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.
1 Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.
2 Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.
3 Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?
4 He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.
5 He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.
6 There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.
7 And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.
8 The envious man hath a wicked eye; he turneth away his face, and despiseth men.
9 A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.
10 A wicked eye envieth his bread, and he is a niggard at his table.
11 My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.
12 Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.
13 Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give to him.
14 Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass thee.
15 Shalt thou not leave thy travails unto another? and thy labours to be divided by lot?
16 Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.
17 All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death.
18 As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.
19 Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.
20 Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding.
21 He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.
22 Go after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her ways.
23 He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors.
24 He that doth lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.
25 He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.
26 He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.
27 By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.
