1 Many have sinned for a small matter;
And he who seeks abundance turns his eyes away.
2 As a nail holds fast between the join of stones;
So sin holds close between buying and selling.
3 Unless a man behaves diligently in the reverence of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄,
His house shall soon be overthrown.
4 As when one sifts with a sieve, the refuse remains;
So the filth of man is in his words.
5 The furnace tries the potter’s vessels;
So the trial of man is in his reasoning.
6 The fruit declares if the tree has been cultivated;
So is the speaking of pride in the heart of man.
7 Praise no man before you hear him speak;
For this is the trial of men.
8 If you follow righteousness, you shall obtain it,
And put it on, as a long robe of esteem.
9 The birds shall gather with their kind;
So shall truth return to those who practise it.
10 As the lion lies in wait for prey;
So does sin for those who work wickedness.
11 The words of a reverent man are always with wisdom;
But a fool changes as the moon.
12 Watch the time if you are among the foolish;
But be continually among men of understanding.
13 The words of fools are troublesome,
And their entertainment is the indecency of sin.
14 The words of he who swears much makes the hair stand upright;
And their uproar makes one stop his ears.
15 The strife of the proud is bloodshed,
And their revilings are grievous to the ear.
16 Whoever uncovers secrets loses his trust;
And shall never find a friend of his being.
17 Love your friend, and be trustworthy to him;
But if you betray his secrets, never again follow after him.
18 For as a man has destroyed his enemy;
So you have lost the love of your neighbour.
19 As one that releases a bird out of his hand,
So you have let your neighbour go,
And shall not have him again.
20 Do not follow after him, for he is too far off;
He is like a gazelle escaped out of the snare.
21 As for a wound, it may be bound up,
And after reviling there may be peace;
But he who betrays secrets is without expectancy.
22 He who winks with the eyes works evil;
And he who knows him departs from him.
23 When you are present, he shall speak sweetly,
and shall admire your words;
But in the end he shall twist his mouth,
and slander your sayings.
24 I have hated many matters, but naught like him;
For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 shall hate him.
25 Whoever throws a stone high, throws it on his own head;
And a blow in deceit makes wounds.
26 Whoever digs a pit shall fall in to it;
And he who lays a trap shall be caught in it.
27 He who does evil, it shall fall upon him,
And he shall not know from where it comes.
28 Mockery and reproach are from the proud;
But vengeance as a lion, lies in wait for them.
29 Those who rejoice at the fall of the righteous shall be taken in the snare;
And anguish shall consume them before they die.
30 Evil and wrath, even these are abominations;
And the sinful man has them both.