THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON
The Wisdom of Solomon is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox Churches.
1
1 Love righteousness, all you who are judges of the earth.
Think of the Lord* Gr. in goodness. with a good mind.
Seek him in singleness of heart,
2 because he is found by those who don’t tempt him,
and is manifested to those who trust him.
3 For crooked thoughts separate from God.
His Power convicts when it is tested,
and exposes the foolish.
4 Because wisdom will not enter into a soul that devises evil,
nor dwell in a body that is enslaved by sin.
5 For a holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit,
and will depart from thoughts that are without understanding,
and will be ashamed when unrighteousness has come in.
6 For† Some authorities read the spirit of wisdom is loving to man. wisdom is a spirit who loves man,
and she will not hold a‡ Or, reviler blasphemer guiltless for his lips;
because God is witness of his inmost self,
and is a true overseer of his heart,
and a hearer of his tongue:
7 Because the spirit of the Lord has filled§ Gr. the inhabited earth. the world,
and that which holds all things together knows what is said.
8 Therefore no one who utters unrighteous things will be unseen;
* Some authorities read nor indeed. neither will Justice, when it convicts, pass him by.
9 For in his counsels the ungodly will be searched out,
and the sound of his words will come to the Lord to bring his lawless deeds to conviction;
10 because a jealous ear listens to all things,
and the noise of murmurings is not hidden.
11 Beware then of unprofitable murmuring,
and keep your tongue from slander;
because no secret utterance will go on its way void,
and a lying mouth destroys a soul.
12 Don’t court death in the error of your life;
and don’t draw destruction upon yourselves by the works of your hands,
13 because God didn’t make death;
neither does he delight when the living perish.
14 For he created all things that they might have being.
† Or, all the races of creatures in the world The generative powers of the world are wholesome,
and there is no poison of destruction in them,
nor has Hades‡ Or, a royal house royal dominion upon earth;
15 For righteousness is immortal,
16 but ungodly men by their hands and their words summon§ Or, Hades Gr. him. death;
deeming him a friend they* Or, were consumed with love of him pined away.
They made a covenant with him,
because they are worthy to belong with him.
*1:1 Gr. in goodness.
†1:6 Some authorities read the spirit of wisdom is loving to man.
‡1:6 Or, reviler
§1:7 Gr. the inhabited earth.
*1:8 Some authorities read nor indeed.
†1:14 Or, all the races of creatures in the world
‡1:14 Or, a royal house
§1:16 Or, Hades Gr. him.
*1:16 Or, were consumed with love of him