Chapter 3 _{4 O Lord Almighty, thou God of Israel, hear now the prayers of the dead Israelites, and of their children, which have sinned before thee, and not hearkened unto the voice of thee their God: for the which cause these plagues cleave unto us.5 Remember not the iniquities of our forefathers: but think upon thy power and thy name now at this time.6 For thou art the Lord our God, and thee, O Lord, will we praise.7 And for this cause thou hast put thy fear in our hearts, to the intent that we should call upon thy name, and praise thee in our captivity: for we have called to mind all the iniquity of our forefathers, that sinned before thee.8 Behold, we are yet this day in our captivity, where thou hast scattered us, for a reproach and a curse, and to be subject to payments, according to all the iniquities of our fathers, which departed from the Lord our God.9 Hear, Israel, the commandments of life: give ear to understand wisdom.10 How happeneth it Israel, that thou art in thine enemies' land, that thou art waxen old in a strange country, that thou art defiled with the dead,11 That thou art counted with them that go down into the grave?12 Thou hast forsaken the fountain of wisdom.13 For if thou hadst walked in the way of God, thou shouldest have dwelled in peace for ever.14 Learn where is wisdom, where is strength, where is understanding; that thou mayest know also where is length of days, and life, where is the light of the eyes, and peace.15 Who hath found out her place? or who hath come into her treasures ?16 Where are the princes of the heathen become, and such as ruled the beasts upon the earth;17 They that had their pastime with the fowls of the air, and they that hoarded up silver and gold, wherein men trust, and made no end of their getting?18 For they that wrought in silver, and were so careful, and whose works are unsearchable,19 They are vanished and gone down to the grave, and others are come up in their steads.20 Young men have seen light, and dwelt upon the earth: but the way of knowledge have they not known,21 Nor understood the paths thereof, nor laid hold of it: their children were far off from that way.22 It hath not been heard of in Chanaan, neither hath it been seen in Theman.23 The Agarenes that seek wisdom upon earth, the merchants of Meran and of Theman, the authors of fables, and searchers out of understanding; none of these have known the way of wisdom, or remember her paths.}