blame not before you have examined: Understand first, and then rebuke.
Affect not to speak with him as an equal, And believe not his many words: For with much talk will he try you, And in a smiling manner will search you out.
He that keeps not to himself words spoken is unmerciful; And he will not spare to hurt and to bind.
She is far from pride; And liars will not remember her.
He has set fire and water before you: You will stretch forth your hand to whichever you will.
For great is the wisdom of the Lord: He is mighty in power, and sees all things;
I will show forth instruction by weight, And declare knowledge exactly.
Their ways are ever before him; They will not be hid from his eyes.
All their works are as the sun before him; And his eyes are continually upon their ways.
The Lord alone will be justified.
Never repeat what is told you, And you will fare never the worse.
Whether it be of friend or foe, tell it not; And unless it is a sin to you, reveal it not.
Hast you heard a word? let it die with you: Be of good courage, it will not burst you.
Reprove a friend; it may be he did it not: And if he did something, that he may do it no more.
Reprove your neighbor; it may be he said it not: And if he has said it, that he may not say it again.
Reprove a friend; for many times there is slander: And trust not every word.
Reprove your neighbor before you threaten him; And give place to the law of the Most High.
There is an exquisite subtlety, and the same is unjust; And there is one that perverteth favor to gain a judgement.
Bowing down his face, and making as if he were deaf of one ear: Where he is not known, he will be beforehand with you.
He that uses many words will be abhorred; And he that takes to himself authority therein will be hated.
A slip on a pavement is better than a slip with the tongue; So the fall of the wicked will come speedily.
A wise sentence from a fool’s mouth will be rejected; For he will not speak it in its season.
There is that for bashfulness promises to his friend; And he makes him his enemy for nothing.
A lie is a foul blot in a man: It will be continually in the mouth of the ignorant.
The disposition of a liar is dishonor; And his shame is with him continually.
He that is wise in words will advance himself; And one that is prudent will please great men.
Presents and gifts blind the eyes of the wise, And as a muzzle on the mouth, turn away reproofs.
Better is a man that hides his folly Than a man that hides his wisdom.
The knowledge of a wise man will be made to abound as a flood; And his counsel as a fountain of life.
The lips of strangers will be grieved at these things; But the words of prudent men will be weighed in the balance.
If you have opened your mouth against a friend, fear not; For there may be a reconciling; Except it be for upbraiding, and arrogance, and disclosing of a secret, and a treacherous blow: For these things every friend will flee.
The sinner will be overtaken in his lips; And the reviler and the proud man will stumble therein.
There is a manner of speech that is clothed about with death: Let it not be found in the heritage of Jacob; For all these things will be far from the godly, And they will not wallow in sins.
—And the eyes of men are his terror, And he knows not that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the sun, Beholding all the ways of men, And looking into secret places.
Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment; And he that created me made my tabernacle to rest, And said, Let your tabernacle be in Jacob, And your inheritance in Israel.
The first man knew her not perfectly; And in like manner the last has not traced her out.
I will yet bring instruction to light as the morning, And will make these things to shine forth afar off.
I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, And leave it to generations of ages.
Praise no man before you hear him reason; For this is the trial of men.
Birds will resort to their like; And truth will return to those who practise her.
The discourse of a godly man is always wisdom: But the foolish man changes as the moon.
The talk of a man of many oaths will make the hair stand upright; And their strife makes one stop his ears.
He that reveals secrets destroys credit, And will not find a friend to his mind.
Love a friend, and keep faith with him: But if you reveal his secrets, You shall not pursue after him;
For a wound may be bound up, and after reviling there may be a reconcilement; But he that reveals secrets has lost hope.
When you are present, he will speak sweetly, And will admire your words; But afterward he will writhe his mouth, And set a trap for you in your words.
One that casts a stone on high casts it on his own head; And a deceitful stroke will open wounds.
Curse the whisperer and double-tongued: For he has destroyed many that were at peace.
A third person’s tongue has shaken many, And dispersed them from nation to nation; And it has pulled down strong cities, And overthrown the houses of great men.
The stroke of a whip makes a mark in the flesh; But the stroke of a tongue will break bones.
Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: Yet not so many as those who have fallen because of the tongue.
And make a balance and a weight for your words; And make a door and a bar for your mouth.
Hear me, my son, and despise me not, And at the last you shall find my words true: In all your works be quick, And no disease shall come to you.
He that seeks the law shall be filled therewith: But the hypocrite shall stumble thereat.












