16 Two types (of men) tmultiply sinst,

And the third increasethu wrathv;

wA hot desirex, burning like fire,

Which is not quenched till yit be consumedy w;

A fornicator with the body of his flesh,

HA (For) he ceaseth not till the fire consumeth him;

G 17 [And] the man to whom all breadz is sweet,

(For) he will not leave off till he die.

18 A mana that bgoeth astrayb cfrom his own bedc,

And saith in his heart: ‘Who seeth me?

S dThe walls of my house hide me,

And the shadow of my roof covereth me,

And no one seeth me—

What hindereth me from sinning?’ d

eHe remembereth not the Most Highe;

G 19 fThe eyes of men are his (only) fearf,

—And he perceiveth not that the eyes of the Lord

Are ten thousand times brighter than the sun,

Beholding all the ways of men,

gAnd looking into secret placesg;

20 Forh all things are known unto Him before they are created,

iSo also [doth He see them] after they are perfectedi,—

21 kSuch a man shall be punishedl in the streets of the city,

And shall be taken where he suspecteth it notk m.

G 22 So also a wife that leavethn her husband,

And bringeth in an heir by a stranger.

23 For, firstly, she is disobediento to the Law of the Most High;

And secondly, pshe trespassethp against her own husbandq;

And thirdly, she committeth adultery through (her) fornication,

And bringeth children in by a stranger.

24 She shall be led into the assembly,

And upon her children rthere will be visitationr.

25 Her children shall not spread out their roots,

And her branches shall bear no fruit.

26 She will leave her memory for a curse,

And her reproach will not be blotted out.

27 sAnd they that are left behind shall know

That there is nothing better than the fear of the Lordt,

And nothing sweeter than to observe

The commandments of the Lordu s.

(a) 24:1–34. a The Praise of Wisdoma

(= 2 + 2+ 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 3 distichs).