and
a bar for thy mouth. Take heed lest thou slip therein; lest thou fall
before one that lieth in wait.

v

Choice of Company

Bring not every man into thine house; for many are the plots of the
deceitful man. As a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the heart of a
proud man; and as one that is a spy, he looketh upon thy falling. For he
lieth in wait to turn things that are good into evil; and in things
that are praiseworthy he will lay blame. From a spark of fire a heap of
many coals is kindled; and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood. Take
heed of an evil-doer, for he contriveth wicked things; lest haply he
bring upon thee blame for ever. Receive a stranger into thine house, and
he will distract thee with brawls, and estrange thee from thine own.

If thou do good, know to whom thou doest it; and thy good deeds shall
have thanks. Do good to a godly man, and thou shalt find a recompense;
and if not from him, yet from the Most High. There shall no good come to
him that continueth to do evil, nor to him that giveth no alms. Give to
the godly man and help not the sinner. Do good to one that is lowly, and
give not to an ungodly man; keep back his bread, and give it not to him,
lest he overmaster thee thereby; for thou shalt receive twice as much
evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him. For the Most High
also hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly. Give to
the good man, and help not the sinner.

A man's friend will not be fully tried in prosperity; and his enemy will
not be hidden in adversity. In a man's prosperity his enemies are
grieved; and in his adversity even his friend will be separated from
him. Never trust thine enemy, for like as the brass rusteth, so is his
wickedness: though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good
heed, and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as one that hath
wiped a mirror, and thou shalt know that he hath not utterly rusted it.
Set him not by thee, lest he overthrow thee and stand in thy place; let
him not sit on thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and at the
last thou acknowledge my words, and be pricked with my sayings. Who will
pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent? or any that come nigh wild
beasts? Even so who will pity him that goeth to a sinner, and is mingled
with him in his sins? For a while he will abide with thee, and if thou
give way, he will not hold out. And the enemy will speak sweetly with
his lips,