10. Seek no advice from your father-in-law,and from one who is envious of you, keep your intentions hidden.
11. Seek no advice from a woman about her rival,from a coward about war,from a merchant about business,from a buyer about value,from a miser about generosity,from a cruel person about well-being,from a worthless worker about his work,from a seasonal laborer about the harvest,from an idle slave about a great task—pay no attention to any advice they give.
12. Instead, associate with a religious person,who you know keeps the commandments;Who is like-minded with yourselfand will grieve for you if you fall.
13. Then, too, heed your own heart’s counsel;for there is nothing you can depend on more.
14. The heart can reveal your situationbetter than seven sentinels on a tower.
15. Then with all this, pray to Godto make your steps firm in the true path.
16. A word is the source of every deed;a thought, of every act.
17. The root of all conduct is the heart;
18. four branches it shoots forth:Good and evil, death and life,and their absolute mistress is the tongue.
19. One may be wise and benefit many,yet appear foolish to himself.