New Proverbs for New Men ch. 10

New Proverbs for New Men

A wise man spreads gladness about him,

but a self-protector sows fear and suspicion.
Treasures gained out of insecurity do not satisfy,

but the inner treasures of the god bring happiness.
If you seek wisdom, the god will not let you languish;

but if you scoff, your pleasure will be turned to loathing.
Spiritual sloth causes spiritual poverty,

but striving for wisdom enriches your heart.
A man who opens his eyes and ears to others brings joy,

but a man who sleeps in blindness and deafness brings resentment.
Blessings are on the head of the seekers,

but the mouth of the fearful hides violence.
The memory of the loving is a blessing,

but the name of the powerful is bitter on the tongue.
The wise of heart will follow the word of the god to joy,

but a prating fool will follow the fathers to misery.
He who walks in integrity walks securely,

but he who pretends he is whole courts disaster.
He who looks the other way fosters violence,

but he who takes a stand spreads caring.
There is living truth in what a good man says,

but the mouth of the fearful is filled with curses.
Hatred stirs up strife,

but love forgives all offenses.
Men with insight are rare, and will be recognized by their own;

men without it are admired by the foolish as forceful.
Wise men share their wisdom with those who will listen;

the fearful guard what knowledge they have with their life.
An open-minded man's wisdom is the strength of the reed;

the mistrust of the fearful is the brittleness of the twig.
The wage of spiritual growth is life;

the wage of self-protection is death.
He who heeds the god's instruction is on the path to life;

he who clings to the word of the fathers goes astray.
He who conceals his hatred sows lies and mistrust;

he who vents his hatred sows pain and resentment.
He who brags to the multitude is hiding something,

but he who talks problems out with his friends will learn.
When a good man speaks, he is worth listening to,

but the words of fools are a dime a dozen.
The lips of the wise bring healing to many,

but the fearful bring sickness and death.
The god's healing is our greatest wealth;

all our toiling adds nothing to it.
A fool plays games with the truth,

but the wise take pleasure in integrity.
The self-protector's fears will all come true,

and so will the good man's hopes.
When disaster strikes, the fearful have no refuge,

but the man who knows himself can weather terrible losses.
Like vinegar to the teeth or smoke to the eyes

is the man who cares not for his well-being.
The love of the god prolongs life,

but the self-protectors will die young.
The hope of the seekers ends in gladness,

but the expectation of the fearful turns to ashes.
The god gives strength to those who seek healing,

but anxiety to those who flee it.
The good will cherish the god's healing forever,

but the fearful will never have a moment's peace.