Practical precepts

¹Don’t be preoccupied with your money,

and don’t say, “I’m self-sufficient.”

²Don’t follow your inclination

or your strength,

in order to walk in the desires

of your heart.

³And don’t say,

“Who’ll have power over me?”

When the Lord punishes,

he will punish.

⁴Don’t say, “Sure, I sinned,

but what happened to me?”

The Lord is patient indeed.

⁵Don’t be too confident

of being forgiven,

adding sin upon sin.

⁶Don’t say, “His compassion is great;

Mercy and wrath are with him,

⁷Don’t wait to turn back to the Lord.

Don’t put it off day after day,

⁸Don’t be preoccupied

with ill-gotten gains;

it will be of no benefit

when you are in trouble.

⁹Don’t be blown about by every wind,

and don’t take every shortcut.

¹⁰Be firmly grounded

in your understanding,

and let your speech be consistent.

¹¹Listen carefully,

and utter a patient reply.

¹²If you have understanding,

answer your neighbor,

but if you don’t,

clap your hand over your mouth.

¹³Speaking brings glory or dishonor.

Indeed, the tongue

can be a person’s downfall.

¹⁴Don’t get a reputation

for being a slanderer,

because shame comes to the thief,

¹⁵Don’t be ignorant in matters

large or small.