Chapter 15

He that feareth the Lord will do good, and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.

²And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

³With the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.

⁴He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.

⁵She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.

⁶He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

⁷But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.

⁸For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.

⁹Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.

¹⁰For praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.

¹¹Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth.

¹²Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.

¹³The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.

¹⁴He himself made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his counsel;

¹⁵If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.

¹⁶He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.

¹⁷Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.

¹⁸For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:

¹⁹And his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.

²⁰He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man licence to sin.