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 decreea 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 labors 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 decreeb 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.