1Love righteousness, ye that be judges of the earth,

Think ye of the Lord Gr. in goodness. with a good mind,

And in singleness of heart seek ye him;

2Because he is found of them that tempt him not,

And is manifested to them that do not distrust him.

3For crooked thoughts separate from God;

And the supreme Power, when it is brought to the proof, Gr. convicteth. putteth to confusion the foolish:

4Because wisdom will not enter into a soul that deviseth evil,

Nor dwell in a body that is held in pledge by sin.

5For a holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit.

And will start away from thoughts that are without understanding,

And will be Gr. convicted. put to confusion when unrighteousness hath come in.

6For Some authorities read the spirit of wisdom is loving to man. wisdom is a spirit that loveth man,

And she will not hold a Or, reviler blasphemer guiltless for his lips;

Because God beareth witness of his reins,

And is a true overseer of his heart,

And a hearer of his tongue:

7Because the spirit of the Lord hath filled Gr. the inhabited earth. the world,

And that which holdeth all things together hath knowledge of every voice.

8Therefore no man that uttereth unrighteous things shall be unseen;

Some authorities read Nor indeed. Neither shall Justice, when it convicteth, pass him by.

9For in the midst of his counsels the ungodly shall be searched out;

And the sound of his words shall come unto the Lord

To bring to conviction his lawless deeds:

10Because there is an ear of jealousy that listeneth to all things,

And the noise of murmurings is not hid.

11Beware then of unprofitable murmuring,

And refrain your tongue from backbiting;

Because no secret utterance shall go on its way void,

And a mouth that belieth destroyeth a soul.

12Court not death in the error of your life;

Neither draw upon yourselves destruction by the works of your hands:

13Because God made not death;

Neither delighteth he when the living perish:

14For he created all things that they might have being:

AndOr, all the races of creatures in the world the generative powers of the world are healthsome,

And there is no poison of destruction in them:

Nor hath Hades Or, a royal house royal dominion upon earth,

15For righteousness is immortal:

16But ungodly men by their hands and their words called Or, Hades Gr. him. death unto them:

Deeming him a friend they Or, were consumed with love of him consumed away,

And they made a covenant with him,

Because they are worthy to be of his portion.