386. Q. What is the Tenth Commandment?

A. The Tenth Commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.

“Covet” means to long for or desire inordinately or unlawfully. If I should desire, for example, my friend to be killed by an accident, in order that I might become the owner of his gold watch, I would be coveting it. But if I desired to have it justly–that is, to be able to purchase it, or another similar to it, that would not be covetousness.

387. Q. What are we commanded by the Tenth Commandment?

A. By the Tenth Commandment we are commanded to be content with what we have, and to rejoice in our neighbor’s welfare.

388. Q. What is forbidden by the Tenth Commandment?

A. The Tenth Commandment forbids all desires to take or keep wrongfully what belongs to another.