Duties towards Parents

1 Listen to me your father, O children, and act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety.

² For the Lord honoured the father above the children, and he confirmed the judgement of the mother over her sons.

³ Whoever honours his father atones for sins,

⁴ and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure.

⁵ Whoever honours his father will be gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will be heard.

⁶ Whoever glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother;

⁷ he will serve his parents as his masters.

⁸ Honour your father by word and deed, that a blessing from him may come upon you.

⁹ For a father’s blessing strengthens the houses of the children, but a mother’s curse uproots foundations.

¹⁰ Do not glorify yourself in your father’s dishonour, for your father’s dishonour is no glory to you. ¹¹ For a person’s glory comes from his father’s honour, and a mother in dishonour is a reproach to her children.

¹² O son, help your father in his old age and do not grieve him as long as he lives;

¹³ even if he is lacking in understanding, show indulgence; in all your strength do not despise him. ¹⁴ For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and against your sins it will be credited to you;

¹⁵ in the day of your affliction it will be remembered in your favour; as frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away.

¹⁶ Whoever forsakes his father is like a blasphemer, and whoever angers his mother is cursed by the Lord. Humility

¹⁷ My son, perform your tasks in meekness; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts. 

¹⁸ The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favour in the sight of the Lord.

²⁰ For great is the might of the Lord; he is glorified by the humble.

²¹ Seek not what is too difficult for you or investigate what is beyond your power.

²² Reflect upon what has been assigned to you, for you do not need what is hidden.

²³ Do not meddle in what is beyond your tasks, for matters too great for human understanding have been shown you.

²⁴ For their speculation has led many astray, and false conjecture has caused their thoughts to slip.

²⁶ A hard heart will be afflicted at the end, and whoever loves danger will perish by it.

²⁷ A hard heart will be burdened by troubles, and the sinner will heap sin upon sin.

²⁸ The affliction of the proud has no healing, for a plant of wickedness has taken root in him.

²⁹ The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a parable, and an attentive ear is the wise man’s desire.

Alms for the Poor

³⁰ Water will extinguish a blazing fire: and almsgiving will atone for sin.

³¹ Whoever requites favours gives thought to the future; at the moment of his falling he will find support.