[1] Love righteousness, you⌃ that be judges of the earth, Think you⌃ of the Lord with a good mind, And in singleness of heart seek you⌃ him;
[2] Because he is found of them that tempt him not, And is manifested to them that do not distrust him.
[3] For crooked thoughts separate from God; And thesupreme Power, when it is brought to the proof, puts to confusion the foolish:
[4] Because wisdom will not enter into a soul that deviseth evil, Nor dwell in a body that is held in pledge by sin.
[5] For a holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit. And will start away from thoughts that are without understanding, And will be put to confusion when unrighteousness has come in.
[6] For wisdom is a spirit that loves man, And she will not hold a blasphemer guiltless for his lips; Because God bears witness of his reins, And is a true overseer of his heart, And a hearer of his tongue:
[7] Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world, And that which holds all things together has knowledge ofevery voice.
[8] Therefore no man that utters unrighteous things shall be unseen; Neither shall Justice, when it convicts, pass him by.
[9] For inthe midst of his counsels the ungodly shall be searched out; And the sound of his words shall come to the Lord To bring to conviction his lawless deeds:
[10] Becausethere is an ear of jealousythat listens to all things, And the noise of murmurings is not hid.
[11] Beware then of unprofitable murmuring, And refrain your tongue from backbiting; Because no secret utterance shall go on its way void, And a mouth that belies destroys a soul.
[12] Court not death in the error of your life; Neither draw upon yourselves destruction by the works of your hands:
[13] Because God made not death; Neither delights he when the living perish:
[14] For he created all things that they might have being: And the generative powers of the worldare healthsome, And there is no poison of destruction in them: Nor has Hades royal dominion upon earth,
[15] For righteousness is immortal:
[16] But ungodly men by their hands and their words called death to them: Deeming him a friend they consumed away, And they made a covenant with him, Because they are worthy to be of his portion.