1 If a person never says anything carelessly, he is to be congratulated; he doesn't need to feel guilty. 2 If a person has a clear conscience and never gives up hope, he is certainly to be congratulated!
Responsible Use of Wealth
3 It isn't right for someone who is selfish to be rich. What use is money to a stingy person? 4 If you deny yourself in order to accumulate wealth, you are only accumulating it for someone else. Others will use your riches to live in luxury. 5 How can you be generous with others if you are stingy with yourself, if you are not willing to enjoy your own wealth? 6 No one is worse off than someone who is stingy with himself; it is a sin that brings its own punishment. 7 When such a person does something good, it is only by accident; his selfishness will sooner or later be evident. 8 A selfish person is evil; he turns his back on people's needs 9 and is never satisfied with what he has. Greed will shrivel up a person's soul. 10 Some people are too stingy to put bread on their own table.
11 My child, treat yourself as well as you can, and bring worthy offerings to the Lord. 12 Remember that death is coming for you some day, and you haven't been told when that will be. 13 Before that day comes, be kind to your friends; be as generous as you can. 14 Don't deny yourself a single day's happiness. If there is something you want to do and it is lawful, go ahead! 15 Some day all that you have worked for will be divided up and given to others. 16 So be generous; but also be willing to receive from others. Enjoy yourself, for you will not find any pleasures in the world of the dead. 17 The human body wears out like a piece of clothing. The ancient law decrees that we must die. 18 Human beings are like leaves on a spreading tree. New growth takes the place of the fallen leaves; while some of us die, others are being born. 19 Everything made by human hands will decay and perish, along with the person who made it.
The Happiness of Having Wisdom
20 It is a happy person who is concerned with Wisdom and who uses good sense. 21 Anyone who studies the ways of Wisdom will also learn her secrets. 22 Go after Wisdom like a hunter looking for game. 23 Look into her windows and listen at her doors. 24 Camp as close to her house as you can get, 25 and you will have a fine place to live. 26-27 Build your home there, safe beneath her protecting branches, and shaded from the heat.
1 Svētlaimīgs cilvēks, kam nepaslīd mēle,
ko nemoka grēku nasta;
2 svētlaimīgs, ko neapsūdz sirdsapziņa
un kas nav atteicies no savas cerības.
3 No bagātības sīkstulim nav labuma,
un nenovīdīgajam – kam viņam nauda?
4 Kas krāj, sev atraujot, tas citiem krāj,
un citi gozēsies viņa labumos.
5 Kas pats pret sevi slikts,
pret ko gan tas būs labs?
Ar visu naudīgumu nebūs tam prieka.
6 Nav ļaunvēlīgāka par to, kas nenovīdīgs pats pret sevi, –
tā pašam paša ļaunums atriebjas:
7 ja tāds ko labu dara, to dara aiz izklaidības,
bet beigās darītāja ļaunums atklājas.
8 Kas pats ir slikts, ar ļaunu aci glūn,
vērš skatienu uz citu pusi, pāri raugās,
9 par maz ir alkatīgā acij ar savu tiesu vien,
kaut paša dvēsele aiz ļauna netaisnuma izkaltusi.
10 Ļauna acs maizi skauž,
pašam uz galda nav.
Bagātība un nāve
11 Atkarībā no tā, kas tev ir, dari labu sev pašam, dēls,
bet Kungam ziedo cienīgus upurus!
12 Atceries, ka nāve neaizkavēsies,
un tev vēl nav parādīts līgums ar mirušo valstību.
13 Dari labu draugam, pirms mūžs tev ir galā,
sniedzies un pēc savām iespējām dāvā!
14 Nelaupi, kas pienākas pašam no labām dienām!
Tava daļa no ilgošanās pēc labā lai nepaiet garām!
15 Vai gan neatstāsi citam savu pūliņu augļus?
Vai tad tevis sastrādāto nesadalīs lozējot?
16 Sniedz un ņem, un valdzinājumam ļaujies:
mirušo valstībā izpriecas neatrast.
17 Kā apmetnis noveco viss, kas no miesas,
jo mūžsens ir likums: tev jāmirst.
18 Kā lapas, kas kuplā lapotnē zeļ,
dažas krīt un citas plaukst,
tā no miesas un asinīm dzimušie,
viens mirst, otrs dzimst.
19 Ik darbs trūd un zūd
un līdz ar darbu – darītājs.
Gudrības meklētājs un gudrība
20 Svētlaimīgs, kas apcer ar gudrību,
ar prātu iedziļinās;
21 kas gudrības takas sirdī pārdomā,
apslēpto izdibina.
22 Ej tai pa pēdām kā okšķerētājs!
Gaidi slēpnī tās takās!
23 Kas ieskatās pa tās logiem,
arī uz sliekšņa klausās.
24 Kas apmetas tuvu tās mājai,
dzīs arī vadzi tās mūros,
25 tās paspārnē uzslies telti, kur krietnie mīt, apmetīsies;
26 tās patvērumā bērnus atstās
un nakšņos zem tās zariem,
27 no svelmes tversies zem tās
un mājos tās godībā.
