1 Do not desire a multitude of useless children, Nor rejoice in ungodly sons.
2 If they multiply , do not rejoice over them If the fear of the Lord is not in them.
3 Do not trust in their life Nor pay attention to their multitude; For one godly child is better than a thousand. And it is better to die childless than to hav e ungodly children.
4 For from one child with wisdom a city w ill be filled with people, But a tribe of law less men will make it desolate.
5 My eyes have seen many such things, And my ear has heard worse things than this.
6 In the congregation of sinners, a fire will be kindled, And in a disobedient nation, wrath is kindled.
7 There was noatonement for the ancient giants Who turned aw ay from God because of their strength.
8 He did not spare the cities where Lot sojourned, Whom He detested because of their arrogance.
9 He had no mercy on a nation destined for destruction Who were taken away because of their sins.
10 The same thing happened to the six hundred thousand foot-soldiers Who gathered together in their hardness of heart.
11 Even if there was only one stiff-necked man, It would be a marvel if he were to remain unpunished. For mercy and wrath belong to the Lord, And He is mighty to forgive; And He pours out wrath.
12 As great as His mercy , so also great is His rebuke, And He will judge a man according to his works.
13 A sinner will not escape with his spoils, And the patience of a godly man will not fare badly .
14 He will make a place for every act of mercy. Each will find this out according to his works.
15 Do not say, “I will be hidden from the Lord, And who will remember me from on high? I will not be known among so many people, For what is my soul in comparison to the immeasurable creation?
16 Behold, heaven and the highest heaven, The abyss and the earth will be shaken at His visitation.
17 At the same time, the mountains and the foundations of the earth Will shake with trembling when He looks upon them.
18 No heart will able to think about these things, And who will ponder His ways?
19 There will be a sudden blast of wind which no man will see, For most of His works will be done in secret.
20 Who will proclaim His works of righteousness, Or who will endure them? For His covenant is far off.”
21 This is what a man thinks Who is diminished in heart and without discernment, Who is deceived and thinks foolishly.
22 Listen to me, my son, and gain knowledge, And pay close attention to my words in your heart.
23 I will reveal instruction with balance, And I will proclaim knowledge with exactness.
24 By the judgment of the Lord, His works exist from the beginning, And from their creation, He determined their boundaries.
25 He ordered His works forever, And their principles according to their generations. They neither hunger nor grow weary , And they do not cease from their works.
26 Each does not afflict the one close to him , And they will never disobey His word.
27 After this the Lord looked upon the earth And filled it with His good things.
28 He covered its surface with the life of every living creature, And to it they will return again.