XLI. O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions,

Unto the man athat hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things:

Yea unto him that is yet able to receive meat!

2  O death, acceptable is thy sentence unto the needy,

And unto him whose strength faileth, aathat is now in the last age,

And * is vexed with all things,

And to him that bdespaireth, and chath lost patience!

3  Fear not the sentence of death,

Remember them that have been before thee, and that come after;

For this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh.

4  And why art thou against the pleasure of the most High?

There is no inquisition in the grave,

Whether thou have lived ten, or an hundred, or a thousand years.

5  The children of sinners are abominable children,

And they that are conversant in the dwelling of the ungodly.

6  dThe inheritance of sinners’ children shall perish,

And their posterity shall have a perpetual reproach.

7  The children will complain of an ungodly father,

eBecause they shall be reproached for his sake.

8  Woe be unto you, ungodly men,

Which have forsaken the law of the most high God!

For if you increase, it shall be to your destruction:

9  And if you be born, you shall be born to a curse;

And if you die, a curse shall be your portion.

10  fAll that are of the earth shall turn to earth again:

So the ungodly shall go from a curse to destruction.

11  The mourning of men is about their bodies:

But gan ill name of sinners shall be blotted out.

12  Have regard to thy name; for hthat shall continue with thee

Above a thousand great treasures of gold.

13  A good life hath but ifew days:

But a good name endureth for ever.

14  My children, keep discipline in peace:

For kwisdom that is hid, and a treasure that is not seen,

What profit is in them both?

15  lA man that hideth his foolishness is better

lThan a man that hideth his wisdom.

16  Therefore be shamefast according to my word:

mFor it is not good to retain all shamefastness;

nNeither is it altogether approved in every thing.

17  Be ashamed of whoredom obefore father and mother:

And of a lie obefore a prince and a mighty man;

18  Of an offence obefore a judge and ruler;

Of iniquity obefore a congregation and people;

Of unjust dealing obefore thy partner and friend;

19  And pof theft oin regard of the place where thou sojournest,

And oin regard of qthe truth of God and his covenant;

And oto lean with thine elbow upon the meat;

And oof scorning to give and take;

20  And of silence obefore them that salute thee;

And oto look upon a harlot;

21  And oto turn away thy face from thy kinsman;

Or oto take away a portion or a gift;

Or oto rgaze upon sanother man’s wife;

22  Or to be overbusy with his maid,

And come not near her bed;

Or tof upbraiding speeches obefore friends;

And uafter thou hast given, upbraid not;

23  Or oof xiterating and speaking again that which thou hast heard;

And oof yrevealing of secrets.

24  So shalt thou be truly shamefast,

And zfind favour before all men.