1In their search for wisdom,

they study the old writings,

especially those

of the prophets.

2These teachers learn the sayings

of famous people

and understand the meaning

of stories, 3even those parts

that are difficult.

And they look for the meaning

hidden in a proverb.

4They give advice to leaders,

and they travel

in other countries

to see the good and the bad

done there.

5These teachers get up early

to pray to the Lord Most High,

their Creator--

they tell him what they need

and ask that their sins

be forgiven.

6The great Lord may choose

to give special understanding

to a teacher's mind.

Such teachers will pray

and thank the Lord

for the wise advice

that they now can give.

7They will study those things

the Lord has kept secret.

He will help them learn

and tell them what to say,

8and they will teach

what they have learned.

They will be proud

of the Lord's Law

and agreement with Israel.

9Their understanding

will be praised by many,

and their names remembered

for all time.

10Israel will honor them,

and other nations will admire

their wisdom.

11If they live to old age,

they will be famous,

and if not, they will be content

to be at rest.

A Song of Praise

12I have hardly begun to tell you

all the things I want to say.

13You, my students,

are faithful to God,

so listen, and you will blossom

like rose bushes

planted beside a stream.

14You will grow faster than lilies,

and your songs praising the Lord

for what he has done

will be a pleasant smell,

spreading like incense.

15So play your harps

and sing praises to the Lord.

Give honor to him

with this song:

16"Everything the Lord does

is very good,

and his commands

will be obeyed

at the right moment.

17 For now, we must not question

what God has done,

but he has set a time

to explain everything.

He created places

for all the water,

and when he commanded the sea,

it piled up like a wall.

18When he gives an order,

it is obeyed,

and no one can stop him

when he decides to rescue.

19"We can't hide from God;

he has watched everything

that each human has done.

20He sees the past and the future;

there is nothing

he cannot do.

21So don't question

what God has done;

he had a purpose in mind

for each thing he created.

22"God will bless us greatly,

like a river that overflows

and soaks the dry ground.

23But the Gentiles

will feel his anger,

as he makes their fresh water

too salty to drink.

24God lets his people walk

on a straight pathway,

but those who reject his laws

will find that their path

is lined with hidden traps.

25From the very beginning

God prepared good things

for good people,

and horrible things for sinners.

26"What do we need for daily life?

Iron tools, water, and fire;

flour, milk, and honey,

wine, olive oil, and salt;

and, of course, clothing.

27All of these are good

for God's loyal people

but become evil in the hands

of sinners.

28"The Lord created furious winds

to take revenge for him.

And on the day of judgment,

they will punish his enemies,

then his anger will be calmed.

* 29God also created other things

to take revenge for him--

fire and hail, along with famine

and deadly diseases,

30wild animals and scorpions,

and poisonous snakes,

not to mention war.

31They are ready to serve him,

and at his command,

they gladly and quickly obey."

32I have believed all these things

since my childhood,

but I thought deeply about them

before I wrote them down

in that song.

33The Lord made only good things,

and at the right time

he will give us what we need.

34Everything he created

has its own purpose,

and so, you cannot say,

"This is better than that."

35Sing praises to the Lord

with all your heart,

and give him thanks!