Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

1 No evils will befall one who fears the Lord. Instead, God will preserve him during temptation and will free him from evils.

2 A wise man does not hate the commandments and the justices, and so he will not be thrown about violently, like a ship in a storm.

3 A man of understanding puts his faith in the law of God, and so the law is faithful to him.

4 Whoever would resolve a dispute will prepare a word, and so, having prayed, he will be heard. And he will observe discipline, and then he will respond.

5 The heart of a fool is like the wheel of a cart. And his thoughts are like a turning axel.

6 A friend who is a whisperer is like an untamed horse: he neighs under anyone who sits upon him.

7 Why does day follow after day, and light follow after light, and year follow after year, in accord with the sun?

8 By the knowledge of the Lord, they were arranged, after the sun was made, in keeping with his command.

9 And so, the seasons changed, with their feast days. And according to them, they celebrated the feast days, in their hour.

10 Some of them, God exalted and magnified. And some of them, he set amid the ordinary days. And all men are from the ground, and from the earth, from which Adam was created.

11 With a mulititude of disciplines, the Lord has distinguished them and diversified their ways.

12 Some of them, he has blessed and exalted. And some of them he has sanctified and placed close to himself. And some of them, he has cursed and brought low, and he has turned them from their station.

13 Just as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so as to form and to shape it,

14 so are all his ways in accord with his dispensation, and so is man in the hand of the One who made him. And he will repay him according to his judgment.

15 Good is against evil, and life is against death; so also is a sinner against a just man. And so should you consider all the works of the Most High: two and two, and one against another.

16 And I awakened at the very end, and I was like one who gathers grapes after the grape-gatherers.

17 I, too, have hoped in the blessing of God. And I have filled the winepress like one who gathers grapes.

18 Consider how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking discipline.

19 Listen to me, you great ones, with all the peoples. And incline your ears, you rulers of the Church.

20 You should not give authority over yourself to a son or wife, to a brother or friend, in your life. And you should not give your estate to another, lest perhaps you may regret it, and then you would be begging for the same.

21 While you are still living and breathing, let no one among all flesh change you.

22 For it is better if your children petition you, than if you look toward the hands of your children.

23 In all your works, be pre-eminent.

24 You should not allow a blemish upon your glory. On the day of the consummation of the days of your life, at the time of your passing, distribute your inheritance.

25 Fodder and a rod and a burden are for a donkey; bread and discipline and work are for a servant.

26 He works under discipline, and he seeks rest. Allow his hands to be idle, and he seeks liberty.

27 The yoke and the strap bend a stiff neck, and continual labors bend a servant.

28 Torture and chains are for a malevolent servant; send him to work, so that he may not be idle.

29 For idleness has taught much evil.

30 Appoint him to a task. For this is fitting for him. And if he will not be obedient, bend him with chains. But you should do no more than any flesh can bear. Truly, you should do nothing grievous without judgment.

31 If you have a faithful servant, let him be to you like your own soul. Treat him like a brother. For you have obtained him by the blood of your soul.

32 If you harm him unjustly, he will turn away and flee.

33 And then, when he lifts himself up and departs, you will not know whom to ask, or in what way to seek him.

1 The hopes of a senseless man are empty and false; and dreams extol the imprudent.

2 Like one who chases a shadow and pursues the wind, so also is one who pays attention to lying visions.

3 In the vision of dreams, one thing represents another, as when a mask is before the face of a man.

4 What can be cleansed by the unclean? And what truth can be spoken from a lie?

5 Erroneous divinations and false signs and the dreams of evildoers are emptiness.

6 For your heart suffers from imagination, like a woman suffering in childbirth. Unless it is a visitation sent from the Most High, you should not set your heart upon it.

7 For dreams have caused many to go astray, and those who have hoped in them have fallen away.

8 The word of the law will be fulfilled without a lie, and wisdom will be made plain in the mouths of the faithful.

9 He who has not been tested, what does he know? A man with much experience will consider many things. And whoever has learned much will explain with understanding.

10 He who has no experience knows little. And he who has done many things has made many mistakes.

11 He who has not been tested, what kind of things can he know? He who has been deceived will be more cunning.

12 I have seen much by wandering, and the customs of many things.

13 At times, I have even been in danger of death because of these things, but I was freed by the grace of God.

14 The spirit of those who fear God is sought, and they will be blessed by his providence.

15 For their hope is in him who saves them, and the eyes of God are on those who love him.

16 Those who fear the Lord will tremble at nothing, and they will not be terrified. For he is their hope.

17 The soul of him who fears the Lord is blessed.

18 To whom should he look, and who is his strength?

19 The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him. He is a powerful Protector, a Firmament of virtue, a Shelter from the heat, and a Covering from the midday sun,

20 a Guardian from offenses, and a Helper from falling, who exalts the soul and illuminates the eyes, and who gives health and life and blessing.

21 An immolation from iniquity is a stained oblation, and the derisions of the unjust are not well pleasing.

22 The Lord is only for those who persevere for him in the way of truth and justice.

23 The Most High does not approve of the gifts of the iniquitous. Neither does he have respect for the oblations of the unjust; neither will he forgive their sins because of the multitude of their sacrifices.

24 Whoever offers a sacrifice from the substance of the poor is like one who sacrifices the son in the sight of his father.

25 The bread of the indigent is the life of the poor. Whoever cheats them out of it is a man of blood.

26 Whoever takes away the bread of sweat is like one who kills his neighbor.

27 He who sheds blood, and he who cheats the hired hand out of his wages, are brothers.

28 When one builds and another destroys, what benefit do they have from their labor?

29 When one prays and another curses, whose voice will God heed?

30 He who washes himself after touching the dead, and then touches him again, what was the benefit of his washing?

31 Similarly, a man who fasts for his sins, and then does the same again, what was the benefit of his humbling himself? Who will heed his prayer?

1 Whoever observes the law multiplies oblations.

2 It is a salutary sacrifice to attend to the commandments and to withdraw from all iniquity.

3 And to depart from injustice is to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for injustices and a supplication for sins.

4 Whoever gives thanks, offers a gift of fine flour, and whoever acts with mercy, offers a sacrifice.

5 To withdraw from iniquity is well-pleasing to the Lord. And to withdraw from injustice is a supplication for sins.

6 You should not appear empty before the sight of the Lord.

7 For all these things are to be done because of the commandment of God.

8 The oblation of the just fattens the altar, and is a fragrance of sweetness in the sight of the Most High.

9 The sacrifice of the just is acceptable, and the Lord will never forget the memorial of it.

10 Render glory to God with a good heart. And you should not reduce the first-fruits of your hands.

11 With every gift, have a cheerful countenance, and sanctify your tithes with exultation.

12 Give to the Most High according to his gifts to you, and act with a good eye toward the creations of your hands.

13 For the Lord gives recompense, and he will repay you seven times as much.

14 Do not be willing to offer corrupt gifts. For he will not accept them.

15 And do not be willing to consider an unjust sacrifice. For the Lord is the judge, and with him there is no favoritism toward anyone.

16 The Lord will not accept favoritism against the poor, but he will heed the prayer of one who has been harmed.

17 He will not despise the prayers of the orphan, nor of the widow, if she utters a lamenting complaint.

18 Do a widow’s tears not run down her cheek? And will her outcry not cause their downfall?

19 For from her cheek, her tears ascend even to heaven. And the Lord, the One who listens, will not take delight in them.

20 Whoever adores God with joy will be accepted, and his prayer will reach even to the clouds.

21 The prayer of one who humbles himself will pierce the clouds. And it will not be consoled until it draws near; and it will not withdraw until the Most High beholds.

22 And the Lord will not delay, and he will judge for those who are just, and he will accomplish judgment. And the Almighty will not have patience with them, so that he may crush their back.

23 And he will repay vengeance to the Gentiles, until he has taken away the multitude of the arrogant, and broken the scepters of the iniquitous,

24 until he has rendered to men according to their deeds, and according to the works of Adam, and according to his presumption,

25 until he has judged the judgment of his people. And he will delight the just with his mercy.

26 The mercy of God is beautiful in the time of tribulation, like a rain cloud in the time of drought.

1 O God of all, take pity on us, and look with favor on us, and show us the light of your compassion.

2 And send your fear upon the Gentiles, who have not sought you, so that they may acknowledge that there is no God except you, and so that they may declare your great deeds.

3 Lift up your hand over unbelieving nations, so that they may see your power.

4 For just as, in their sight, you have been sanctified in us, so also, in our sight, you will be magnified in them.

5 So may they know you, as we also have known you. For there is no God apart from you, O Lord.

6 Renew your signs, and work new wonders.

7 Glorify your hand and your right arm.

8 Stir up your fury, and pour out your wrath.

9 Take away our adversary, and afflict our enemy.

10 Hasten the time, and remember the end, so that they may declare your miracles.

11 Let those who escape be devoured by the wrath of fire. And let those who harass your people find perdition.

12 Crush the head of the leaders of the enemies, for they say: “There is no other beside us.”

13 Gather together all the tribes of Jacob, so that they may acknowledge that there is no God except you, and so that they may declare your great deeds. And you will inherit them, as from the beginning.

14 Take pity on your people, over whom your name has been invoked, and on Israel, whom you have treated as your firstborn.

15 Take pity on Jerusalem, the city of your sanctification, the city of your rest.

16 Fill Zion with your ineffable words, and fill your people with your glory.

17 Give testimony to those who have been your creations from the beginning, and lift up the prophecies which the former prophets spoke in your name.

18 Give a reward to those who endure for you, so that your prophets may be found to be faithful. And heed the prayers of your servants,

19 in accord with the blessing of Aaron over your people. And direct us in the way of justice, and let all who inhabit the earth know that you are God, the Beholder of all ages.

20 The belly can devour any food, yet one meal is better than another.

21 The palate tests the meat of wild animals, and the understanding heart tests false words.

22 A corrupt heart will cause grief, and a man of experience will resist it.

23 A woman can receive any male, yet one daughter is better than another.

24 The beauty of a wife cheers the face of her husband, and rises above his desire, above all the desires of man.

25 If she offers healing words, then she both comforts and shows mercy; and so her husband is not like other men.

26 He who holds to a good wife establishes a possession. She is a helper in agreement with him, and she is a pillar of rest.

27 Where there is no hedge, a possession will be trampled. And where there is no wife, he will mourn her absence.

28 Who will trust one who has no nest, and who conceals himself wherever his course may take him, like a well-equipped robber passing from city to city?

1 Every friend will say: “I also am a close friend.” But there is a friend who is a friend in name only. Is this not a grief even unto death?

2 But a companion and friend may turn into an enemy.

3 O wicked presumption! From what were you created that you would cover the dry land with your malice and deceitfulness?

4 A companion may rejoice with his friend in good times, but in a time of tribulation, he will be an adversary.

5 There is a companion who commiserates with a friend for the sake of the stomach, but he will shield himself from the enemy.

6 You should not forget your friend in your soul, and you should not be unmindful of him in your wealth.

7 Do not choose to consult with someone who waits in ambush for you. And hide your counsel from those who rival you.

8 Every counselor offers advice, but some are counselors only for themselves.

9 Guard your soul from a counselor. And know beforehand what his interests are. For he will form thoughts from his own soul.

10 Otherwise, he may set a signpost in the ground, and he may say to you:

11 “Your own way is good.” But then he will stand at a distance to see what befalls you.

12 Do not discuss holiness with an irreligious man, nor justice with one who is unjust. You should not speak with a woman about her who is a rival, nor with a coward about war, nor with a merchant about exaggeration, nor with a buyer about selling, nor with a spiteful man about giving thanks,

13 nor with the impious about piety, nor with the dishonest about honesty, nor with the field worker about other kinds of work,

14 nor with a worker hired for a year about the end of the year, nor with a lazy servant about great works. You should pay no heed to these persons in any matter of counsel.

15 But be continually with a holy man, with anyone whom you know to observe the fear of God,

16 whose soul is in agreement with your own soul, and who, when you falter in the dark, will share your sorrows.

17 And establish a heart of good counsel within yourself. For there is nothing of greater usefulness to you than this.

18 At any time, the soul of a holy man declares more truths than seven vigilant watchmen sitting in a high place.

19 But concerning all things, pray to the Most High, so that he may direct your way in truth.

20 In all your works, let a true word precede you, with steadfast counsel before every deed.

21 A wicked word can change the heart. From the heart four kinds of things arise: good and evil, life and death. And the tongue is continually their ruler. There is a man who is an astute teacher of many, and yet this is useless to his own soul.

22 A man of experience has taught many, and this is pleasant to his own soul.

23 Whoever speaks mere rhetoric is hateful; he will be deceived in every matter.

24 Grace is not given to him from the Lord. For he has been deprived of all wisdom.

25 There is a wise man who is wise within his own soul, and the fruit of his understanding is praiseworthy.

26 A wise man instructs his own people, and the fruit of his understanding is faithful.

27 A wise man will be filled with blessings, and those who see will praise him.

28 The life of a man is in the number of his days. But the days of Israel are innumerable.

29 A wise man will inherit honor among the people, and his name will live in eternity.

30 Son, test your own mind in your life, and if it is lacking, you should not give it authority.

31 For not all things are fitting for all persons, and not every kind of thing is agreeable to every soul.

32 Do not choose to be eager during any feast, and you should not act with excess toward any food.

33 For in excessive eating there will be infirmity, and gluttony will continue even unto illness.

34 By excessive drinking, many have passed away. But he who abstains will add to his life.

1 Honor the physician because of necessity, and because the Most High created him.

2 For all healing is from God, and so he will receive gifts from the King.

3 The expertise of the physician will lift up his head, and in the sight of great men, he will be praised.

4 The Most High has created medicines from the earth, and a prudent man will not abhor them.

5 Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?

6 The benefits of these things is recognized by men, and the Most High has given this knowledge to men, so that he may be honored in his wonders.

7 By these things, he will cure or mitigate their suffering, and the pharmacist will make soothing ointments, and he will form healing medicines, and there will be no end to his works.

8 For the peace of God is upon the surface of the earth.

9 Son, in your infirmity, you should not neglect yourself, but pray to the Lord, and he will cure you.

10 Turn away from sin, and direct your hands, and cleanse your heart from every offense.

11 Give a sweet offering, and a memorial of fine flour, and fatten your oblation, but also give a place to the physician.

12 For the Lord created him. And so, do not let him depart from you, for his works are necessary.

13 For there is a time when you may fall into their hands.

14 Truly, they will beseech the Lord, so that he may direct their treatments and cures, for the sake of their way of life.

15 He who sins in the sight of the One who made him will fall into the hands of the physician.

16 Son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to weep, as if you had suffered dreadfully. And according to judgment, cover his body, and you should not neglect his burial.

17 And though you will sink down into bitterness, bear his mourning for one day, and then be consoled in your sadness.

18 And carry out his mourning, according to his merit, for one or two days because of this loss.

19 Yet sadness hastens death and overwhelms strength, and the sorrow of the heart bows down the neck.

20 When one is taken away, sorrow remains. But the resources of a destitute man is found in his heart.

21 You should not give your heart over to sadness, but push it away from you. And remember the very end.

22 Do not be willing to forget this; for there is no turning back. Otherwise, it will not benefit you, and you will cause great harm to yourself.

23 Call to mind my judgment. For so shall it be for you also. Yesterday is mine, and today is yours.

24 When the deceased is at rest, let his memory rest also. And console him at the departure of his spirit.

25 The wisdom of a scribe is found in his time of leisure. So whoever has less to do will gain wisdom.

26 With what wisdom will someone be filled who holds the plow, and who boasts of the cattle prod that drives the oxen forward, and who is occupied in these labors, and whose only conversation is about the offspring of bulls?

27 He will give his mind over to the plowing of furrows, and his vigilance to the fattening of the cows.

28 Similarly, every craftsman and artisan, who crafts in the night as well as in the day, who sculpts graven seals, and who, by his diligence, varies the image, will give his mind over to the likeness of the image. And he will complete the work by his vigilance.

29 The blacksmith, sitting by his anvil and considering a work of iron, is similar. The steam from the fire singes his flesh, and he struggles against the heat of the furnace.

30 The voice of the hammer is ever in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the ironwork.

31 He gives his heart to the completion of his work, and his vigilance adorns it to perfection.

32 The potter, sitting at his work and turning the wheel with his feet, is similar. He has settled into a continual concern for his work, and there is a rhythm in all that he does.

33 He forms the clay with his arm, and he bends his strength over his feet.

34 He will give his heart over to the completion of the glazing, and his vigilance to the cleansing of the furnace.

35 All these persons trust in their own hands, and each one is wise in his own art.

36 Without these persons, a city is not built.

37 But they will neither inhabit nor walk around in the city. And they will not go across to the church.

38 They will not sit upon the seats of judges, and they will not understand a decree of judgment. And they will not make clear discipline and judgment, and they will not be found to understand parables.

39 But they will strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer will be in their artistic works, applying their soul, and searching the law of the Most High.

1 A wise man will seek the wisdom of all the ancients, and he will be occupied in the prophets.

2 He will preserve the words of renowned men, and he will enter with them into the subtleties of parables.

3 He will search for the hidden meanings of proverbs, and he will become familiar with the mysteries of parables.

4 He will minister in the midst of great men, and he will appear in the sight of the foremost leader.

5 He will pass through the land of foreign nations. For he will test good and evil among men.

6 At first light, he will offer his heart with watchfulness to the Lord who made him, and he will pray in the sight of the Most High.

7 He will open his mouth in prayer, and he will make supplication for his offenses.

8 For if the great Lord is willing, he will fill him with the Spirit of understanding.

9 And he will send forth the eloquence of his wisdom like rain showers, and in his prayer, he will confess to the Lord.

10 And he will direct his counsel and his discipline, and he will meditate on his mysteries.

11 He will make the discipline of his doctrine clear, and he will glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

12 Many persons will together praise his wisdom, and it will never be abolished, for all ages.

13 The memory of him will not fade away, and his name will be sought from generation to generation.

14 The peoples will declare his wisdom, and the Church will announce his praise.

15 While he remains, he leaves behind a name greater than a thousand, and when he will rest, it will be to his benefit.

16 I will meditate further, so that I may explain. For I have been filled with a passion.

17 In a voice, he says: Listen to me, divine fruits. You shall bear fruit, like roses planted beside streams of waters.

18 You shall have a sweet fragrance, like the cedars of Lebanon.

19 Blossom with flowers, like the lily, and diffuse a fragrance, and sprout leaves in grace, and give praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.

20 Give magnificence to his name, and confess to him with the voice of your lips and with the canticles of your mouth and with stringed instruments. And in so praising him, you will confess:

21 All the works of the Lord are very good.

22 At his word, the waters stood still, as if piled together. And at the words of his mouth, the waters were contained, as if in basins of water.

23 For it is made pleasing by his precept, and there is no decrease in his salvation.

24 The works of all flesh are in his sight, and there is nothing hidden from his eyes.

25 His gaze is from eternity to eternity, and nothing is a wonder in his sight.

26 Let it not be said: “What is this?” or, “What is that?” For all things will be sought in their time.

27 His blessing has overflowed like a river.

28 In the same way that a flood inundates the dry land, so also will his wrath inherit the peoples that have not sought him.

29 In the same way that he turned the waters into dry land, and made the earth dry, and just as his ways have been directed for their journey, so also will sinners stumble before his wrath.

30 From the beginning, good things were created for those who are good, and similarly, good and evil things are for those who are wicked.

31 The principal things necessary for the life of men are: water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and flour for bread, and honey, and the grape cluster, and oil, and clothing.

32 All these things will be used for good by those who are holy, but they will be turned to evil use by the impious and by sinners.

33 There are spirits that have been created for vengeance, and they strengthen their torments by their fury.

34 In the time of the consummation, they will pour forth their strength. And they will appease the fury of the One who made them.

35 Fire, hail, famine, and death: all these were created for vengeance.

36 The teeth of wild beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the spear: all these take vengeance upon the impious, unto utter destruction.

37 At his command, they will feast. And they will be prepared upon the earth until they are needed. And in their time, they will not ignore his word.

38 For this reason, from the beginning, I was strengthened, and I have meditated, and I have considered, and I have put these things in writing.

39 All the works of the Lord are good, and he will provide for each work in its own hour.

40 Let it not be said: “This is worse than that.” For all things will be tested in their time.

41 And now, with the whole heart and mouth, give praise to him, and bless the name of the Lord.

1 A great occupation was created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the sons of Adam, from the day of their departure from their mother’s womb, even until the day of their burial into the mother of all:

2 their thoughts, and the fears of their heart, their imagined expectations, and the day of their end,

3 from him who sits upon a glorious throne, even to him who is humbled in earth and ashes,

4 from him who wears hyacinth and bears a crown, even to him who is covered with rough linen: wrath, envy, tumult, restlessness, and the fear of death, continual anger and contention.

5 And in the time of rest upon his bed, the sleep of the night changes his knowledge.

6 There is little or no rest, and sleep is taken from him, as if on a day of keeping watch.

7 He is disturbed by a vision of his heart, as if he had escaped in a day of warfare. In the time of his salvation, he rose up and wondered that there was no fear.

8 This is so with all flesh, from man even to cattle, but upon sinners it is seven times as great.

9 Add to this: death, bloodshed, contention, and the spear, oppression, famine, and affliction, and scourges.

10 All these things have been created because of iniquity, and it is due to iniquity that the great flood was made.

11 All things that are of the earth shall return to the earth, and all waters shall return to the sea.

12 All bribery and iniquity will be wiped away, but faith shall stand forever.

13 The substance of the unjust will dry up like a river, and will pass away with a noise like loud thunder in a rainstorm.

14 When he opens his hands, he will rejoice. So will transgressors pass away at the consummation.

15 The descendents of the impious will not produce many branches, for they may be compared to dirty roots at the edge of a rock.

16 The weeds, which grow above every water and beside the banks of the river, will be uprooted before all the grass.

17 Grace is like a paradise of blessings, and mercy continues for eternity.

18 The life of a worker, when content with what is sufficient, will become sweet, and in it you will find a treasure.

19 Sons, and the building of a city, will establish a name, but an immaculate wife will be ranked above these things.

20 Wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them both.

21 The flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant word is above them both.

22 Your eye desires elegance and beauty, but verdant fields are above these things.

23 A friend and a companion meet one another in time, but above them both is a wife with her husband.

24 Brothers are a help in time of tribulation, but mercy will liberate, more so than they will.

25 Gold and silver provide a firm position for the feet, but well-spoken counsel is above them both.

26 Ability and strength lift up the heart, but the fear of the Lord is above these things.

27 There is no loss in the fear of the Lord, and it has no need to ask for assistance.

28 The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessings, and they have covered it above all glory.

29 Son, in your lifetime you should not be indigent, for it is better to die than to be destitute.

30 The life of him who looks to another man’s table should not be thought of as a way of life. For he feeds his life with another man’s food.

31 But a disciplined and well-taught man will take care of himself.

32 Scarcity will seem sweet to the mouth of the imprudent, but a fire will burn in his belly.

1 O death, how bitter is the memory of you: to a man who has peace in his substance,

2 to a quiet man, and to him whose ways are directed properly in all things, and who still has the strength to take nourishment.

3 O death, your judgment is good to the indigent man, and to him whose strength has diminished,

4 who is failing due to old age, and who is anxious about all things, and to the unbelieving man who has lost patience.

5 Do not choose to dread the judgment of death. Remember the things that occurred before you, and the things that will occur after you. This judgment is from the Lord upon all flesh.

6 And what will happen to you is well-pleasing to the Most High, whether in ten, or one hundred, or one thousand years.

7 For death is no indictment of life.

8 The sons of sinners, and those who pass their time in the manner of the houses of the impious, become sons of abominations.

9 The inheritance of the sons of sinners will perish, and continual disgrace will be with their offspring.

10 The sons of an impious father will complain, for they are in disgrace because of him.

11 Woe to you, impious men, who have abandoned the law of the Most High Lord!

12 And when you are born, you will be born into a curse; and when you die, your portion will be in a curse.

13 All things that are from the earth shall return to the earth. Similarly, the impious will proceed from a curse unto perdition.

14 The grieving of men is in their body, but the name of the impious will be wiped away.

15 Have concern for your good name. For this will continue with you, more so than a thousand precious and great treasures.

16 A good life has its number of days, but a good name will continue forever.

17 Sons, practice discipline peacefully. For what use is there in either concealed wisdom, or undiscovered treasure?

18 Better is the man who hides his foolishness than the man who hides his wisdom.

19 Yet truly, have respect for these things which proceed from my mouth.

20 For it is not good to observe every reverence. And all things do not please all persons in their beliefs.

21 Have shame of these things: of fornication before father and mother, and of a lie before the first leader and the powerful,

22 of a crime before a ruler or a judge, of iniquity before a congregation or a people,

23 of injustice before a companion or a friend, and of the place in which you live,

24 of theft, and of the truth before God, and of the covenant, of reclining to eat bread, and of deceitfulness in giving or receiving,

25 of silence before those who greet you, of looking upon a woman of fornication, and of averting your face from a relative.

26 You should not avert your face from your neighbor, nor should you take away a portion and not restore it.

27 You should not stare at another man’s wife, and nor pursue his handmaid, nor approach her bed.

28 Avoid reproachful speeches before friends, and when you give, you should not place blame.

1 You should not repeat a claim heard from the revealing of a hidden word. And then, truly, you will be without shame, and you will find favor in the sight of all men. You should not accept the reputation of someone, so that you would sin, nor should you be confounded in any of the following things:

2 in the law of the Most High and his covenant, or by giving a judgment to justify the impious;

3 in a word among companions and fellow travelers, or by distributing the inheritance of friends;

4 in the fairness of scales and weights, or in acquiring much or little;

5 by the corruption of buying and negotiating, or in the ample discipline of children, or in causing the side of a wicked servant to bleed.

6 A seal is good over a wicked wife.

7 Where there are many hands, seal and deliver all things by number and weight; and truly, give and receive everything in writing.

8 You should not have shame in correcting the senseless, the foolish, and those youths who would judge their elders. And so shall you be well-instructed in all things and well-approved in the sight of all the living.

9 The vigilance of a father for his daughter is hidden, and his concern for her takes away his sleep. For perhaps, in her adolescence, she might be brought into adulthood. Or when she lives with her husband, she might become hateful.

10 In her virginity, she might be defiled, and then she may be found to be pregnant in her father’s house. Or perhaps, when she lives with her husband, she might stray, or at least become barren.

11 Keep a close watch over a self-indulgent daughter. Otherwise, at some time, she might bring you into disgrace before your enemies, and into disrepute in the city, and into reproach among the people, and so she may confound you before the multitude of the people.

12 She should not choose to gaze upon the beauty of every man, and she should not choose to spend her time in the midst of married women.

13 For a moth goes forth from garments, and iniquity over a man goes forth from a woman.

14 Yet iniquity over a man is better for her than if a married woman, seeking to benefit her, instead leads her into confusion and disgrace.

15 And now, I will remember the works of the Lord, and I will announce what I have seen. The words of the Lord are in his works.

16 The sun illuminates and considers all things, and its work shows the fullness of the glory of the Lord.

17 Has not the Lord caused the holy ones to describe all his miracles, which the all-powerful Lord has firmly established in his glory?

18 He has examined the abyss and the hearts of men. And he has considered their astuteness.

19 For the Lord comprehends all knowledge, and he has gazed upon the signs of the times: announcing the things of the past, as well as the things of the future, and revealing the traces of hidden things.

20 No thought passes by him unnoticed, and no word can conceal itself from him.

21 He has adorned the magnificent works of his wisdom. He is before eternity and even unto eternity. And nothing can be added,

22 and nothing can be taken away. And he has no need of any counselor.

23 O how desirable are all his works! And all that we consider is but a spark.

24 All these works exist, and they remain in the present age, and they all obey him in every purpose.

25 All things are two-fold, one facing another, and he has not made anything to be lacking.

26 He has confirmed each thing as good. And who would tire of beholding his glory?