Welcoming Death

¹O death, how bitter is the reminder of you

to people who enjoy their possessions—

to those who are prosperous in everything and have no worries

and who are still able to enjoy food.

²O death, how welcome your sentence is

to those who are needy and losing strength!

For they are worn out by old age and endless anxiety

and have become grumpy and impatient.

³Do not fear the sentence of death.

Remember those who went before you and those who will come after you.

⁴This sentence is from the Lord to everyone.

So why object to the will of the Most High?

Whether your life lasts ten or a hundred or a thousand years,

no one will ask about it in the place of the dead.

The Wicked and the Righteous

⁵The children of sinners are detestable,

and they are found among the ungodly.

⁶The inheritance of sinners’ children will perish,

and perpetual shame will plague their offspring.

⁷Children will blame their ungodly father,

for they endure shame because of him.

⁸How terrible it will be for you ungodly,

for you have abandoned the law of the Most High God.

⁹When you were born, you were born under a curse;

when you die, a curse will be your inheritance.

¹⁰All things from the earth return to the earth;

so the ungodly pass from curse to destruction.

¹¹Physical death brings grief,

but sinners and their bad reputation will also be forgotten.

¹²Be careful of your reputation, for it will live on after you.

It will last longer than a thousand treasures of gold.

¹³The actual life span of a good person is limited,

but a good reputation lasts forever.

Things That Warrant Shame

¹⁴My children, be true to your upbringing and be at peace,

for hidden wisdom is as useless as a treasure that lies undiscovered.

¹⁵Better are those who hide their foolishness

than those who hide their wisdom.

¹⁶Therefore, show respect for what I say,

for it is not always appropriate to be ashamed,

nor is everything regarded with the same respect by everyone.

¹⁷Be ashamed of sexual immorality before your father or mother

and of a lie before a prince or ruler;

¹⁸of a crime before a judge or official;

of sin before the congregation and community;

¹⁹of dishonest dealings before a partner or friend;

and of theft in your neighborhood.

²⁰Be ashamed of breaking an oath or covenant[#41:20a As in Hebrew; Greek reads Be ashamed before God’s truth and the covenant.]

and of reclining at meals;

²¹of receiving or giving ungraciously;

of ignoring those who greet you;

²²of looking at a prostitute;

of rejecting a request from your relative;

²³of taking away someone’s inheritance or gift;

and of gazing at another man’s wife.

²⁴Be ashamed of making advances toward a man’s servant girl;

don’t go near her bed.

²⁵Be ashamed of reprimanding friends,

and do not insult someone after you give them a gift.

²⁶Be ashamed of repeating what you have heard

and of betraying confidences.

²⁷Then you will display a proper sense of shame

and be well liked by everyone.