CHAPTER 41
1 A! death, thy mind is full bitter to an unjust man, and having peace in his riches; to a restful man, and whose ways be dressed in all things, that is, hath prosperity in all temporal things, and yet mighty to take meat. [O! death, how bitter is thy mind to an unrightwise man, and having peace in his substances; to a quiet man, and whose ways be right straight or strait, in all things, and yet mighty to take meat.]
2 A! death [or O! death], thy doom is good to a needy man, and which is made less in strengths [or that is lessened in strength], and faileth for age, and to whom is care of all things, and unbelieveful, that loseth wisdom.
3 Do not thou dread the doom of death, that is, set thou thee in such a state, that the doom of death be good to thee; have thou mind what things were before thee, and what things shall come [up] on thee; this doom is of [or from] the Lord to each man [or to all flesh].
4 And those things that shall come on thee in the good pleasance of the Highest; whether ten years, either an hundred, either a thousand. For why none accusing of life is in hell, that is, no man may excuse him there, in alleging goodness of life, [or Forsooth there is not in hell accusing of life.]
5 The sons of abominations be the sons of sinners; and they that dwell beside the houses of wicked [or un-pious] men.
6 The heritage of the sons of sinners shall perish; and the contin-uance of shame [or the busyness of reproof] with the seed of them.
7 Sons complain of a wicked father; for they be in shame [or reproof] for him.
8 Woe to you, ye wicked men, that have forsaken the law of the Highest [or of the highest Lord].
9 And if ye be born, ye shall be born in cursedness; and if ye be dead, your part shall be in cursedness, [or if ye shall die, in cursing shall be your part].
10 All things that be of the earth, shall return into the earth; so wicked [or unpious] men shall turn from cursing into perdition.
11 The mourning of men is in the body of them; but the name of wicked men shall be done away.
12 Have thou busyness of 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 good life; but a good name shall dwell without end [or abide still into the spiritual world].
14 Sons, keep ye teaching [or discipline] 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 turn ye again in these things that come forth of [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, 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, 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 blemishing of gift or of giving, and taking, [or of the darkening of the given thing, and of taken];
20 of stillness, before them that greet [or saluting]thee; of the beholding of a lecherous [or fornicary] woman; and of the turning away of the cheer 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. Behold thou not the woman of an-other man;
22 and ensearch thou not her hand-maid [or handwoman of him], neither stand thou at her bed. Be thou ware of friends, of the words of upbraiding [or reproof]; and when thou hast given, upbraid thou not.
23 Double thou not a word of hearing, of the showing [or the opening] of an hid word;
24 and thou shalt be verily without shame [or confusion], and thou shalt find grace in the sight of all men.