Every friend will say: I also am his friend: but there is a friend, that is only a friend in name. Is not this a grief even to death?

But a companion and a friend shall be turned to an enemy.

O wicked presumption, whence camest thou to cover the earth with thy malice, and deceitfulness?

There is a companion who rejoiceth with his friend in his joys, but in the time of trouble, he will be against him.

There is a companion who condoleth with his friend for his belly’s sake, and he will take up a shield against the enemy.

Forget not thy friend in thy mind, and be not unmindful of him in thy riches.

Consult not with him that layeth a snare for thee, and hide thy counsel from them that envy thee.

Every counsellor giveth out counsel, but there is one that is a counsellor for himself.

Beware of a counsellor. And know before what need he hath: for he will devise to his own mind:

Lest he thrust a stake into the ground, and say to thee:

Thy way is good; and then stand on the other side to see what shall befall thee.

Treat not with a man without religion concerning holiness, nor with an unjust man concerning justice, nor with a woman touching her of whom she is jealous, nor with a coward concerning war, nor with a merchant about traffic, nor with a buyer of selling, nor with an envious man of giving thanks,

Nor with the ungodly of piety, nor with the dishonest of honesty, nor with the field laborer of every work,

Nor with him that worketh by the year of the finishing of the year, nor with an idle servant of much business: give no heed to these in any matter of counsel.

But be continually with a holy man, whomsoever thou shalt know to observe the fear of God,

Whose soul is according to thy own soul: and who, when thou shalt stumble in the dark, will be sorry for thee.

And establish within thyself a heart of good counsel: for there is no other thing of more worth to thee than it.

The soul of a holy man discovereth sometimes true things, more than seven watchmen that sit in a high place to watch.

But above all these things pray to the most High, that he may direct thy way in truth.

In all thy works let the true word go before thee, and steady counsel before every action.

A wicked word shall change the heart: out of which four manner of things arise, good and evil, life and death: and the tongue is continually the ruler of them. There is a man that is subtle and a teacher of many, and yet is unprofitable to his own soul.

A skilful man hath taught many, and is sweet to his own soul.

He that speaketh sophistically, is hateful: he shall be destitute of every thing.

Grace is not given him from the Lord: for he is deprived of all wisdom.

There is a wise man that is wise to his own soul: and the fruit of his understanding is commendable.

A wise man instructeth his own people, and the fruits of his understanding are faithful.

A wise man shall be filled with blessings, and they that see shall praise him.

The life of a man is in the number of his days: but the days of Israel are innumerable.

A wise man shall inherit honour among his people, and his name shall live for ever.

My son, prove thy soul in thy life: and if it be wicked, give it no power:

For all things are not expedient for all, and every kind pleaseth not every soul.

Be not greedy in any feasting, and pour not out thyself upon any meat:

For in many meats there will be sickness, and greediness will turn to choler.

By surfeiting many have perished, but he that is temperate, shall prolong life.

Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most High hath created him.

For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the king.

The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be praised.

The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.

Was not bitter water made sweet with wood?

The virtue of these things is come to the knowledge of men, and the most High hath given knowledge to men, that he may be honoured in his wonders.

By these he shall cure and shall allay their pains, and of these the apothecary shall make sweet confections, and shall make up ointments of health, and of his works there shall be no end.

For the peace of God is over all the face of the earth.

My son, in thy sickness neglect not thyself, but pray to the Lord, and he shall heal thee.

Turn away from sin and order thy hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all offence.

Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour, and make a fat offering, and then give place to the physician.

For the Lord created him: and let him not depart from thee, for his works are necessary.

For there is a time when thou must fall into their hands:

And they shall beseech the Lord, that he would prosper what they give for ease and remedy, for their conversation.

He that sinneth in the sight of his Maker, shall fall into the hands of the physician.

My son, shed tears over the dead, and begin to lament as if thou hadst suffered some great harm, and according to judgment cover his body, and neglect not his burial.

And for fear of being ill spoken of weep bitterly for a day, and then comfort thyself in thy sadness.

And make mourning for him according to his merit for a day, or two, for fear of detraction.

For of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength, and the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.

In withdrawing aside sorrow remaineth: and the substance of the poor is according to his heart.

Give not up thy heart to sadness, but drive it from thee: and remember the latter end.

Forget it not: for there is no returning, and thou shalt do him no good, and shalt hurt thyself.

Remember my judgment: for thine also shall be so: yesterday for me, and to day for thee.

When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest, and comfort him in the departing of his spirit.

The wisdom of a scribe cometh by his time of leisure: and he that is less in action, shall receive wisdom.

With what wisdom shall he be furnished that holdeth the plough, and that glorieth in the goad, that driveth the oxen therewith, and is occupied in their labours, and his whole talk is about the offspring of bulls?

He shall give his mind to turn up furrows, and his care is to give the kine fodder.

So every craftsman and workmaster that laboureth night and day, he who maketh graven seals, and by his continual diligence varieth the figure: he shall give his mind to the resemblance of the picture, and by his watching shall finish the work.

So doth the smith sitting by the anvil and considering the iron work. The vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace.

The noise of the hammer is always in his ears, and his eye is upon the pattern of the vessel he maketh.

He setteth his mind to finish his work, and his watching to polish them to perfection.

So doth the potter sitting at his work, turning the wheel about with his feet, who is always carefully set to his work, and maketh all his work by number:

He fashioneth the clay with his arm, and boweth down his strength before his feet:

He shall give his mind to finish the glazing, and his watching to make clean the furnace.

All these trust to their hands, and every one is wise in his own art.

Without these a city is not built.

And they shall not dwell, nor walk about therein, and they shall not go up into the assembly.

Upon the judges’ seat they shall not sit, and the ordinance of judgment they shall not understand, neither shall they declare discipline and judgment, and they shall not be found where parables are spoken:

But they shall strengthen the state of the world, and their prayer shall be in the work of their craft, applying their soul, and searching in the law of the most High.

The wise man will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.

He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.

He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.

He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor.

He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.

He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.

He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.

For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:

And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.

And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.

The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.

Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.

If he continue, he shall leave a name above a thousand: and if he rest, it shall be to his advantage.

I will yet meditate that I may declare: for I am filled as with a holy transport.

By a voice he saith: Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of waters.

Give ye a sweet odour as frankincense.

Send forth flowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth leaves in grace, and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.

Magnify his name, and give glory to him with the voice of your lips, and with the canticles of your mouths, and with harps, and in praising him, you shall say in this manner:

All the works of the Lord are exceeding good.

At his word the waters stood as a heap: and at the words of his mouth the receptacles of waters:

For at his commandment favour is shewn, and there is no diminishing of his salvation.

The works of all flesh are before him, and there is nothing hid from his eyes.

He seeth from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before him.

There is no saying: What is this, or what is that? for all things shall be sought in their time.

His blessing hath overflowed like a river.

And as a flood hath watered the earth; so shall his wrath inherit the nations, that have not sought after him.

Even as he turned the waters into a dry land, and the earth was made dry: and his ways were made plain for their journey: so to sinners they are stumblingblocks in his wrath.

Good things were created for the good from the beginning, so for the wicked, good and evil things.

The principal things necessary for the life of men, are water, fire, and iron, salt, milk, and bread of flour, and honey, and the cluster of the grape, and oil, and clothing.

All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.

There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in their fury they lay on grievous torments.

In the time of destruction they shall pour out their force: and they shall appease the wrath of him that made them.

Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these were created for vengeance.

The teeth of beasts, and scorpions, and serpents, and the sword taking vengeance upon the ungodly unto destruction.

In his commandments they shall feast, and they shall be ready upon earth when need is, and when their time is come they shall not transgress his word.

Therefore from the beginning I was resolved, and I have meditated, and thought on these things and left them in writing,

All the works of the Lord are good, and he will furnish every work in due time.

It is not to be said: This is worse than that: for all shall be well approved in their time.

Now therefore with the whole heart and mouth praise ye him, and bless the name of the Lord.

Great labour is created for all men, and a heavy yoke is upon the children of Adam from the day of their coming out of their mother’s womb, until the day of their burial into the mother of all.

Their thoughts, and fears of the heart, their imagination of things to come, and the day of their end:

From him that sitteth on a glorious throne, unto him that is humbled in earth and ashes:

From him that weareth purple, and beareth the crown, even to him that is covered with rough linen: wrath, envy, trouble, unquietness, and the fear of death, continual anger, and strife,

And in the time of rest upon his bed, the sleep of the night changeth his knowledge.

A little and as nothing is his rest, and afterward in sleep, as in the day of keeping watch.

He is troubled in the vision of his heart, as if he had escaped in the day of battle. In the time of his safety he rose up, and wondereth that there is no fear.

Such things happen to all flesh, from man even to beast, and upon sinners are sevenfold more.

Moreover, death, and bloodshed, strife, and sword, oppressions, famine, and affliction, and scourges:

All these things are created for the wicked, and for their sakes came the flood.

All things that are of the earth, shall return to the earth again, and all waters shall return to the sea.

All bribery, and injustice shall be blotted out, and fidelity shall stand for ever.

The riches of the unjust shall be dried up like a river, and shall pass away with a noise like a great thunder in rain.

While he openeth his hands he shall rejoice: but transgressors shall pine away in the end.

The offspring of the ungodly shall not bring forth many branches, and make a noise as unclean roots upon the top of a rock.

The weed growing over every water, and at the bank of the river, shall be pulled up before all grass.

Grace is like a paradise in blessings, and mercy remaineth for ever.

The life of a laborer that is content with what he hath, shall be sweet, and in it thou shalt find a treasure.

Children, and the building of a city shall establish a name, but a blameless wife shall be counted above them both.

Wine and music rejoice the heart, but the love of wisdom is above them both.

The flute and the psaltery make a sweet melody, but a pleasant tongue is above them both.

Thy eye desireth favour and beauty, but more than these green sown fields.

A friend and companion meeting together in season, but above them both is a wife with her husband.

Brethren are a help in the time of trouble, but mercy shall deliver more than they.

Gold and silver make the feet stand sure: but wise counsel is above them both.

Riches and strength lift up the heart: but above these is the fear of the Lord.

There is no want in the fear of the Lord, and it needeth not to seek for help.

The fear of the Lord is like a paradise of blessing, and they have covered it above all glory.

My son, in thy lifetime be not indigent: for it is better to die than to want.

The life of him that looketh toward another man’s table is not to be counted a life: for he feedeth his soul with another man’s meat.

But a man, well instructed and taught, will look to himself.

Begging will be sweet in the mouth of the unwise, but in his belly there shall burn a fire.

O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that hath peace in his possessions!

To a man that is at rest, and whose ways are prosperous in all things, and that is yet able to take meat!

O death thy sentence is welcome to the man that is in need, and to him whose strength faileth:

Who is in a decrepit age, and that is in care about all things, and to the distrustful that loseth patience!

Fear not the sentence of death. Remember what things have been before thee, and what shall come after thee: this sentence is from the Lord upon all flesh.

And what shall come upon thee by the good pleasure of the most High? whether ten, or a hundred, or a thousand years.

For among the dead there is no accusing of life.

The children of sinners become children of abominations, and they that converse near the houses of the ungodly.

The inheritance of the children of sinners shall perish, and with their posterity shall be a perpetual reproach.

The children will complain of an ungodly father, because for his sake they are in reproach.

Woe to you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the most high Lord.

And if you be born, you shall be born in malediction: and if you die, in malediction shall be your portion.

All things that are of the earth, shall return into the earth: so the ungodly shall from malediction to destruction.

The mourning of men is about their body, but the name of the ungodly shall be blotted out.

Take care of a good name: for this shall continue with thee, more than a thousand treasures precious and great.

A good life hath its number of days: but a good name shall continue for ever.

My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen, what profit is there in them both?

Better is the man that hideth his folly, than the man that hideth his wisdom.

Wherefore have a shame of these things I am now going to speak of.

For it is not good to keep all shamefacedness: and all things do not please all men in opinion.

Be ashamed of fornication before father and mother: and of a lie before a governor and a man in power:

Of an offence before a prince, and a judge: of iniquity before a congregation and a people:

Of injustice before a companion and friend: and in regard to the place where thou dwellest,

Of theft, and of the truth of God, and the covenant: of leaning with thy elbow over meat, and of deceit in giving and taking:

Of silence before them that salute thee: of looking upon a harlot: and of turning away thy face from thy kinsman.

Turn not away thy face from thy neighbour, and of taking away a portion and not restoring.

Gaze not upon another man’s wife, and be not inquisitive after his handmaid, and approach not her bed.

Be ashamed of upbraiding speeches before friends: and after thou hast given, upbraid not.