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14Happy are those who do not blunder with their lips,
   and need not suffer remorse for sin.
² Happy are those whose hearts do not condemn them,
   and who have not given up their hope.

Responsible Use of Wealth

³ Riches are inappropriate for a small-minded person;
   and of what use is wealth to a miser?
⁴ What he denies himself he collects for others;
   and others will live in luxury on his goods.
⁵ If one is mean to himself, to whom will he be generous?
   He will not enjoy his own riches.
⁶ No one is worse than one who is grudging to himself;
   this is the punishment for his meanness.
⁷ If ever he does good, it is by mistake;
   and in the end he reveals his meanness.
⁸ The miser is an evil person;
   he turns away and disregards people.
⁹ The eye of the greedy person is not satisfied with his share;
   greedy injustice withers the soul.
¹⁰ A miser begrudges bread,
   and it is lacking at his table.

¹¹ My child, treat yourself well, according to your means,
   and present worthy offerings to the Lord.
¹² Remember that death does not tarry,
   and the decree^* of Hades has not been shown to you.
¹³ Do good to friends before you die,
   and reach out and give to them as much as you can.
¹⁴ Do not deprive yourself of a day’s enjoyment;
   do not let your share of desired good pass by you.
¹⁵ Will you not leave the fruit of your labours to another,
   and what you acquired by toil to be divided by lot?
¹⁶ Give, and take, and indulge yourself,
   because in Hades one cannot look for luxury.
¹⁷ All living beings become old like a garment,
   for the decree^* from of old is, ‘You must die!’
¹⁸ Like abundant leaves on a spreading tree
   that sheds some and puts forth others,
so are the generations of flesh and blood:
   one dies and another is born.
¹⁹ Every work decays and ceases to exist,
   and the one who made it will pass away with it.

The Happiness of Seeking Wisdom

²⁰ Happy is the person who meditates on^* wisdom
   and reasons intelligently,
²¹ who^* reflects in his heart on her ways
   and ponders her secrets,
²² pursuing her like a hunter,
   and lying in wait on her paths;
²³ who peers through her windows
   and listens at her doors;
²⁴ who camps near her house
   and fastens his tent-peg to her walls;
²⁵ who pitches his tent near her,
   and so occupies an excellent lodging-place;
²⁶ who places his children under her shelter,
   and lodges under her boughs;
²⁷ who is sheltered by her from the heat,
   and dwells in the midst of her glory.