Chapter 4

¹Son, defraud not the poor of alms, and turn not away thy eyes from the poor. ²Despise not the hungry soul: and provoke not the Boor in his want. ³Afflict not the heart of the needy, and defer not to give to him that is in distress. ⁴Reject not the petition of the afflicted: and turn not away thy face from the needy. ⁵Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back. ⁶For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him. ⁷Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the ancient, and bow thy head to a great man. ⁸Bow down thy ear cheerfully to the poor, and pay what thou owest, and answer him peaceable words with mildness. ⁹Deliver him that suffereth wrong out of the hand of the proud: and be not fainthearted in thy soul. ¹⁰In judging be merciful to the fatherless as a father, and as a husband to their mother. ¹¹And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother. ¹²Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice. ¹³And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her, shall embrace her sweetness. ¹⁴They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing. ¹⁵They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God loveth them that love her. ¹⁶He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her, shall remain secure. ¹⁷If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance. ¹⁸For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him. ¹⁹She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul. ²⁰Then she will strengthen him, and make a straight way to him, and give him joy, ²¹And will disclose her secrets to him, and will heap upon him treasures of knowledge and understanding of justice. ²²But if he go astray, she will forsake him, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy. ²³Son, observe the time, and fly from evil. ²⁴For thy soul be not ashamed to say the truth. ²⁵For there is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame that bringeth glory and grace. ²⁶Accept no person against thy own person, nor against thy soul a lie. ²⁷Reverence not thy neighbour in his fall: ²⁸And refrain not to speak in the time of salvation. Hide not thy wisdom in her beauty. ²⁹For by the tongue wisdom is discerned: and understanding, and knowledge, and learning by the word of the wise, and steadfastness in the works of justice. ³⁰In nowise speak against the truth, but be ashamed of the lie of thy ignorance. ³¹Be not ashamed to confess thy sins, but submit not thyself to every man for sin. ³²Resist not against the face of the mighty, and do not strive against the stream of the river. ³³Strive for justice for thy soul, and even unto death fight for justice, and God will overthrow thy enemies for thee. ³⁴Be not hasty in thy tongue: and slack and remiss in thy works. ³⁵Be not as a lion in thy house, terrifying them of thy household, and oppressing them that are under thee. ³⁶Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldst give.