Chapter 5
1 Set not your heart upon your goods;
And say not, They are sufficient for me.
2 Follow not your own mind and your strength,
To walk in the desires of your heart;
3 And say not, Who will have dominion over me?
For the Lord will surely take vengeance on you.
4 Say not, I sinned, and what happened to me?
For the Lord is longsuffering. * The remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.
5 Concerning atonement, be not without fear,
To add sin upon sins:
6 And say not, His compassion is great;
He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins:
For mercy and wrath are with him,
And his indignation will rest upon sinners.
7 Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord;
And put not off from day to day:
For suddenly will the wrath of the Lord come forth; † A line of this verse is here omitted by the best authorities.
And you will perish in the time of vengeance.
8 Set not your heart upon unrighteous gains:
For you will profit nothing in the day of calamity.
9 Winnow not with every wind,
And walk not in every path:
Thus does the sinner that has a double tongue.
10 Be stedfast in your understanding;
And let your word be one.
11 Be swift to hear; ‡ The remainder of this line is omitted by the best authorities.
And with patience make your answer.
12 If you have understanding, answer your neighbor;
And if not, let your hand be upon your mouth.
13 Glory and dishonor is in talk:
And the tongue of a man is his fall.
14 Be not called a whisperer;
And lie not in wait with your tongue:
For upon the thief there is shame,
And an evil condemnation upon him that has a double tongue.
15 In a great matter and in a small, be not ignorant;