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⁶ For children born of unlawful unions
are witnesses of evil against their parents when God examines them.^*
7 But the righteous, though they die early, will be at rest.
⁸ For old age is not honoured for length of time,
or measured by number of years;
⁹ but understanding is grey hair for anyone,
and a blameless life is ripe old age.

¹⁰ There were some who pleased God and were loved by him,
and while living among sinners were taken up.
¹¹ They were caught up so that evil might not change their understanding
or guile deceive their souls.
¹² For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good,
and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.
¹³ Being perfected in a short time, they fulfilled long years;
¹⁴ for their souls were pleasing to the Lord,
therefore he took them quickly from the midst of wickedness.
¹⁵ Yet the peoples saw and did not understand,
or take such a thing to heart,
that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect,
and that he watches over his holy ones.

The Triumph of the Righteous

¹⁶ The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living,
and youth that is quickly perfected^* will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous.
¹⁷ For they will see the end of the wise,
and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them,
and for what he kept them safe.
¹⁸ The unrighteous^* will see, and will have contempt for them,
but the Lord will laugh them to scorn.
After this they will become dishonoured corpses,
and an outrage among the dead for ever;
¹⁹ because he will dash them speechless to the ground,
and shake them from the foundations;
they will be left utterly dry and barren,
and they will suffer anguish,
and the memory of them will perish.

The Final Judgement

²⁰ They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up,
and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.

5Then the righteous will stand with great confidence
in the presence of those who have oppressed them
and those who make light of their labours.
² When the unrighteous^* see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear,
and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous.
³ They will speak to one another in repentance,
and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say,
⁴ ‘These are persons whom we once held in derision
and made a byword of reproach—fools that we were!
We thought that their lives were madness
and that their end was without honour.
⁵ Why have they been numbered among the children of God?
And why is their lot among the saints?
⁶ So it was we who strayed from the way of truth,
and the light of righteousness did not shine on us,
and the sun did not rise upon us.
⁷ We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction,
and we journeyed through trackless deserts,
but the way of the Lord we have not known.
⁸ What has our arrogance profited us?
And what good has our boasted wealth brought us?

²⁸ In the path of righteousness there is life,
   in walking its path there is no death.

13A wise child loves discipline,^*
   but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
² From the fruit of their words good people eat good things,
   but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.
³ Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;
   those who open wide their lips come to ruin.
⁴ The appetite of the lazy craves, and gets nothing,
   while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.
⁵ The righteous hate falsehood,
   but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.
⁶ Righteousness guards one whose way is upright,
   but sin overthrows the wicked.
⁷ Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing;
   others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
⁸ Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,
   but the poor get no threats.
⁹ The light of the righteous rejoices,
   but the lamp of the wicked goes out.
¹⁰ By insolence the heedless make strife,
   but wisdom is with those who take advice.
¹¹ Wealth hastily gained^* will dwindle,
   but those who gather little by little will increase it.
¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
   but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
¹³ Those who despise the word bring destruction on themselves,
   but those who respect the commandment will be rewarded.
¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
   so that one may avoid the snares of death.
¹⁵ Good sense wins favour,
   but the way of the faithless is their ruin.^*
16 The clever do all things intelligently,
   but the fool displays folly.
¹⁷ A bad messenger brings trouble,
   but a faithful envoy, healing.
¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,
   but one who heeds reproof is honoured.
¹⁹ A desire realized is sweet to the soul,
   but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
²⁰ Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
   but the companion of fools suffers harm.
²¹ Misfortune pursues sinners,
   but prosperity rewards the righteous.
²² The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
   but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.