XVII. The Lord acreated man of the earth,

And bturned him into it again.

2  cHe gave them dfew days, and a short time,

And power also over the things therein.

3  He endued them with strength by themselves,

And emade them according to his image,

4  And fput the fear * of man upon all flesh,

And ggave him dominion over beasts and fowls.

5  They received the use of the five hoperations of the Lord,

And in the sixth place he imparted them understanding,

And in the seventh, speech, an interpreter of the hcogitations thereof.

6  Counsel, and a tongue, and eyes,

Ears, and a heart, gave he them to understand.

7  Withal he filled them with the knowledge of understanding,

And shewed them good and evil.

8  He set his eye upon their hearts,

That he might shew them ithe greatness of his works.

9  He gave them to glory in his marvellous acts for ever,

That they might declare his works with understanding.

10  And kthe elect shall praise his holy name.

11  Beside this he gave them knowledge,

And the law of life for an heritage.

12  He made an everlasting covenant with them,

And shewed them his judgments.

13  Their eyes saw ithe majesty of his glory,

And their ears heard his glorious voice.

14  And he said unto them, Beware of all unrighteousness;

And lhe gave every man commandment concerning his neighbour.

15  mTheir ways are ever before him,

And shall not be hid from his eyes.

16  nEvery man from his youth is given to evil;

Neither could they make to themselves ofleshy hearts for stony.

17  For pin the division of the nations of the whole earth

qHe set a ruler over every people;

But rIsrael is the Lord’s portion:

18  Whom, sbeing his firstborn, he nourisheth with discipline,

And giving him the light of his love doth not forsake him.

19  Therefore all their works are as the sun before him,

And mhis eyes are continually upon their ways.

20  None of their unrighteous deeds are hid from him,

But all their sins are before the Lord

21  But the Lord being gracious, and knowing his workmanship,

tNeither left nor forsook them, but spared them.

22  uThe alms of a man is as xa signet with him,

And he will keep the good deeds of man as ythe apple of the eye,

And give repentance to his sons and daughters.

23  zAfterward he will rise up and reward them,

And arender their recompence upon their heads.

24  But bunto them that repent, he granted them return,

And comforted those that fail in patience.

25  cReturn unto the Lord, and forsake thy sins,

Make thy prayer before his face, and * eoffend less.

26  Turn again to the most High, and turn away from iniquity:

For he will lead thee out of darkness into the * light of health,

And hate thou abomination vehemently.

27  fWho shall praise the most High in the grave,

Instead of them which live and give thanks?

28  Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead, as from one that is not:

gThe living and sound in heart shall praise the Lord.

29  How great is the lovingkindness of the Lord our God,

And his compassion unto such as turn unto him in holiness!

30  For all things cannot be in men,

Because the son of man is not immortal.

31  hWhat is brighter than the sun? yet the light thereof faileth:

And flesh and blood will imagine evil.

32  He vieweth the power of the height of heaven;

And all men are but iearth and ashes.