[1] If you do good, know to whom you do it; And your good deeds shall have thanks.
[2] Do good to a godly man, and you shall find a recompense; And if not from him, yet from the Most High.
[3] There shall no good come to him that continueth to do evil, Nor to him that gives no alms.
[4] Give to the godly man, And help not the sinner.
[5] Do good to one that is lowly, And give not to an ungodly man: Keep back his bread, and give it not to him, Lest he overmaster you thereby: For you shall receive twice as much evil For all the good you shall have done to him.
[6] For the Most High also hates sinners, And will repay vengeance to the ungodly.
[7] Give to the good man, And help not the sinner.
[8] A man's friend will not be fully tried in prosperity; And his enemy will not be hidden in adversity.
[9] In a man's prosperity his enemies are grieved; And in his adversity even his friend will be separatedfrom him.
[10] Never trust your enemy: For like as the brass rusteth, so is his wickedness.
[11] Though he humble himself, and go crouching, Yet take good heed, and beware of him, And you shall be to him as one that has wiped a mirror, And you shall know that he has not utterly rusted it.
[12] Set him not by you, Lest he overthrow you and stand in your place; Let him not sit on your right hand, Lest he seek to take your seat, And at the last you acknowledge my words, And be pricked with my sayings.
[13] Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, Or any that come near wild beasts?
[14] Even sowho will pity him that goes to a sinner, And is mingled with him in his sins?
[15] For a while he will abide with you, And if you give way, he will not hold out.
[16] And the enemy will speak sweetly with his lips, And in his heart take counsel how to overthrow you into a pit: The enemy will weep with his eyes, And if he find opportunity, he will not be satiated with blood.
[17] If adversity meet you, you shall find him there before you; And as though he would help you, he will trip up your heel.
[18] He will shake his head, and clap his hands, And whisper much, and change his countenance.