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39He seeks out the wisdom of all the ancients,
   and is concerned with prophecies;
² he preserves the sayings of the famous
   and penetrates the subtleties of parables;
³ he seeks out the hidden meanings of proverbs
   and is at home with the obscurities of parables.
⁴ He serves among the great
   and appears before rulers;
he travels in foreign lands
   and learns what is good and evil in the human lot.
⁵ He sets his heart on rising early
   to seek the Lord who made him,
   and to petition the Most High;
he opens his mouth in prayer
   and asks pardon for his sins.

⁶ If the great Lord is willing,
   he will be filled with the spirit of understanding;
he will pour forth words of wisdom of his own
   and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.
⁷ The Lord^* will direct his counsel and knowledge,
   as he meditates on his mysteries.
⁸ He will show the wisdom of what he has learned,
   and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.
⁹ Many will praise his understanding;
   it will never be blotted out.
His memory will not disappear,
   and his name will live through all generations.
¹⁰ Nations will speak of his wisdom,
   and the congregation will proclaim his praise.
¹¹ If he lives long, he will leave a name greater than a thousand,
   and if he goes to rest, it is enough^* for him.

A Hymn of Praise to God

¹² I have more on my mind to express;
   I am full like the full moon.
¹³ Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom
   like a rose growing by a stream of water.
¹⁴ Send out fragrance like incense,
   and put forth blossoms like a lily.
Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise;
   bless the Lord for all his works.
¹⁵ Ascribe majesty to his name
   and give thanks to him with praise,
with songs on your lips, and with harps;
   this is what you shall say in thanksgiving:

¹⁶ ‘All the works of the Lord are very good,
   and whatever he commands will be done at the appointed time.
¹⁷ No one can say, “What is this?” or “Why is that?”—
   for at the appointed time all such questions will be answered.
At his word the waters stood in a heap,
   and the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.
¹⁸ When he commands, his every purpose is fulfilled,
   and none can limit his saving power.
¹⁹ The works of all are before him,
   and nothing can be hidden from his eyes.
²⁰ From the beginning to the end of time he can see everything,
   and nothing is too marvellous for him.
²¹ No one can say, “What is this?” or “Why is that?”—
   for everything has been created for its own purpose.

²² ‘His blessing covers the dry land like a river,
   and drenches it like a flood.
²³ But his wrath drives out the nations,
   as when he turned a watered land into salt.
²⁴ To the faithful his ways are straight,
   but full of pitfalls for the wicked.
²⁵ From the beginning good things were created for the good,
   but for sinners good things and bad.^*
26 The basic necessities of human life
   are water and fire and iron and salt
and wheat flour and milk and honey,
   the blood of the grape and oil and clothing.
²⁷ All these are good for the godly,
   but for sinners they turn into evils.

²⁸ ‘There are winds created for vengeance,
   and in their anger they can dislodge mountains;^*
on the day of reckoning they will pour out their strength
   and calm the anger of their Maker.
²⁹ Fire and hail and famine and pestilence,
   all these have been created for vengeance;
³⁰ the fangs of wild animals and scorpions and vipers,
   and the sword that punishes the ungodly with destruction.
³¹ They take delight in doing his bidding,
   always ready for his service on earth;
   and when their time comes they never disobey his command.’

³² So from the beginning I have been convinced of all this
   and have thought it out and left it in writing:
³³ All the works of the Lord are good,
   and he will supply every need in its time.
³⁴ No one can say, ‘This is not as good as that’,
   for everything proves good in its appointed time.
³⁵ So now sing praise with all your heart and voice,
   and bless the name of the Lord.