¹ Many have committed sin for gain, and whoever seeks to get rich will avert his eyes.

² As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones, so sin is wedged in between selling and buying.

³ If a person is not steadfast and zealous in the fear of the Lord, his house will be quickly overthrown.

Tests in Life

⁴ When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears; so a person’s filth in his thoughts.

⁵ The kiln tests the potter’s vessels; likewise the test of a person is in his reasoning.

⁶ The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a person’s mind.

⁷ Do not praise a man before you hear him reason, for this is the test of people.

Reward and Retribution

⁸ If you pursue justice, you will attain it and wear it as a glorious robe.

⁹ Birds roost with their kind; so truth returns to those who practise it.

¹⁰ A lion lies in wait for prey; so does sin for the workers of iniquity.

Varieties of Speech

¹¹ The talk of the godly person is always wise, but the fool changes like the moon.

¹² Among stupid people watch for a chance to leave, but among thoughtful people stay on.

¹³ The talk of fools is offensive, and their laughter is wantonly sinful.

¹⁴ The speech of those given to swearing makes one’s hair stand on end, and their quarrels make one stop his ears.

¹⁵ The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed, and their abuse is grievous to hear.

Betraying Secrets

¹⁶ Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence and will never find a congenial friend.

¹⁷ Love your friend and keep faith with him; but if you betray his secrets, do not run after him.

¹⁸ For as a person destroys his corpse, so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbour.

¹⁹ And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand, so you have let your neighbour go and will not catch him again.

²⁰ Do not go after him, for he is too far off and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.

²¹ For a wound may be bandaged, and there is reconciliation after abuse, but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope.

Hypocrisy and Retribution

²² Whoever winks his eye plans evil deeds, and the one who knows him will stay far from him.

²³ In your presence his mouth is all sweetness, and he admires your words; but later he will twist his speech and with your own words he will set you a stumbling block.

²⁴ I have hated many things, but none to be com pared to him; even the Lord will hate him.

²⁵ Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own head; and a treacherous blow opens up wounds.

²⁶ The one who digs a pit will fall into it, and the one who sets a snare will be caught in it.

²⁷ If someone does evil, it will roll back upon him, and he will not know where it came from.

²⁸ Mockery and abuse issue from the one who is proud, but vengeance lies in wait for him like a lion.

²⁹ Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare, and pain will consume them before their death.

Anger and Vengeance

³⁰ Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, and the sinful man will hold them fast.