Chapter 15

¹He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her, ²And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin. ³With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved: ⁴And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours. ⁵And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory. ⁶She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name. ⁷But foolish men shall not obtain her, and wise men shall meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit. ⁸Lying men shall not be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight of God. ⁹Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner: ¹⁰For wisdom came forth from God: for praise shall be with the wisdom of God, and shall abound in a faithful mouth, and the sovereign Lord will give praise unto it. ¹¹Say not: It is through God, that she is not with me: for do not thou the things that he hateth. ¹²Say not: He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of wicked men. ¹³The Lord hateth all abomination of error, and they that fear him shall not love it. ¹⁴God made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel. ¹⁵He added his commandments and precepts. ¹⁶If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee. ¹⁷He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to which thou wilt. ¹⁸Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall choose shall be given him: ¹⁹For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power, seeing all men without ceasing. ²⁰The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and he knoweth all the work of man. ²¹He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man license to sin: ²²For he desireth not a multitude of faithless and unprofitable children.