Chapter 41

¹The children will complain of an ungodly father, because for his sake they are in reproach. ¹¹Woe to you, ungodly men, who have forsaken the law of the most high Lord. ¹²And if you be born, you shall be born in malediction: and if you die, in malediction shall be your portion. ¹³All things that are of the earth, shall return into the earth: so the ungodly shall from malediction to destruction. ¹⁴The mourning of men is about their body, but the name of the ungodly shall be blotted out. ¹⁵Take care of a good name: for this shall continue with thee, more than a thousand treasures precious and great. ¹⁶A good life hath its number of days: but a good name shall continue for ever. ¹⁷My children, keep discipline in peace: for wisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen, what profit is there in them both? ¹⁸Better is the man that hideth his folly, then the man that hideth his wisdom. ¹⁹Wherefore have a shame of these things I am now going to speak of. ²⁰For it is not good to keep all shamefacedness: and all things do not please all men in opinion. ²¹Be ashamed of fornication before father and mother: and of a lie before a governor and a man in power: ²²Of an offence before a prince, and a judge: of iniquity before a congregation and a people: ²³Of injustice before a companion and friend: and in regard to the place where thou dwellest, ²⁴Of theft, and of the truth of God, and the covenant: of leaning with thy elbow over meat, and of deceit in giving and taking: ²⁵Of silence before them that salute thee: of looking upon a harlot: and of turning away thy face from thy kinsman. ²⁶Turn not sway thy face from thy neighbour, and of taking away a portion and not restoring. ²⁷Gaze not upon another man's wife, and be not inquisitive after his handmaid, and approach not her bed. ²⁸Be ashamed of upbraiding speeches before friends: and after thou hast given, upbraid not.