“If thou art well-versed in books, and hast gone into them, set them in thy heart; whatsoever thou then utterest will be good.  If the scribe be appointed to any position, he will converse about his documents.  The director of the treasury hath no son, and the overseer of the seal hath no heir.  High officials esteem the scribe, whose hand is his position of honour, which they do not give to children....

“The ruin of a man resteth on his tongue; take heed that thou harmest not thyself.

“The heart of a man is [like] the store-chamber of a granary that is full of answers of every kind; choose thou those that are good, and utter them, and keep those that are bad closely confined within thee.  To answer roughly is like the brandishing of weapons, but if thou wilt speak kindly and quietly thou wilt always [be loved].

“When thou offerest up offerings to thy God, beware lest thou offer the things that are an abomination [to Him].  Chatter not [during] his journeyings (or processions), seek not to prolong (?) his appearance, disturb not those who carry him, chant not his offices too loudly, and beware lest thou....  Let thine eye observe his dispensations.  Devote thyself to the adoration of his name.  It is he who giveth souls to millions of forms, and he magnifieth the man who magnifieth him....

“I gave thee thy mother who bore thee, and in bearing thee she took upon herself a great burden, which she bore without help from me.  When after some months thou wast born, she placed herself under a yoke, for three years she suckled thee....  When thou wast sent to school to be educated, she brought bread and beer for thee from her house to thy master regularly each day.  Thou art now grown up, and thou hast a wife and a house of thy own.  Keep thine eye on thy child, and bring him up as thy mother brought thee up.  Do nothing whatsoever that will cause her (i.e. thy mother) to suffer, lest she lift up her hands to God, and He hear her complaint, [and punish thee].

“Eat not bread, whilst another standeth by, without pointing out to him the bread with thy hand....

“Devote thyself to God, take heed to thyself daily for the sake of God, and let to-morrow be as to-day.  Work thou [for him].  God seeth him that worketh for Him, and He esteemeth lightly the man who esteemeth Him lightly.

“Follow not after a woman, and let her not take possession of thy heart.

“Answer not a man when he is wroth, but remove thyself from him.  Speak gently to him that hath spoken in anger, for soft words are the medicine for his heart.

“Seek silence for thyself.”