Right Attitude towards Riches

¹ Wakefulness over wealth wastes away one’s flesh, and anxiety about it removes sleep.

² Wakeful anxiety prevents slumber, and a severe illness carries off sleep.

³ The rich person toils in the accumulation of wealth, and when he rests he fills himself with his dainties.

⁴ The poor person toils as his livelihood diminishes, and when he rests he becomes needy.

⁵ He who loves gold will not be justified, and he who pursues money will be led astray by it.

⁶ Many have come to ruin because of gold, and their destruction has met them face to face.

⁷ It is a stumbling block to those who are devoted to it, and every fool will be taken captive by it.

⁸ Blessed is the rich man who is found blameless and who does not go after gold.

⁹ Who is he, that we may call him blessed, for he has done wonderful things among his people.

¹⁰ Who has been tested by it and been found perfect? Let it be for him a ground for boasting. Who has had the power to transgress and did not transgress and to do evil and did not do it?

¹¹ His prosperity will be established, and the assembly will recount his acts of charity.

Table Etiquette

¹² Are you seated at the table of a great man? Do not be gluttonous at it and do not say, “There is certainly much upon it!”

¹³ Remember that a greedy eye is a bad thing. What has been created greedier than the eye? Therefore it sheds tears from every face.

¹⁴ Do not reach out your hand for everything you see and do not crowd your neighbour at the dish. ¹⁵ Judge your neighbour’s feelings by your own and in every matter be thoughtful.

¹⁶ Eat like a human being what is set before you and do not chew greedily, lest you be hated.

¹⁷ Be the first to stop eating, for the sake of good manners, and do not be insatiable, lest you give offence.

¹⁸ If you are seated among many persons, do not reach out your hand before they do.

¹⁹ How ample a little is for a well-disciplined person! He does not wheeze when he is in bed. ²⁰ Healthy sleep depends on moderate eating; he rises early and feels fit. The distress of sleeplessness and of nausea and colic are with the glutton.

²¹ If you are overstuffed with food, get up and vomit at a distance, and you will have relief.

²² Listen to me, my son, and do not disregard me, and in the end you will appreciate my words.  In all your deeds be moderate, and no sickness will overtake you.

²³ Lips will praise the one who is liberal with food, and their testimony to his excellence is trust worthy.

²⁴ The city will complain of the one who is stingy with food, and their testimony to his stinginess is accurate.

Temperance in Drinking Wine

²⁵ Do not prove your valour by wine, for wine has destroyed many.

²⁶ The furnace tests the work of the smith, so wine tests hearts in the strife of the proud.

²⁷ Wine is like life to men, if you drink it in moderation. What is life to a man who is without wine? It is created from the beginning to make men glad.

²⁸ A rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul is wine drunk in season with self-control.

²⁹ A bitterness to the soul is wine drunk to excess, with provocation and stumbling.

³⁰ Drunkenness increases the anger of a fool to his injury, reducing his strength and adding wounds.

³¹ Do not reprove your neighbour at a banquet of wine and do not despise him in his merrymaking; speak no word of reproach to him and do not afflict him by making demands of him.