CHAPTER 41
1 A! [or O!] death, thy mind is full bitter to an unjust [or an unrightwise] man, and having peace in his riches; to a restful [or quiet] man, and whose ways be (ad)dressed (or directed) in all things, that is, hath prosperity in all temporal things, and yet mighty to take meat.
2 A! [or O!] death, thy doom (or thy judgement) is good to a needy man, and which is made less in strengths, and faileth for age, and to whom is care of all things, and unbelieveful, that loseth (or destroyeth) wisdom.
3 Do not thou dread the doom of death, that is, set thou thee in such a state, (so) that the doom of death be good to (or for) thee; have thou mind what things were before thee, and what things shall come on (or after) thee; this doom is of the Lord to each man.
4 And those things that shall come on (or after) thee in the good pleasance (or through the good pleasure) of the Highest; whether ten years, either an hundred, either a thousand. For why none accusing (or excusing) of life is in hell (or in the grave), that is, no man may excuse him (self) there, in alleging (the) goodness of (his) life.
5 The sons of abominations be the sons of sinners; and they that dwell beside the houses of wicked men.
6 The heritage of the sons of sinners shall perish; and the continuance of shame [or reproof] with the seed of them.
7 (The) Sons (will)(com)plain of a wicked father; for they be in shame [or in reproof] for him.
8 Woe to you, ye wicked men, that have forsaken the law of the Highest.
9 And if ye be born, ye shall be born in cursedness; and if ye be dead, your part shall be in cursedness.
10 All things that be of the earth, shall (re)turn into the earth; so wicked men shall turn from cursing into perdition.
11 The mourning of men is in (or for) the body of them; but the name of wicked men shall be done away.
12 Have thou busyness of (or for) a good name; for why this shall dwell more with thee, than a thousand treasures great and precious.
13 The number of days is the term of (a) good life; but a good name shall dwell without end.
14 Sons, keep ye teaching in peace; for why wisdom hid, and treasure unseen, what profit is in ever either?
15 Better is a man that hideth his folly, than a man that hideth his wisdom.
16 Nevertheless (re)turn ye again in these things that come forth of (or from)[or go out of] my mouth. For it is not good to keep all unreverence, and not all things please all men in faith.
17 Be ye ashamed of fornication, before father, and before mother; and of a leasing (or of a lie), before a justice, and before a mighty man;
18 and of trespass, before a prince, and before a judge; and of wicked-ness, before a synagogue, and a people; and of unrightfulness, or unrightwiseness, before a fellow, and a friend;
19 and of theft, in the place wherein thou dwellest; of the truth and the testament of God; of sitting [down] at the meat in loaves; and of the blem-ishing [or darkening] of [the] gift (or of giving), and (of) taking [of (the) taken];
20 of stillness, before them that greet [or saluting](thee); of the beholding of a lecherous woman; and of the turning away of the cheer (or the face) of a cousin.
21 Turn thou not away thy face from thy neighbour; and be thou ware of taking away a part, and not restoring (it). Behold thou not the woman of another man;
22 and ensearch thou not her hand-maid, neither stand thou at her bed. Be thou ware of friends, of the words of upbraiding [or of reproof]; and when thou hast given, upbraid thou not.
23 Double thou not a word of hearing, (and) of the showing of an hid word;
24 and thou shalt be verily (or truly) without shame [or confusion], and thou shalt find grace in the sight of all men.