The evil of avarice: works of mercy are recommended, and the love of
wisdom.
14:1. Blessed is the man that hath not slipped by a word out of his
mouth, and is not pricked with the remorse of sin.
14:2. Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who is not
fallen from his hope.
14:3. Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a niggard, and what
should an envious man do with gold?
14:4. He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul, gathereth
for others, and another will squander away his goods in rioting.
14:5. He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall
not take pleasure in his goods.
14:6. There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this is the
reward of his wickedness:
14:7. And if he do good, he doth it ignorantly, and unwillingly: and at
the last he discovereth his wickedness.
14:8. The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turneth away his face,
and despiseth his own soul.
14:9. The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion of
iniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his own soul, drying
it up.
14:10. An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have his
fill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his own table.
14:11. My son, if thou have any thing, do good to thyself, and offer to
God worthy offerings.
14:12. Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of hell
hath been shewn to thee: for the covenant of this world shall surely
die.
Covenant of hell. . .The decree by which all are to go down to the
regions of death.
14:13. Do good to thy friend before thou die, and according to thy
ability, stretching out thy hand give to the poor.
14:14. Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a
good gift overpass thee.
14:15. Shalt thou not leave to others to divide by lot thy sorrows and
labours?
14:16. Give and take, and justify thy soul.
14:17. Before thy death work justice: for in hell there is no finding
food.
14:18. All flesh shall fade as grass, and as the leaf that springeth
out on a green tree.
14:19. Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of flesh and
blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.
14:20. Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and the
worker thereof shall go with it.
14:21. And every excellent work shall be justified: and the worker
thereof shall be honoured therein.
14:22. Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that shall
meditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think of the all seeing
eye of God.
14:23. He that considereth her ways in his heart, and hath
understanding in her secrets, who goeth after her as one that traceth,
and stayeth in her ways.
14:24. He who looketh in at her windows, and hearkeneth at her door.
14:25. He that lodgeth near her house, and fastening a pin in her walls
shall set up his tent high unto her, where good things shall rest in
his lodging for ever.
14:26. He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge
under her branches:
14:27. He shall be protected under her covering from the heat, and
shall rest in her glory.