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19One who does this^* will not become rich;
   one who despises small things will fail little by little.
² Wine and women lead intelligent men astray,
   and the man who consorts with prostitutes is reckless.
³ Decay and worms will take possession of him,
   and the reckless person will be snatched away.

Against Loose Talk

⁴ One who trusts others too quickly has a shallow mind,
   and one who sins does wrong to himself.
⁵ One who rejoices in wickedness^* will be condemned,^*
6   but one who hates gossip has less evil.
⁷ Never repeat a conversation,
   and you will lose nothing at all.
⁸ With friend or foe do not report it,
   and unless it would be a sin for you, do not reveal it;
⁹ for someone may have heard you and watched you,
   and in time will hate you.
¹⁰ Have you heard something? Let it die with you.
   Be brave, it will not make you burst!
¹¹ Having heard something, the fool suffers birth-pangs
   like a woman in labour with a child.
¹² Like an arrow stuck in a person’s thigh,
   so is gossip inside a fool.

¹³ Question a friend; perhaps he did not do it;
   or if he did, so that he may not do it again.
¹⁴ Question a neighbour; perhaps he did not say it;
   or if he said it, so that he may not repeat it.
¹⁵ Question a friend, for often it is slander;
   so do not believe everything you hear.
¹⁶ A person may make a slip without intending it.
   Who has not sinned with his tongue?
¹⁷ Question your neighbour before you threaten him;
   and let the law of the Most High take its course.^*

True and False Wisdom

²⁰ The whole of wisdom is fear of the Lord,
   and in all wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law.^*
22 The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom,
   nor is there prudence in the counsel of sinners.
²³ There is a cleverness that is detestable,
   and there is a fool who merely lacks wisdom.
²⁴ Better are the God-fearing who lack understanding
   than the highly intelligent who transgress the law.
²⁵ There is a cleverness that is exact but unjust,
   and there are people who abuse favours to gain a verdict.
²⁶ There is the villain bowed down in mourning,
but inwardly he is full of deceit.
²⁷ He hides his face and pretends not to hear,
   but when no one notices, he will take advantage of you.
²⁸ Even if lack of strength keeps him from sinning,
   he will nevertheless do evil when he finds the opportunity.
²⁹ A person is known by his appearance,
   and a sensible person is known when first met face to face.
³⁰ A person’s attire and hearty laughter,
   and the way he walks, show what he is.