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Error of the Wicked

²¹ Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray,
for their wickedness blinded them,
²² and they did not know the secret purposes of God,
nor hoped for the wages of holiness,
nor discerned the prize for blameless souls;
²³ for God created us for incorruption,
and made us in the image of his own eternity,^*
24 but through the devil’s envy death entered the world,
and those who belong to his company experience it.

The Destiny of the Righteous

3But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
² In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
³ and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
⁴ For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
⁵ Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
⁶ like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt-offering he accepted them.
⁷ In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
⁸ They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them for ever.
⁹ Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect.^*

The Value of Wisdom

2My child, if you accept my words
   and treasure up my commandments within you,
² making your ear attentive to wisdom
   and inclining your heart to understanding;
³ if you indeed cry out for insight,
   and raise your voice for understanding;
⁴ if you seek it like silver,
   and search for it as for hidden treasures—
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the Lord
   and find the knowledge of God.
⁶ For the Lord gives wisdom;
   from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
⁷ he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
   he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
⁸ guarding the paths of justice
   and preserving the way of his faithful ones.
⁹ Then you will understand righteousness and justice
   and equity, every good path;
¹⁰ for wisdom will come into your heart,
   and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
¹¹ prudence will watch over you;
   and understanding will guard you.
¹² It will save you from the way of evil,
   from those who speak perversely,
¹³ who forsake the paths of uprightness
   to walk in the ways of darkness,
¹⁴ who rejoice in doing evil
   and delight in the perverseness of evil;
¹⁵ those whose paths are crooked,
   and who are devious in their ways.

¹⁶ You will be saved from the loose^* woman,
   from the adulteress with her smooth words,
¹⁷ who forsakes the partner of her youth
   and forgets her sacred covenant;
¹⁸ for her way^* leads down to death,
   and her paths to the shades;
¹⁹ those who go to her never come back,
   nor do they regain the paths of life.

²⁰ Therefore walk in the way of the good,
   and keep to the paths of the just.
²¹ For the upright will abide in the land,
   and the innocent will remain in it;
²² but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
   and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.