1and they give their soul, and they ask together [or together seeking] in the law of the Highest. A wise man shall seek out the wisdom of all eld [or old] men; and he shall give attention in prophets.

2He shall keep the tellings of named men; and he shall enter altogether into the hard sentences [or the slynesses] of parables.

3He shall seek out the privy things of proverbs; and he shall be con-versant in the hid things of parables.

4He shall minister in the midst of great men; and he shall appear in the sight of the chief judge. He shall pass into the land of alien folks; for he shall assay goods, and evils in all things.

5He shall give his heart to wake early to the Lord that made him; and he shall beseech [or lowly pray] in the sight of the Highest. He shall open his mouth in prayer; and he shall beseech for his trespasses.

6For if the great Lord will, he shall fill him with the spirit of under-standing. And he shall send the words of his wisdom, as rains; and in prayer he shall acknowledge to the Lord.

7And he, that is, the Lord, shall dress his counsel, and teaching; and shall counsel in his hid things.

8He shall make open the wisdom of his teaching; and he shall have glory in the law of the testament of the Lord.

9Many men shall praise his wisdom; and it shall not be done away till into the world. His mind [or The memory of him] shall not go away; and his name shall be sought from generation into generation.

10Folks shall tell out his wisdom; and the church shall tell [out] his praising.

11If his name dwelleth, he shall leave more than a thousand; and if he resteth, it shall profit to him.

12Yet I shall take counsel to tell out, for I am [full-]filled as with madness; and mine inner spirit saith in voice,

13Ye fruits of God, hear me, and make ye fruit, as roses planted [up] on the rivers of waters.

14Have ye odour of sweetness, as the Lebanon hath. Bring forth flowers, as a lily; give ye odour, and make ye boughs [or brancheth] into grace. And praise ye together a song; and bless ye the Lord in his works.

15Give ye great honour to his name, and acknowledge ye to him in the voice of your lips, in songs of lips, and in harps; and thus ye shall say in acknowledging,

16All the works of the Lord be full good.

17Forsooth [the] water as an heap of stones stood at his word; and as receptacles of waters in the word of his mouth.

18For why peaceableness is made in his commandment; and no default is [or there is not lessening] in the health of him, that is, in saving made by him.

19The works of each flesh [or all flesh]be before him; and nothing is hid from his eyes.

20He beholdeth from the world till into the world; and nothing is too wonderful [or marvellous] in his sight.

21It is not to say, What is this thing, either, What is that thing? [or What is this, or, What is that?] for why all things shall be sought in their time.

22The blessing of him shall flow as a flood;

23and as the great flood filled greatly the earth, so his ire shall inherit in folks [or so the wrath of him shall heritage Gentiles], that sought not him.

24As he turned waters into dry-nesses [or drought], and the earth was dried, and his ways were dressed to the ways of them; so offences in his ire [or wrath]be dressed to sinners.

25Good things were made at [or from] the beginning to good men; so good things and evil be made to worst men.

26The beginning of needful [or necessary] things to the life of men, water, fire, and iron, and salt, and milk, and bread of clean [or tried] flour of wheat, and honey, and a cluster of grapes, and oil, and clothes [or clothing].

27All these things shall turn to holy men into goods; so and to unfaithful [or unpious] men and to sinners into evils.

28Spirits be that be made to vengeance [or There be spirits that to vengeance be formed]; and in their madness they confirmed their tor-ments. And in the time of ending they shall shed [or pour] out virtue; and they shall confound the strong venge-ance of him that made them.

29Fire, hail, hunger, and death; all these things be made [or formed] to vengeance;

30the teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and a sword punishing wicked men into destroying.

31In the commandments of him, those [or they] shall eat, and those [or they] shall be made ready on the earth in need; and in their times those [or they] shall not over-pass one word.

32Therefore from the beginning I was confirmed; and I counselled, and thought, and left it all written down.

33All the works of the Lord be good; and each work shall serve in his hour.

34It is not to say, This is worse than that; for why all things shall be proved or approved in their time.

35And now in all the heart and mouth praise ye together, and bless ye the name of the Lord.