Ecclesiasticus 15

1 He that feareth the Lord ¹will do good; and he that hath the knowledge of the law shall obtain her.

2 And as a mother shall she meet him, and receive him as a wife married of a virgin.

3 With ²the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.

4 He shall be stayed upon her, and shall not be moved; and shall rely upon her, and shall not be confounded.

5 ³She shall exalt him above his neighbours, and in the midst of the congregation shall she open his mouth.

6 He shall find joy and a crown of gladness, and she shall cause him to inherit ⁴an everlasting name.

7 But foolish men shall not attain unto her, and sinners shall not see her.

8 For she is far from pride, and men that are liars cannot remember her.

9 ⁵Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for ⁶it was not sent him of the Lord.

10 For ⁷praise shall be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper it.

11 Say not thou, It is through the Lord that I fell away: for thou oughtest not to do the things ⁸that he hateth.

12 Say not thou, He hath caused me to err: for he hath no need of the sinful man.

13 The Lord hateth all abomination; and they that fear God love it not.

14 He himself ⁹made man from the beginning, ^*and left him in the hand of his counsel;

15 If thou wilt, to keep the commandments, and to perform acceptable faithfulness.

16 ^†He hath set fire and water before thee: stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt.

17 ^‡Before man is life and death; and whether him liketh shall be given him.

18 For the wisdom of the Lord is great, and he is mighty in power, and beholdeth all things:

19 And ^¶ his eyes are upon them that fear him, and he knoweth every work of man.

20 He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, neither hath he given any man license to sin.