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In Praise of Wisdom

⁹ Hear the commandments of life, O Israel;
   give ear, and learn wisdom!
¹⁰ Why is it, O Israel, why is it that you are in the land of your enemies,
   that you are growing old in a foreign country,
that you are defiled with the dead,
¹¹   that you are counted among those in Hades?
¹² You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom.
¹³ If you had walked in the way of God,
   you would be living in peace for ever.
¹⁴ Learn where there is wisdom,
   where there is strength,
   where there is understanding,
so that you may at the same time discern
   where there is length of days, and life,
   where there is light for the eyes, and peace.

¹⁵ Who has found her place?
   And who has entered her storehouses?
³² But the one who knows all things knows her,
   he found her by his understanding.
The one who prepared the earth for all time
   filled it with four-footed creatures;
³³ the one who sends forth the light, and it goes;
   he called it, and it obeyed him, trembling;
³⁴ the stars shone in their watches, and were glad;
   he called them, and they said, ‘Here we are!’
   They shone with gladness for him who made them.
³⁵ This is our God;
   no other can be compared to him.
³⁶ He found the whole way to knowledge,
   and gave her to his servant Jacob
   and to Israel, whom he loved.
³⁷ Afterwards she appeared on earth
   and lived with humankind.

4She is the book of the commandments of God,
   the law that endures for ever.
All who hold her fast will live,
   and those who forsake her will die.
² Turn, O Jacob, and take her;
   walk towards the shining of her light.
³ Do not give your glory to another,
   or your advantages to an alien people.
⁴ Happy are we, O Israel,
   for we know what is pleasing to God.