⁹ “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion^(A) and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart^(B) and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him,^(C) he will be found by you; but if you forsake^(D) him, he will reject^(E) you forever.

⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(A) Wash your hands,^(B) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(C) you double-minded.^{(D) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(E) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(F)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.^(G) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[a] or judges them^(H) speaks against the law^(I) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,^(J) but sitting in judgment on it.

Ask, Seek, Knock^(A)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you;^(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;^(C) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁷ I will give them a heart to know^(A) me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people,^(B) and I will be their God, for they will return^(C) to me with all their heart.^(D)

Moral Benefits of Wisdom

² He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you^(A) when you are with him.^(B) If you seek^(C) him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.^(D)