德训篇 13

1He that toucheth pitch, shall be defiled with it: and he that hath fellowship with the proud, shall put on pride.

2He shall take a burden upon him that hath fellowship with one more honourable than himself. And have no fellowship with one that is richer than thyself.

3What agreement shall the earthen pot have with the kettle? for if they knock one against the other, it shall be broken.

4The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he will fume: but the poor is wronged and must hold his peace.

5If thou give, he will make use of thee: and if thou have nothing, he will forsake thee.

6If thou have any thing, he will live with thee, and will make thee bare, and he will not be sorry for thee.

7If he have need of thee he will deceive thee, and smiling upon thee will put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and will say: What wantest thou?

8And he will shame thee by his meats, till he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at last he will laugh at thee: and afterward when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

9Humble thyself to God, and wait for his hands.

10Beware that thou be not deceived Into folly, and be humbled.

11Be not lowly in thy wisdom, lest being humbled thou be deceived into folly.

12If thou be invited by one that is mightier, withdraw thyself: for so he will invite thee the more.

13Be not troublesome to him, lest thou be put back: and keep not far from him, lest thou be forgotten.

14Affect not to speak with him as an equal: and believe not his many words: for by much talk he will sift thee, and smiling will examine thee concerning thy secrets.

15His cruel mind will lay up thy words: and he will not spare to do thee hurt, and to cast thee into prison.

16Take heed to thyself, and attend diligently to what thou hearest: for thou walkest in danger of thy ruin.

17When thou hearest those things, see as it were in sleep, and thou shalt awake.

18Love God all thy life, and call upon him for thy salvation.

19Every beast loveth its like: so also every man him that is nearest to himself.

20All flesh shall consort with the like to itself, and every man shall associate himself to his like.

21If the wolf shall at any time have fellowship with the lamb, so the sinner with the just.

22What fellowship hath a holy man with a dog, or what part hath the rich with the poor?

23The wild ass is the lion’s prey in the desert: so also the poor are devoured by the rich.

24And as humility is an abomination to the proud: so also the rich man abhorreth the poor.

25When a rich man is shaken, he is kept up by his friends: but when a poor man is fallen down, he is thrust away even by his acquaintance.

26When a rich man hath been deceived, he hath many helpers: he hath spoken proud things, and they have justified him.

27The poor man was deceived, and he is rebuked also: he hath spoken wisely, and could have no place.

28The rich man spoke, and all held their peace, and what he said they extol even to the clouds.

29The poor man spoke, and they say: Who is this? and if he stumble, they will overthrow him.

30Riches are good to him that hath no sin in his conscience: and poverty is very wicked in the mouth of the ungodly.

31The heart of a man changeth his countenance, either for good, or for evil.

32The token of a good heart, and a good countenance thou shalt hardly find, and with labour.

1[Qui tetigerit picem inquinabitur ab ea: et qui communicaverit superbo induet superbiam.

2Pondus super se tollat qui honestiori se communicat, et ditiori te ne socius fueris.

3Quid communicabit cacabus ad ollam? quando enim se colliserint, confringetur.

4Dives injuste egit, et fremet: pauper autem læsus tacebit.

5Si largitus fueris, assumet te: et si non habueris, derelinquet te.

6Si habes, convivet tecum, et evacuabit te: et ipse non dolebit super te.

7Si necessarius illi fueris, supplantabit te, et subridens spem dabit, narrans tibi bona, et dicet: Quid opus est tibi?

8Et confundet te in cibis suis, donec te exinaniat bis et ter: et in novissimo deridebit te, et postea videns derelinquet te, et caput suum movebit ad te.

9Humiliare Deo, et exspecta manus ejus.

10Attende ne seductus in stultitiam humilieris.

11Noli esse humilis in sapientia tua, ne humiliatus in stultitiam seducaris.

12Advocatus a potentiore, discede: ex hoc enim magis te advocabit.

13Ne improbus sis, ne impingaris: et ne longe sis ab eo, ne eas in oblivionem.

14Ne retineas ex æquo loqui cum illo, nec credas multis verbis illius: ex multa enim loquela tentabit te, et subridens interrogabit te de absconditis tuis.

15Immitis animus illius conservabit verba tua: et non parcet de malitia, et de vinculis.

16Cave tibi, et attende diligenter auditui tuo, quoniam cum subversione tua ambulas:

17audiens vero illa, quasi in somnis vide, et vigilabis.

18Omni vita tua dilige Deum, et invoca illum in salute tua.

19Omne animal diligit simile sibi, sic et omnis homo proximum sibi.

20Omnis caro ad similem sibi conjungetur, et omnis homo simili sui sociabitur.

21Si communicabit lupus agno aliquando, sic peccator justo.

22Quæ communicatio sancto homini ad canem? aut quæ pars diviti ad pauperem?

23Venatio leonis onager in eremo: sic et pascua divitum sunt pauperes.

24Et sicut abominatio est superbo humilitas, sic et execratio divitis pauper.

25Dives commotus confirmatur ab amicis suis: humilis autem cum ceciderit, expelletur et a notis.

26Diviti decepto multi recuperatores: locutus est superbia, et justificaverunt illum.

27Humilis deceptus est, insuper et arguitur: locutus est sensate, et non est datus ei locus.

28Dives locutus est, et omnes tacuerunt, et verbum illius usque ad nubes perducent.

29Pauper locutus est, et dicunt: Quis est hic? et si offenderit, subvertent illum.]

30[Bona est substantia cui non est peccatum in conscientia: et nequissima paupertas in ore impii.

31Cor hominis immutat faciem illius, sive in bona, sive in mala.

32Vestigium cordis boni et faciem bonam difficile invenies, et cum labore.]

1Whoever touches pitch will be contaminated by it. And whoever associates with the arrogant will be clothed by arrogance.

2Whoever associates with those more honorable than himself sets a burden on himself. And so, you should have no fellowship with someone who is wealthier than you.

3What will the cooking pot have in common with the earthen vessel? And when they collide with one another, one will be broken.

4The rich man has suffered no injustice, and yet he fumes. But the poor man, though he has been wounded, will remain silent.

5If you are generous, he will take you up; and when you have nothing, he will cast you aside.

6If you possess, he will feast with you, and he will empty you, and he will not grieve over you.

7If he has need of you, he will deceive you; and while smiling, he will give you hope. He will converse with you pleasantly, and he will say: “What is it that you need?”

8And he will impress you with his foods, until he has drained you two or three times, and in the very end, he will ridicule you. And afterward, when he sees you, he will abandon you, and he will shake his head at you.

9Humble yourself before God, and wait for his hands.

10Be careful. Otherwise, having been seduced into foolishness, you will be humiliated.

11Do not choose to be low in your wisdom, otherwise, having been brought low, you will be seduced into foolishness.

12If you are invited by someone who is more powerful than you, you should decline. Otherwise, he will invite you all the more.

13You cannot be rude to him, lest you be pushed away. And you cannot stray far from him, lest you be forgotten.

14You cannot hold a discussion with him as with an equal. You should not trust his many words. For by much talking, he will probe you, and while smiling, he will question you about your secrets.

15His cruel mind will store up your words; and he will not spare you from affliction, nor from prison.

16Be cautious of yourself, and attend diligently to what you are hearing. For you are walking toward your own destruction.

17Yet truly, while listening to these things, consider it as if it were a dream, and you will awaken.

18Love God for your entire life, and call upon him for your salvation.

19Every animal loves its own kind; so also every man loves those closest to himself.

20All flesh will join with whatever is similar to itself, and every man will associate with whomever is similar to himself.

21If a wolf would at any time have fellowship with a lamb, so also would a sinner have fellowship with the just.

22What fellowship does a holy man have with a dog? Or what portion do the wealthy have with the poor?

23In the desert, the wild donkey is the prey of the lion. So also are the poor the pasture of the rich.

24And just as humility is an abomination to the arrogant, so also does the rich man abhor the poor man.

25When a wealthy man has been shaken, he is strengthened by his friends. But when a lowly man has fallen, he is expelled even by those who know him well.

26When a rich man has been deceived, many will help him recover; he has spoken arrogantly, and yet they justify him.

27When a poor man has been deceived, in addition he is rebuked; he has spoken with understanding, and no place is given to him.

28The rich man has spoken, and all remain silent, and they repeat his words, even to the clouds.

29The poor man has spoken, and they say: “Who is this?” And if he stumbles, they will overthrow him.

30Substance is good for him who has no sin on his conscience. And poverty is called very wicked by the mouth of the impious.

31The heart of a man changes his face, either for better or for worse.

32You will find, with difficulty and much labor, the sign of a good heart and a good face.