"The fear of the Lord brings honour and pride,
cheerfulness and a garland of joy.
The fear of the Lord gladdens the heart;
it brings cheerfulness and joy and long life.
Whoever fears the Lord will be prosperous at the last;
blessings will be his on the day of his death.
The essence of wisdom is the fear of the Lord;
she is created with the faithful in their mother's womb,
she has built an everlasting home among men,
and will keep faith with their descendants.
Those who fear the Lord have their fill of wisdom;
she gives them deep draughts of her wine.
She stocks her home with all that the heart can desire
and her storehouses with her produce.
Wisdom's garland is the fear of the Lord,
flowering with peace and health.
She showers down knowledge and ability,
and bestows high honour on those who hold fast to her.
Wisdom is rooted in the fear of the Lord,
and long life grows on her branches."
(Ecclesiasticus 1:11-20 NEB).

"Do not rely upon your money
and say, 'I am independent.'
Do not yield to every impulse you can gratify
or follow the desires of your heart.
Do not say, 'I am my own master';
you may be sure the Lord will call you to account.
Do not say, 'I sinned, yet nothing happened to me';
it is only that the Lord is very patient.
Do not be so confident of pardon
that you sin again and again.
Do not say, 'His mercy is so great,
He will pardon my sins, however many.'
To Him belong both mercy and wrath,
and sinners feel the weight of His retribution.
Come back to the Lord without delay;
do not put it off from one day to the next,
or suddenly the Lord's wrath will be upon you,
and you will perish at the time of reckoning."
(Ecclesiasticus 5:1-7 NEB).