If you do good,
know for whom you do it,
and there’ll be gratitude
for your good deeds.
² Do good to the godly,
and you will find a reward,
and if not from them,
then from the Most High.
³ There is nothing good
for those who continue to do evil
or for those who
don’t freely offer charity.
⁴ Give to the pious, but don’t assist sinners.
⁵ Do good to the humble,
but don’t give to the ungodly.
Hold back your bread,
and don’t give it to them,
since by it they might gain power
over you.
You will encounter twice as much evil
for all the good things
that you have done for them.
⁶ The Most High also hated sinners,
and he will repay the ungodly
with punishment.^[a]
7 Give to good people,
and don’t assist sinners.
⁸ A friend is not avenged^[b]
in prosperity,
and an enemy is not hidden
in adversity.
⁹ When people are prosperous,
their enemies are in pain,
and when they meet with adversity,
even friends will keep away.
¹⁰ Don’t ever trust your enemies;
for just as copper corrodes,
so their wickedness does as well.
¹¹ If they are humbled
and walk away stooped over,
look after yourself,
and keep up your guard against them.
You will be to them
as one who polishes a mirror,
and you will know that it won’t be completely tarnished.
¹² Don’t put them next to you;
they might overthrow you
and take your place.
Don’t sit them on your right side,
since they might seek your seat.
In the end you will understand my words,
and you will be pierced by what I’ve said.