¹ A worker who is a drunkard will not become rich; he who despises small things will fail little by little.

² Wine and women lead intelligent men astray, and the man who consorts with prostitutes is very reckless.

³ Decay and worms will inherit him, and the reckless soul will be snatched away. 

Against Loose Talk

⁴ One who trusts others too quickly is light-minded, and one who sins does wrong to himself.

⁵ One who rejoices in wickedness will be condemned,

⁶ and one who hates gossip lessens wickedness.

⁷ Never repeat a conversation, and you will lose nothing at all.

⁸ With friend or foe do not report it, and unless it would be a sin for you, do not disclose it;

⁹ for someone has heard you and watched you, and when the time comes he will hate you.

¹⁰ Have you heard a word? Let it die with you. Be brave! It will not make you burst!

¹¹ With such a word a fool will suffer pains like a woman in labour with a child.

¹² Like an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh, so is a word inside a fool.

¹³ Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it; and if he did anything, so that he may do it no more.

¹⁴ Question a neighbour, perhaps he did not say it; and if he said it, so that he may not say it again.

¹⁵ Question a friend, for often it is slander; so do not believe everything you hear.

¹⁶ A person may make a slip without intending it. Who has never sinned with his tongue?

¹⁷ Question your neighbour before you threaten him; and let the law of the Most High take its course.

True and False Wisdom

²⁰ All wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and in all wisdom there is the doing of the law.

²² But the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom, nor is there prudence where sinners take counsel.

²³ There is a cleverness that is abominable, and there is a fool who lacks wisdom.

²⁴ Better is the God-fearing person who lacks intelligence than the highly prudent man who transgresses the law.

²⁵ There is a cleverness that is scrupulous but unjust, and there are people who distort kindness to gain a verdict.

²⁶ There is a rascal bowed down in mourning, but inwardly he is full of deceit.

²⁷ He hides his face and pretends not to hear; but where no one notices, he will forestall you.

²⁸ And if by lack of strength he is prevented from sinning, he will do evil when he finds an opportunity.

²⁹ A man is known by his appearance, and a sensible man is known by his face, when you meet him.

³⁰ A man’s attire and open-mouthed laughter, and a person’s manner of walking, show what he is.