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17:1  The Lord created human beings from the earth, and makes them return to earth again.
17:2  A limited number of days he gave them, but granted them authority over everything on earth.
17:3  He endowed them with strength like his own, and made them in his image.
17:4  He put fear of them in all flesh, and gave them dominion over beasts and birds.
17:6  Discernment, tongues, and eyes, ears, and a mind for thinking he gave them.
17:7  With knowledge and understanding he filled them; good and evil he showed them.
17:8  He put fear of him into their hearts to show them the grandeur of his works,
17:9  That they might describe the wonders of his deeds
17:10  and praise his holy name.
17:11  He set before them knowledge, and allotted to them the law of life.
17:12  An everlasting covenant he made with them, and his commandments he revealed to them.
17:13  His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard.
17:14  He said to them, “Avoid all evil”; to each of them he gave precepts about their neighbor.
17:15  Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot be hidden from his eyes.
17:17  Over every nation he appointed a ruler, but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.
17:19  All their works are clear as the sun to him, and his eyes are ever upon their ways.
17:20  Their iniquities cannot be hidden from him; all their sins are before the Lord.
17:22  Human goodness is like a signet ring with God, and virtue he keeps like the apple of his eye.
17:23  Later he will rise up and repay them, requiting each one as they deserve.
17:24  But to the penitent he provides a way back and encourages those who are losing hope!
17:25  Turn back to the Lord and give up your sins, pray before him and make your offenses few.
17:26  Turn again to the Most High and away from iniquity, and hate intensely what he loathes.
17:27  Who in Sheol can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise?
17:28  The dead can no more give praise than those who have never lived; they who are alive and well glorify the Lord.
17:29  How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his forgiveness for those who return to him!
17:30  For not everything is within human reach, since human beings are not immortal.
17:31  Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed. How worthless then the thoughts of flesh and blood!