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97  Lord, how I love your law! ♦︎
   All the day long it is my study.
98  Your commandments have made me wiser than my enemies, ♦︎
   for they are ever with me.
99  I have more understanding than all my teachers, ♦︎
   for your testimonies are my meditation.
100  I am wiser than the aged, ♦︎
   because I keep your commandments.
101  I restrain my feet from every evil way, ♦︎
   that I may keep your word.
102  I have not turned aside from your judgements, ♦︎
   for you have been my teacher.
103  How sweet are your words on my tongue! ♦︎
   They are sweeter than honey to my mouth.
104  Through your commandments I get understanding; ♦︎
   therefore I hate all lying ways.

Wisdom’s Feast

9Wisdom has built her house,
   she has hewn her seven pillars.
² She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
   she has also set her table.
³ She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
   from the highest places in the town,
⁴ ‘You that are simple, turn in here!’
   To those without sense she says,
⁵ ‘Come, eat of my bread
   and drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶ Lay aside immaturity,^* and live,
   and walk in the way of insight.’

General Maxims

⁷ Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;
   whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.
⁸ A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you;
   the wise, when rebuked, will love you.
⁹ Give instruction^* to the wise, and they will become wiser still;
   teach the righteous and they will gain in learning.
¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
   and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹ For by me your days will be multiplied,
   and years will be added to your life.
¹² If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
   if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Folly’s Invitation and Promise

¹³ The foolish woman is loud;
   she is ignorant and knows nothing.
¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,
   on a seat at the high places of the town,
¹⁵ calling to those who pass by,
   who are going straight on their way,
¹⁶ ‘You who are simple, turn in here!’
   And to those without sense she says,
¹⁷ ‘Stolen water is sweet,
   and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’
¹⁸ But they do not know that the dead^* are there,
   that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Christ Our Advocate

2My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; ²and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. ⁴Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him’, but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; ⁵but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: ⁶whoever says, ‘I abide in him’, ought to walk just as he walked.