Love righteousness, ye that be judges of the earth: think of the Lord with a good(heart,) and in simplicity of heart seek him.
For the ungodly said, reasoning with themselves, but not aright, Our life is short and tedious, and in the death of a man there is no remedy: neither was there any man known to have returned from the grave.
But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.
Better it is to have no children, and to have virtue: for the memorial thereof is immortal: because it is known with God, and with men.
Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours.
Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.
I myself also am a mortal man, like to all, and the offspring of him that was first made of the earth,
Wisdom reacheth from one end to another mightily: and sweetly doth she order all things.
O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,
She preserved the first formed father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall,
She prospered their works in the hand of the holy prophet.
For thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things.
Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster;
Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him.
But thou, O God, art gracious and true, longsuffering, and in mercy ordering all things,
Therefore by the like were they punished worthily, and by the multitude of beasts tormented.
For great are thy judgments, and cannot be expressed: therefore unnurtured souls have erred.
Nevertheless thy saints had a very great light, whose voice they hearing, and not seeing their shape, because they also had not suffered the same things, they counted them happy.
As for the ungodly, wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end: for he knew before what they would do;