IV. The Prohibition of Evil-Speaking and Passion, of Deceitful Conduct, or Idle Words, Lies, Covetousness, and Hypocrisy.
Thou shall not speak evil;1 for says He, "Love not to speak evil, lest thou beest taken away." Nor shalt thou be mindful of injuries; for "the ways of those that remember injuries are unto death."2 Thou shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued; for "a man's own lips are a strong snare to him,"3 and "a talkative person shall not be prospered upon earth."4 Thy words shall not be vain; for "ye shall give an account of every idle word."5 Thou shalt not tell lies: for says He, "Thou shalt destroy all those that speak lies."6 Thou shalt not be covetous nor rapacious: for says He, "Woe to him that is covetous towards his neighbour with an evil covetousness."7
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[Chap. iv. also contains seven clauses found in Teaching (ii. 3-6), while chap. v. has but five and a verbal resemblance; chap. ii. of the Teaching is, however, almost entirely given in these passages.--R.] ↩
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Prov. xii. 28., LXX. ↩
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Prov. vi. 2. ↩
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Ps. cxl. 11. ↩
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Matt. xii. 36; Lev. xix. 11. ↩
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Ps. v. 6. ↩
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Hab. ii. 9. ↩
