Wisdom of Solomon, 1

1. Love righteousness, ye that be judges of the earth: think of the Lord with a good (heart,) and in simplicity of heart seek him.

1. Love justice, you who rule over the world. Think rightly of God, seek him with simplicity of heart,

2. For he will be found of them that tempt him not; and sheweth himself unto such as do not distrust him.

2. for he reveals himself to those who do not challenge him and is found by those who do not distrust him.

3. For froward thoughts separate from God: and his power, when it is tried, reproveth the unwise.

3. Crooked thinking distances you from God, and his Omnipotence, put to the test, confounds the foolish.

4. For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin.

4. Wisdom does not enter the wicked nor remain in a body that is enslaved to sin.

5. For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in.

5. The Holy Spirit who instructs us shuns deceit; it keeps aloof from foolishness and is ill at ease when injustice is done.

6. For wisdom is a loving spirit; and will not acquit a blasphemer of his words: for God is witness of his reins, and a true beholder of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue.

6. Wisdom is a spirit, a friend to man, and will not leave the blasphemous unpunished, because God knows his innermost feelings, truly sees his thoughts and hears what he says.

7. For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world: and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice.

7. For God's spirit has filled the whole world and he who holds together all things, knows each word that is spoken.

8. Therefore he that speaketh unrighteous things cannot be hid: neither shall vengeance, when it punisheth, pass by him.

8. So whoever speaks unjustly will not escape; the irrefutable sentence will reach him.

9. For inquisition shall be made into the counsels of the ungodly: and the sound of his words shall come unto the Lord for the manifestation of his wicked deeds.

9. The intentions of the unholy will be examined; what he has said will reach the Lord and his wickedness will be confounded.

10. For the ear of jealousy heareth all things: and the noise of murmurings is not hid.

10. Remember that a jealous ear hears everything; even whispers are recorded.

11. Therefore beware of murmuring, which is unprofitable; and refrain your tongue from backbiting: for there is no word so secret, that shall go for nought: and the mouth that belieth slayeth the soul.

11. Beware then, of empty complaints and keep your tongue from faultfinding, since your most secret word will have consequences; a lying tongue brings death to the soul.

12. Seek not death in the error of your life: and pull not upon yourselves destruction with the works of your hands.

12. Do not bring about your own death by your wrong way of living. And do not let the work of your hands destroy you.

13. For God made not death: neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living.

13. God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.

14. For he created all things, that they might have their being: and the generations of the world were healthful; and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor the kingdom of death upon the earth:

14. Since he has created everything, all creatures of the universe are for our good; there is no deadly poison in them and the netherworld has no dominion over the earth,

15. (For righteousness is immortal:)

15. because justice is not submitted to death.

16. But ungodly men with their works and words called it to them: for when they thought to have it their friend, they consumed to nought, and made a covenant with it, because they are worthy to take part with it.

16. It is the godless that consider death a friend and call for it in every way. They have made a pact with it and they shall justly belong to it.