Chapter 9

9. Be not jealous over the wife of thy bosom, and teach her not an evil lesson against thyself. Give not thy soul unto a woman to set her foot upon thy substance. Give not thy countenance to strangers, and be not curious about matters that concern thee not. Sit not at all with another man's wife, nor sit down with her in thine arms, and spend not thy money with her at the wine; lest thine heart incline unto her, and so through thy desire thou fall into destruction. Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure. Envy not the glory and prosperity of a sinner: for thou knowest not what shall be his end. Delight not in the thing that the ungodly have pleasure in, but remember they shall not go unpunished unto the grave. Keep thee far from the man that hath power to kill, and thou shalt not need to fear the fear of death: but if thou come nigh unto him, make no fault, lest he take away thy life wrongfully: remember that thou goest in the midst of snares, and that thou walkest upon the battlements of the city. As much as thou canst, aim at the state of thy people; and take advice of a wise man. Let thy talk be with the wise, and all thy communication in the law of the most High. Let just men eat and drink with thee; and let thy glorying be in the fear of the Lord. For the hand of the artificer the work shall be commended: and the wise ruler of the people for his speech. A man of an ill tongue is dangerous in his city; and he that is rash in his talk shall be hated.