Woes Against Sinners

1 And now I say to you, my sons, love righteousness and walk in its paths; for the paths of righteousness are worthy of acceptance, but the paths of unrighteousness shall suddenly be destroyed and vanish. 2 And to some men of a generation, the paths of violence and of death will be revealed, and they shall keep themselves far from them, and shall not follow them. 3 And now I say to you, the righteous: Do not walk in the paths of wickedness, nor in the paths of death, and do not draw near to them, so that you are not destroyed. 4 But seek and choose for yourselves righteousness and an elect life, and walk in the paths of peace, and you shall live and prosper. 5 And hold fast to my words in the thoughts of your hearts, and do not let them be erased from your hearts; for I know that sinners will tempt men to mistreat wisdom, so that no place may be found for her, and no manner of temptation may diminish her. 6 Woe to those who build unrighteousness and oppression and lay deceit as a foundation; for they shall be suddenly overthrown, and they shall have no peace. 7 Woe to those who build their houses with sin; for they shall be overthrown from all their foundations, and they shall fall by the sword. [And those who acquire gold and silver in judgment suddenly shall perish.]⁠a 8 Woe to you, you rich, for you have trusted in your riches, and you shall depart from your riches, because you have not remembered the Most High in the days of your riches.⁠b 9 You have committed blasphemy and unrighteousness, and have become ready for the day of slaughter, and the day of darkness and the day of the great judgment. 10 Thus I speak and declare to you: He who created you will overthrow you, and for your fall there shall be no compassion, and your Creator will rejoice at your destruction. 11 And your righteous ones in those days shall be a reproach to the sinners and the godless.