1 Love justice, you who judge the land. Think of the Lord in goodness and seek him in simplicity of heart. 2 For he is found by those who do not test him, yet he reveals himself to those who have faith in him. 3 For perverse thoughts separate from God. But his virtue, when it is tested, corrects the foolish. 4 For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subdued by sin. 5 For the holy spirit of instruction will flee from falsehood, and he will withdraw himself from thoughts that are without understanding, and he will not be reached when iniquity overcomes. 6 For the spirit of wisdom is benevolent, and will not release the evil speaker from his talk, because God is a witness of his temperament, and a true examiner of his heart, and an auditor of his words. 7 For the spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and he who contains all things, retains knowledge of every voice. 8 Therefore, he who speaks unjust things cannot escape notice, nor will the chastising judgment pass him by. 9 For inquiry will be made into the thoughts of the impious, his conversation also will reach the hearing of God, to the chastising of his iniquities. 10 For the zealous ear hears all things, and the disturbance of complaining will not be hidden. 11 Therefore, keep yourselves from complaining, which benefits nothing, and refrain your tongue from slander, because secret conversation will not pass into nothingness, and the mouth that lies kills the soul. 12 Do not court death by the error of your life, nor procure your destruction by the works of your hands, 13 because God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the loss of the living. 14 For he created all things that they might exist, and he made the nations of the world curable, and there is no medicine of extermination in them, nor a kingdom of hell upon the earth. 15 For justice is perpetual and immortal. 16 But the impious, with hands and words, have called death to them, and, esteeming it a friend, they have fallen away and have made a covenant with death, because they deserved to take part in it.
Wisdom of Solomon · Catholic Public Domain Version
Wisdom of Solomon 1 Catholic Public Domain Version
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… to beware of offending Him, suppose that he can serve two masters; and let him disentangle the upright intention of his heart from all doubleness: for thus he will think of the Lord with a good heart, and in simplicity of heart will seek Him. Chapter XV
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
saith the Lord," and "The Spirit of the Lord filleth the world," if God partly contains and partly is contained?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
But the Spirit is believed to have been operating at the same time in Habakkuk and in Daniel at Babylon, and to have been at the prison with Jeremiah, and with Ezekiel at the Chebar. For the Spirit of the Lord filleth the world, and "whither shall I go from thy spirit?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)
For God did not create death, neither does He take delight in the destruction of living things.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 9 (1899)
… now detest and abhor such impiety, if ye keep clean for the Creator His own temple, if ye would that He should come and make His abode with you, "Think of the Lord with a good heart, and in simplicity of heart seek for Him." Mark well who it is to whom ye say, if so be ye do say …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)