Flee evil and its offspring vices; be meek and humble
The speaker is the teacher addressing the new Christian as 'my child,' continuing the Way of Life's moral instruction by tracing each capital vice to its offspring sins and then commanding the opposite virtues.
My child, flee from every evil thing and from everything like it. Do not be prone to anger, for anger leads to murder; do not be jealous, quarrelsome, or hot-tempered, for from all these things murders are born. My child, do not be lustful, for lust leads to sexual immorality; do not be foul-mouthed or proud-eyed, for from all these things adulteries are born. My child, do not practice ornithomancy, since it leads to idolatry; do not be a sorcerer, an astrologer, or a ritual purifier, and do not even want to watch these things, for from all these things idolatry is born. My child, do not be a liar, since lying leads to theft; do not be greedy for money or hungry for empty glory, for from all these things thefts are born. My child, do not be a grumbler, since grumbling leads to blasphemy; do not be self-willed or wicked-minded, for from all these things blasphemies are born. Instead, be gentle, since the gentle will inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11). Be patient, merciful, innocent, quiet, and good, and tremble continually at the words you have heard. Do not exalt yourself or give your soul over to arrogance. Do not let your soul cling to the proud, but walk with the righteous and the humble. Accept the things that happen to you as good, knowing that nothing happens without God.
Greek
Τέκνον μου, φεῦγε ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ παντὸς ὁμοίου αὐτοῦ.
μὴ γίνου ὀργίλος, ὁδηγεῖ γὰρ ἡ ὀργὴ πρὸς τὸν φόνον, μηδὲ ζηλωτὴς μηδὲ ἐριστικὸς μηδὲ θυμικός: ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων φόνοι γεννῶνται.
τέκνον μου, μὴ γίνου ἐπιθυμητής, ὁδηγεῖ γὰρ ἡ ἐπιθυμία πρὸς τὴν πορνείαν, μηδὲ αἰσχρολόγος μηδὲ ὑψηλόφθαλμος: ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων μοιχεῖαι γεννῶνται.
τέκνον μου, μὴ γίνου οἰωνοσκόπος. ἐπειδὴ ὁδηγεῖ εἰς τὴν εἰδωλολατρίαν, μηδὲ ἐπαοιδὸς μηδὲ μαθηματικὸς μηδὲ περικαθαίρων, μηδὲ θέλε αὐτὰ βλέπειν: ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων εἰδωλολατρία γεννᾶται.
τέκνον μου, μὴ γίνου ψεύστης. ἐπειδὴ ὁδηγεῖ τὸ ψεῦσμα εἰς τὴν κλοπήν, μηδὲ φιλάργυρος μηδὲ κενόδοξος: ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων κλοπαὶ γεννῶνται.
τέκνον μου, μὴ γίνου γόγγυσος, ἐπειδὴ ὁδηγεῖ εἰς τὴν βλασφημίαν, μηδὲ αὐθάδης μηδὲ πονηρόφρων: ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἀπάντων βλασφημίαι γεννῶνται,
ἴσθι δὲ πραΰς, ἐπεὶ οἱ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν:
γίνου μακρόθυμος καὶ ἐλεήμων καὶ ἄκακος καὶ ἡσύχιος καὶ ἀγαθὸς καὶ τρέμων τοὺς λόγους διὰ παντός, οὓς ἤκουσας.
οὐχ ὑψώσεις σεαυτὸν οὐδὲ δώσεις τῇ ψυχῇ σου θράσος. οὐ κολληθήσεται ἡ ψυχή σου μετὰ ὑψηλῶν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ δικαίων καὶ ταπεινῶν ἀναστραφήσῃ.
τὰ συμβαίνοντά σοι ἐνεργήματα ὡς ἀγαθὰ προσδέξῃ, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἄτερ θεοῦ οὐδὲν γίνεται.