1A! 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.]

2A! 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.

3Do 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].

4And 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.]

5The sons of abominations be the sons of sinners; and they that dwell beside the houses of wicked [or un-pious] men.

6The heritage of the sons of sinners shall perish; and the contin-uance of shame [or the busyness of reproof] with the seed of them.

7Sons complain of a wicked father; for they be in shame [or reproof] for him.

8Woe to you, ye wicked men, that have forsaken the law of the Highest [or of the highest Lord].

9And 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].

10All things that be of the earth, shall return into the earth; so wicked [or unpious] men shall turn from cursing into perdition.

11The mourning of men is in the body of them; but the name of wicked men shall be done away.

12Have thou busyness of a good name; for why this shall dwell more with thee, than a thousand treasures great and precious.

13The number of days is the term of good life; but a good name shall dwell without end [or abide still into the spiritual world].

14Sons, keep ye teaching [or discipline] in peace; for why wisdom hid, and treasure unseen, what profit is in ever either?

15Better is a man that hideth his folly, than a man that hideth his wisdom.

16Nevertheless 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.

17Be ye ashamed of fornication, before father, and before mother; and of a leasing, before a justice, and before a mighty man;

18and 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;

19and 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];

20of 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.

21Turn 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;

22and 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.

23Double thou not a word of hearing, of the showing [or the opening] of an hid word;

24and thou shalt be verily without shame [or confusion], and thou shalt find grace in the sight of all men.