Book One
The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked
1 Blessed is the man1
who awalks not in bthe counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in cthe way of sinners,
nor dsits in ethe seat of fscoffers;
2 but his gdelight is in the law2 of the Lord,
and on his hlaw he meditates day and night.
3 He is like ia tree
planted by jstreams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its kleaf does not wither.
lIn all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like mchaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked nwill not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in othe congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord pknows qthe way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
7 hThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Enticement of Sinners
8 iHear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
9 for they are ja graceful garland for your head
and kpendants for your neck.
The Value of Wisdom
1 uMy son, vif you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice wfor understanding,
4 if you seek it like xsilver
and search for it as for yhidden treasures,
5 then zyou will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For athe Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart
1 yMy son, do not forget my teaching,
zbut let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for alength of days and years of life
and bpeace they will add to you.
3 Let not csteadfast love and dfaithfulness forsake you;
ebind them around your neck;
fwrite them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will gfind favor and hgood success1
in the sight of God and man.
5 iTrust in the Lord with all your heart,
and jdo not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways kacknowledge him,
and he lwill make straight your paths.
7 mBe not wise in your own eyes;
nfear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
10 pThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and qthe knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
40 oA disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is pfully trained will be like his teacher.
11 And mhe gave the napostles, the prophets, the oevangelists, the pshepherds1 and teachers,2 12 qto equip the saints for the work of ministry, for rbuilding up sthe body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to tthe unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, uto mature manhood,3 to the measure of the stature of vthe fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, wtossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in xdeceitful schemes. 15 Rather, yspeaking the truth in love, we are to zgrow up in every way into him who is athe head, into Christ, 16 bfrom whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, cwhen each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
A Living Sacrifice
1 zI appeal to you therefore, brothers,1 by the mercies of God, ato present your bodies bas a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.2 2 cDo not be conformed to this world,3 but be transformed by dthe renewal of your mind, that by testing you may ediscern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.4
