Rules for Doing Good

¹If you do good to others, give thought to the people you select;

then your good deeds will be appreciated.

²Do good to the devout, and you will be rewarded—

if not by them, then certainly by the Most High.

³No good comes to those who continue to do evil

or to those who do not give to the poor.

⁴Give to the godly but not to the sinner.

⁵Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly.

Keep your bread, and don’t give it to the ungodly,

for they might grow stronger than you because of it.

Then you will receive twice as much evil

for all the good you have done to them.

⁶The Most High hates sinners

and will punish the ungodly.

⁷Give to the good,

but don’t help the sinner.

⁸A friend will not ask for favors when you are doing well,

but an enemy won’t stay away when you are in trouble.

⁹When people are prosperous, their enemies act like friends,

but when trouble comes, even one’s friends disappear.

Guarding against Enemies

¹⁰Never trust your enemies,

for they will turn wicked as surely as copper tarnishes.

¹¹Even if they humble themselves and come begging,

be on guard—beware of them.

Treat them carefully, as though you were polishing a metal mirror

to be sure it doesn’t tarnish.

¹²Don’t give your enemies a position next to you,

or they may overthrow you and take your place.

Don’t seat them at your right hand,

or they may try to take your seat.

And then you will see that I was right

and be stung by what I told you.

¹³Who feels sorry for snake charmers when they are bitten?

Or for those who go near savage beasts?

¹⁴So it is with those who keep bad company

and participate in their sins.

¹⁵Sinners will stand by you for a while,

but if you slip, they will abandon you.

¹⁶Enemies speak sweetly with their lips,

but in their hearts they plot to throw you into a pit.

Enemies weep with their eyes,

but they will use every opportunity to cause as much bloodshed as they can.

¹⁷If trouble comes, enemies will be there ahead of you.

They will pretend to help you, but they will trip you up.

¹⁸They will shake their heads and clap their hands to mock you,

and they will whisper about you,

showing their true feelings toward you.