XII. When thou wilt do good, aknow to whom thou doest it;

So shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits.

2  Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence;

And bif not from him, yet from the most High.

3  There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil,

Nor cto him that giveth no alms.

4  dGive to the godly man,

deAnd help not a sinner.

5  Do well unto him that is lowly, but egive not to the ungodly:

Hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby:

For else fthou shalt receive twice as much evil

For all the good thou shalt have done unto him.

6  For the most High hateth sinners,

And will repay vengeance unto the ungodly,

And gkeepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment.

7  dGive unto the good,

deAnd help not the sinner.

8  A friend cannot be known in prosperity:

And an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

9  In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved:

But in his adversity even a friend will depart.

10  Never trust thine enemy:

For like as * iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.

11  hThough he humble himself, and go icrouching,

Yet take good heed and beware of him,

And thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst jwiped a klookingglass,

And thou shalt know that jlhis rust hath not been altogether wiped away.

12  Set him not by thee,

Lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place;

Neither let him sit at thy right hand,

Lest he seek to take thy seat,

And thou llat the last remember my words,

And mbe pricked therewith.

13  Who will pity na charmer that is bitten with a serpent,

Or any such as come nigh wild beasts?

14  So one that goeth to a sinner,

And is * defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?

15  For a while he will abide with thee,

But if thou begin to fall, he will not otarry.

16  pAn enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips,

But in his heart qhe imagineth how to throw thee into a pit:

qHe will weep with his eyes,

But if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.

17  If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first;

And though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he * undermine thee.

18  He will rshake his head, and sclap his hands,

And whisper much, and tchange his countenance.