Anonymous (Septuagint) · a new plain-English translation from the original language
1| Every friend will say, "I too have made friends with him"; but there is a friend who is a friend in name only.
2| Is it not a grief that reaches to death, when a companion and friend turns into an enemy?
3| O wicked inclination, from where were you rolled in to cover the dry land with deceit?
4| A companion of a friend rejoices in his good times, but in a time of trouble he will stand against him.
5| A companion labors with his friend for the sake of his belly, but in the face of war he will pick up the shield.
6| Do not forget a friend in your soul, and do not fail to remember him among your possessions.
7| Every counselor holds out advice, but there is one who advises for his own benefit.
8| Guard your soul against a counselor, and know beforehand what his interest is; for he too is weighing what serves him, in case he throws the dice against you,
9| and say to you, "Your way is good," while he stands off to see what will happen to you.
10| Do not take counsel with one who looks at you with suspicion, and hide your plan from those who envy you.
11| Nor with a woman about her rival, nor with a coward about war, nor with a merchant about a trade, nor with a buyer about a sale, nor with a grudging man about gratitude, nor with a merciless man about kindness, nor with a lazy man about any work, nor with a hired laborer, done for the season, about finishing a task, nor with an idle servant about a heavy workload — do not rely on people like these for any counsel at all.
12| Instead, keep close to a godly man, one you know to be a keeper of the commandments, whose soul is like your own, and who will grieve with you if you stumble.
13| And set up the counsel of your own heart, for you have no one more faithful than it.
14| For a man's soul is sometimes accustomed to bring him word better than seven watchmen sitting high up on a watchtower.
15| And above all these things beg the Most High that he may guide your way in truth.
16| The beginning of every work is a word, and before every action there is a plan.
17| The heart leaves its trace in a change of countenance.
18| Four kinds of things spring up — good and evil, life and death — and the tongue is what rules over them continually.
19| There is a man clever and a teacher of many, and yet he is useless to his own soul.
20| There is one who is skilled in words yet hateful, and he will be left wanting every good thing;
21| for grace was not given him from the Lord, since he has been deprived of all wisdom.
22| There is one who is wise to his own soul, and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy on his lips.
23| A wise man will instruct his own people, and the fruits of his understanding are trustworthy.
24| A wise man will be filled with blessing, and all who see him will call him happy.
25| The life of a man is measured in a number of days, but the days of Israel are without number.
26| The wise man will inherit trust among his people, and his name will live on forever.
27| Child, test your soul during your life, and see what is bad for it, and do not give that to it.
28| For not everything is good for everyone, nor does every soul delight in every thing.
29| Do not be greedy for every delicacy, and do not pour yourself out upon rich food;
30| for in much food there will be sickness, and gluttony will bring one right up to illness.
31| Many have died through gluttony, but the one who is careful will add to his life.