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4:1  Better than this is childlessness with virtue, for in the memory of virtue is immortality, because it is known both by God and by mortals.
4:2  When it is present, people imitate it, and they long for it when it has gone; throughout all time it marches, crowned in triumph, victor in the contest for prizes that are undefiled.
4:3  But the prolific brood of the ungodly will be of no use, and none of their illegitimate seedlings will strike a deep root or take a firm hold.
4:4  For even if they put forth boughs for a while, standing insecurely they will be shaken by the wind, and by the violence of the winds they will be uprooted.
4:5  The branches will be broken off before they come to maturity, and their fruit will be useless, not ripe enough to eat and good for nothing.
4:6  For children born of unlawful unions are witnesses of evil against their parents when God examines them.
4:7  But the righteous, even if they die early, will be at rest.
4:8  For old age is not honored for length of time or measured by number of years,
4:9  but understanding is gray hair for anyone, and a blameless life is ripe old age.
4:10  There was one who pleased God and was loved by him and while living among sinners was taken up.
4:11  He was caught up so that evil might not change his understanding or guile deceive his soul.
4:12  For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.
4:13  Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years,
4:14  for his soul was pleasing to the Lord; therefore he hastened him from the midst of wickedness. Yet the peoples saw and did not understand or take such a thing to heart,
4:15  that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect and that he watches over his holy ones.
4:16  The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth that is quickly perfected will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous.
4:17  For they will see the end of the wise and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them and for what he kept them safe.
4:18  The unrighteous will see and will have contempt for them, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn.
4:19  After this they will become dishonored corpses and an outrage among the dead forever, because he will dash them speechless to the ground and shake them from the foundations; they will be left utterly dry and barren, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish.
4:20  They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up, and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.