17 Thine enemy hurleth a missile. It cometh through the air for to out thee. If thou art a fool, remove not from that place. But if thou art wise, then haste thee quickly away.
18 For every snail hath its shell, and he getteth it on his back; but the laggard, he getteth it in the neck.
19 Howbeit, it is not always the quick man that goeth first over the top.
20 A damsel inclineth towards thee. She regardeth thee with soft eyes and there is meaning in her glance.
21 Peradventure thou hast a blot upon the beauty of thy face which annoyeth thee continually. Nevertheless, she will not see it.
22 At the largeness of thine ears, at the uprightness of thine hair, at thy teeth that were made for thee, she will look at none of these.
23 But if thy pocket be empty, lo, she will see them all. Neither will she forgive thee for being what thou art.
24 Woe unto man that be born upon earth, neither is there any help in him save only death.
25 For whosoever liveth his years in solitude, his old age shall be full of desolation. But whosoever taketh unto himself a wife, that man's last days, they shall be an abomination unto him.
26 Take heed, my son, and hearken unto the words of Artemas, for there are many that will give thee counsel, yet wisdom cometh only from the few.