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17The Lord created human beings out of earth,
   and makes them return to it again.
² He gave them a fixed number of days,
   but granted them authority over everything on the earth.^*
3 He endowed them with strength like his own,^*
   and made them in his own image.
⁴ He put the fear of them^* in all living beings,
   and gave them dominion over beasts and birds.^*
6 Discretion and tongue and eyes,
   ears and a mind for thinking he gave them.
⁷ He filled them with knowledge and understanding,
   and showed them good and evil.
⁸ He put the fear of him into^* their hearts
   to show them the majesty of his works.^*
10 And they will praise his holy name,
⁹   to proclaim the grandeur of his works.
¹¹ He bestowed knowledge upon them,
   and allotted to them the law of life.^*
12 He established with them an eternal covenant,
   and revealed to them his decrees.
¹³ Their eyes saw his glorious majesty,
   and their ears heard the glory of his voice.
¹⁴ He said to them, ‘Beware of all evil.’
   And he gave commandment to each of them concerning a neighbour.
¹⁵ Their ways are always known to him;
   they will not be hid from his eyes.^*
17 He appointed a ruler for every nation,
   but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.^*
19 All their works are as clear as the sun before him,
   and his eyes are ever upon their ways.
²⁰ Their iniquities are not hidden from him,
   and all their sins are before the Lord.^*
22 One’s almsgiving is like a signet ring with the Lord,^*
   and he will keep a person’s kindness like the apple of his eye.^*
23 Afterwards he will rise up and repay them,
   and he will bring their recompense on their heads.
²⁴ Yet to those who repent he grants a return,
   and he encourages those who are losing hope.

A Call to Repentance

²⁵ Turn back to the Lord and forsake your sins;
   pray in his presence and lessen your offence.
²⁶ Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity,^*
   and hate intensely what he abhors.
²⁷ Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades
   in place of the living who give thanks?
²⁸ From the dead, as from one who does not exist, thanksgiving has ceased;
   those who are alive and well sing the Lord’s praises.
²⁹ How great is the mercy of the Lord,
   and his forgiveness for those who return to him!
³⁰ For not everything is within human capability,
   since human beings are not immortal.
³¹ What is brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed.
   So flesh and blood devise evil.
³² He marshals the host of the height of heaven;
   but all human beings are dust and ashes.