WISDOM OF SOLOMON 1

1 Ye that deem the earth, love rightfulness [or rightwiseness]; feel ye of the Lord in goodness, and seek ye him in the simpleness of heart. 2 For he is found of them, that tempt not him [or that tempt him not]; forsooth he appeareth to them, that have faith into him. 3 For why wayward thoughts part [or sever] from God; but proved virtue reproveth unwise men. 4 For why wisdom shall not enter into an evil-willed soul; neither it shall dwell in a body subject to sins. 5 Forsooth the Holy Ghost of wisdom shall fly or flee away from a feigned man [or a feigner], and he shall take away himself from thoughts, that be without understanding; and the unwise man shall be punished of wickedness coming above. 6 For the spirit of wisdom is benign, and he shall not deliver a cursed man from his lips; for why God is witness of his reins, and the searcher of his heart is true, and the hearer of his tongue. 7 For why the Spirit of the Lord hath filled the world; and this thing, that containeth all things, hath the knowing of voice. 8 Therefore this he that speaketh wicked thing [or For that he that speaketh wicked things], may not be hid; and doom and punishing shall not pass him. 9 For why asking shall be in the thoughts of a wicked man [or of the unpious]. Forsooth the hearing of his words shall come to God, and to the punishing [or the correction] of his wickednesses; 10 for the ear of fervent love [or of the jealous] heareth all things, and the noise of grutchings shall not be hid. 11 Therefore keep ye you from grutching, that profiteth nothing, and from backbiting spare ye the tongue; for a dark word shall not go into vain; forsooth the mouth that lieth, slayeth the soul. 12 Do not ye covet death, in the error of your life, neither get ye perdition in the works of your hands; 13 for God made not death, neither he is glad in the perdition of living men. 14 For why God made of nought all things, that those should be; and he made the nations of the world able to be healed. For why medicine of destroying is not in those men, neither the realm of hells [or of hell] is in earth. 15 For rightfulness is everlasting, and undeadly; but unrightfulness is getting of death. [Rightwiseness forsooth is perpetual, and undeadly; unrightwise-ness forsooth purchasing of death.] 16 Forsooth wicked [or unpious] men called that unrightfulness by hands and words, and they guessed [or esteemed] it a friend, and floated away, and they putted promises to it; for they be worthy the death, that be of the part thereof.