1 Attend not to unjust possessions, and say not: I have sufficient livelihood: for it shall nothing profit in the time of vengeance & affliction.
1 Set not thy heart upon unjust possessions, and say not: I have enough to live on: for it shall be of no service in the time of vengeance and darkness.
2 Follow not in thy strength the concupiscence of thy heart:
2 Follow not in thy strength the desires of thy heart:
3 and say not: How mighty am I? And who shall bring me under for my facts? For God revenging will revenge.
3 And say not: How mighty am I? And who shall bring me under for my deeds? For God will surely take revenge.
4 Say not: I have sinned, and what sorrowful thing hath chanced to me? For the Highest is a patient rewarder.
4 Say not: I have sinned, and what harm hath befallen me? For the most High is a patient rewarder.
5 Of sin forgiven be not without fear, neither add thou sin upon sin.
5 Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin upon sin:
6 And say not: The mercy of our Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins.
6 And say not: The mercy of the Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins.
7 For mercy and wrath quickly approach from God, and his wrath looketh upon sinners.
7 ¹For mercy and wrath quickly come from him, and his wrath looketh upon sinners.
8 Slack not to be converted to our Lord, and defer not from day to day.
8 Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day today.
9 For his wrath shall come suddenly: and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee.
9 For his wrath shall come on a sudden, and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee.
10 Be not careful in unjust riches: for they shall not profit thee in the day of obduction and vengeance.
10 ²Be not anxious for goods unjustly gotten: for they shall not profit thee in the day of calamity and revenge.
11 Toss not thyself into every wind, and go not into every way: for so every sinner is proved by a double tongue.
11 Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way: for so is every sinner proved by a double tongue.
12 Be steadfast in the way of our Lord, & in the truth of thy understanding, and in knowledge, and let the word of peace and justice accompany thee.
12 Be steadfast in the way of the Lord, and in the truth of thy judgment, and in knowledge, and let the word of peace and justice keep with thee.
13 Be mild to hear the word, thou mayst understand, and with wisdom utter thou a true answer.
13 Be meek to hear the word, that thou mayst understand: and return a true answer with wisdom.
14 If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbour: but if not, let thine hand be upon thy mouth, lest thou be taken in an unskillful word, and be confounded.
14 If thou have understanding, answer thy neighbor: but if not, let thy hand be upon thy mouth, lest thou be surprised in an unskillful word, and be confounded.
15 Honour and glory in the word of the wise, but the tongue of the unwise is his subversion.
15 Honor and glory is in the word of the wise, but the tongue of the fool is his ruin.
16 Be not called a whisperer, and be not taken in thy tongue, & confounded.
16 Be not called a whisperer, and be not taken in thy tongue, and confounded.
17 For upon a thief is confusion & repentance, and a very evil condemnation upon the double tongued, but to the whisperer hatred, and enmity, and contumely.
17 For confusion and repentance is upon a thief, and an evil mark of disgrace upon the double tongued, but to the whisperer hatred, and enmity, and reproach.
18 Justify thou the little one, and the great alike.
18 Justify alike the small and the great.