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Sirach
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Translations |
Sir.0
[1-14] Whereas many great teachings have been given to us
through the law and the prophets and the others that followed them, on account
of which we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom; and since it is
necessary not only that the readers themselves should acquire understanding but
also that those who love learning should be able to help the outsiders by both
speaking and writing, my grandfather Jesus, after devoting himself especially to
the reading of the law and the prophets and the other books of our fathers, and
after acquiring considerable proficiency in them, was himself also led to write
something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, in order that, by becoming
conversant with this also, those who love learning should make even greater
progress in living according to the law.
[15-26] You are urged therefore to read with good will and attention, and to be
indulgent in cases where, despite out diligent labor in translating, we may seem
to have rendered some phrases imperfectly. For what was originally expressed in
Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another
language. Not only this work, but even the law itself, the prophecies, and the
rest of the books differ not a little as originally expressed.
[27-36]
When I came to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes and
stayed for some time, I found opportunity for no little instruction. It seemed
highly necessary that I should myself devote some pains and labor to the
translation of the following book, using in that period of time great
watchfulness and skill in order to complete and publish the book for those
living abroad who wished to gain learning, being prepared in character to live
according to the law.
Sir.1
[1] All wisdom comes from the Lord and is with him for
ever.
[2] The sand of the sea, the drops of rain, and the days of
eternity -- who can count them?
[3] The height of heaven, the breadth
of the earth, the abyss, and wisdom -- who can search them out?
[4]
Wisdom was created before all things, and prudent understanding from
eternity.
[5] The root of wisdom -- to whom has it been
revealed? Her clever devices -- who knows them?
[6] There is One
who is wise, greatly to be feared, sitting upon his throne.
[7] The
Lord himself created wisdom; he saw her and apportioned her, he poured her
out upon all his works.
[8] She dwells with all flesh according to his
gift, and he supplied her to those who love him.
[9] The fear
of the Lord is glory and exultation, and gladness and a crown of
rejoicing.
[10] The fear of the Lord delights the heart, and gives
gladness and joy and long life.
[11] With him who fears the Lord it
will go well at the end; on the day of his death he will be
blessed.
[12] To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; she
is created with the faithful in the womb.
[13] She made among men an
eternal foundation, and among their descendants she will be
trusted.
[14] To fear the Lord is wisdom's full measure; she
satisfies men with her fruits;
[15] she fills their whole house with
desirable goods, and their storehouses with her produce.
[16] The
fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to
flourish.
[17] He saw her and apportioned her; he rained down
knowledge and discerning comprehension,
and he exalted the glory of those who
held her fast.
[18] To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom, and her
branches are long life.
[22] Unrighteous anger cannot be
justified, for a man's anger tips the scale to his ruin.
[23] A
patient man will endure until the right moment, and then joy will burst forth
for him.
[24] He will hide his words until the right moment, and
the lips of many will tell of his good sense.
[25] In the treasuries
of wisdom are wise sayings, but godliness is an abomination to a
sinner.
[26] If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the
Lord will supply it for you.
[27] For the fear of the Lord is wisdom
and instruction, and he delights in fidelity and meekness.
[28] Do
not disobey the fear of the Lord; do not approach him with a divided
mind.
[29] Be not a hypocrite in men's sight, and keep watch over
your lips.
[30] Do not exalt yourself lest you fall, and thus bring
dishonor upon yourself. The Lord will reveal your secrets and cast you
down in the midst of the congregation, because you did not come in the fear
of the Lord, and your heart was full of deceit.
Sir.2
[1] My son, if you come forward to serve the
Lord, prepare yourself for temptation.
[2] Set your heart right and
be steadfast, and do not be hasty in time of calamity.
[3] Cleave
to him and do not depart, that you may be honored at the end of your
life.
[4] Accept whatever is brought upon you, and in changes that
humble you be patient.
[5] For gold is tested in the fire, and
acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
[6] Trust in him, and he
will help you; make your ways straight, and hope in him.
[7]
You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and turn not aside, lest you
fall.
[8] You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will
not fail;
[9] you who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for
everlasting joy and mercy.
[10] Consider the ancient generations and
see: who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who ever
persevered in the fear of the Lord and was forsaken? Or who ever called
upon him and was overlooked?
[11] For the Lord is compassionate and
merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of
affliction.
[12] Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to
the sinner who walks along two ways!
[13] Woe to the faint heart, for
it has no trust! Therefore it will not be sheltered.
[14] Woe to
you who have lost your endurance! What will you do when the Lord punishes
you?
[15] Those who fear the Lord will not disobey his words, and
those who love him will keep his ways.
[16] Those who fear the Lord
will seek his approval, and those who love him will be filled with the
law.
[17] Those who fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and
will humble themselves before him.
[18] Let us fall into the hands of
the Lord, but not into the hands of men; for as his majesty is, so also
is his mercy.
Sir.3
[1] Listen to me your father, O children; and act
accordingly, that you may be kept in safety.
[2] For the Lord honored
the father above the children, and he confirmed the right of the mother over
her sons.
[3] Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
[4]
and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up
treasure.
[5] Whoever honors his father will be gladdened by his
own children, and when he prays he will be heard.
[6] Whoever
glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will
refresh his mother;
[7] he will serve his parents as his
masters.
[8] Honor your father by word and deed, that a blessing
from him may come upon you.
[9] For a father's blessing strengthens
the houses of the children, but a mother's curse uproots their
foundations.
[10] Do not glorify yourself by dishonoring your
father, for your father's dishonor is no glory to you.
[11] For a
man's glory comes from honoring his father, and it is a disgrace for children
not to respect their mother.
[12] O son, help your father in his old
age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives;
[13] even if he is
lacking in understanding, show forbearance; in all your strength do not
despise him.
[14] For kindness to a father will not be
forgotten, and against your sins it will be credited to you;
[15]
in the day of your affliction it will be remembered in your favor; as
frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away.
[16] Whoever forsakes
his father is like a blasphemer, and whoever angers his mother is cursed by
the Lord.
[17] My son, perform your tasks in meekness; then you
will be loved by those whom God accepts.
[18] The greater you are, the
more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the
Lord.
[20] For great is the might of the Lord; he is glorified by
the humble.
[21] Seek not what is too difficult for you, nor
investigate what is beyond your power.
[22] Reflect upon what has been
assigned to you, for you do not need what is hidden.
[23] Do not
meddle in what is beyond your tasks, for matters too great for human
understanding have been shown you.
[24] For their hasty judgment
has led many astray, and wrong opinion has caused their thoughts to
slip.
[26] A stubborn mind will be afflicted at the end, and
whoever loves danger will perish by it.
[27] A stubborn mind will be
burdened by troubles, and the sinner will heap sin upon sin.
[28]
The affliction of the proud has no healing, for a plant of wickedness has
taken root in him.
[29] The mind of the intelligent man will ponder a
parable, and an attentive ear is the wise man's desire.
[30] Water
extinguishes a blazing fire: so almsgiving atones for sin.
[31]
Whoever requites favors gives thought to the future; at the moment of his
falling he will find support.
Sir.4
[1] My son, deprive not the poor of his living, and do
not keep needy eyes waiting.
[2] Do not grieve the one who is
hungry, nor anger a man in want.
[3] Do not add to the troubles of
an angry mind, nor delay your gift to a beggar.
[4] Do not reject
an afflicted suppliant, nor turn your face away from the poor.
[5]
Do not avert your eye from the needy, nor give a man occasion to curse
you;
[6] for if in bitterness of soul he calls down a curse upon
you, his Creator will hear his prayer.
[7] Make yourself
beloved in the congregation; bow your head low to a great man.
[8]
Incline your ear to the poor, and answer him peaceably and
gently.
[9] Deliver him who is wronged from the hand of the
wrongdoer; and do not be fainthearted in judging a case.
[10] Be
like a father to orphans, and instead of a husband to their mother; you
will then be like a son of the Most High,
and he will love you more than does
your mother.
[11] Wisdom exalts her sons and gives help to
those who seek her.
[12] Whoever loves her loves life, and those
who seek her early will be filled with joy.
[13] Whoever holds her
fast will obtain glory, and the Lord will bless the place she
enters.
[14] Those who serve her will minister to the Holy One; the
Lord loves those who love her.
[15] He who obeys her will judge the
nations, and whoever gives heed to her will dwell secure.
[16] If
he has faith in her he will obtain her; and his descendants will remain in
possession of her.
[17] For at first she will walk with him on
tortuous paths, she will bring fear and cowardice upon him, and will
torment him by her discipline until she trusts him, and she will test him
with her ordinances.
[18] Then she will come straight back to him and
gladden him, and will reveal her secrets to him.
[19] If he goes
astray she will forsake him, and hand him over to his
ruin.
[20] Observe the right time, and beware of evil; and do
not bring shame on yourself.
[21] For there is a shame which brings
sin, and there is a shame which is glory and favor.
[22] Do not
show partiality, to your own harm, or deference, to your
downfall.
[23] Do not refrain from speaking at the crucial
time, and do not hide your wisdom.
[24] For wisdom is known through
speech, and education through the words of the tongue.
[25] Never
speak against the truth, but be mindful of your ignorance.
[26] Do
not be ashamed to confess your sins, and do not try to stop the current of a
river.
[27] Do not subject yourself to a foolish fellow, nor show
partiality to a ruler.
[28] Strive even to death for the truth and
the Lord God will fight for you.
[29] Do not be reckless in your
speech, or sluggish and remiss in your deeds.
[30] Do not be like a
lion in your home, nor be a faultfinder with your servants.
[31]
Let not your hand be extended to receive, but withdrawn when it is time to
repay.
Sir.5
[1] Do not set your heart on your wealth, nor say, "I
have enough."
[2] Do not follow your inclination and
strength, walking according to the desires of your heart.
[3] Do
not say, "Who will have power over me?" for the Lord will surely punish
you.
[4] Do not say, "I sinned, and what happened to me?" for
the Lord is slow to anger.
[5] Do not be so confident of
atonement that you add sin to sin.
[6] Do not say, "His mercy is
great, he will forgive the multitude of my sins," for both mercy and wrath
are with him, and his anger rests on sinners.
[7] Do not delay to
turn to the Lord, nor postpone it from day to day; for suddenly the wrath
of the Lord will go forth,
and at the time of punishment you will
perish.
[8] Do not depend on dishonest wealth, for it will not
benefit you in the day of calamity.
[9] Do not winnow with every
wind, nor follow every path: the double-tongued sinner does
that.
[10] Be steadfast in your understanding, and let your speech
be consistent.
[11] Be quick to hear, and be deliberate in
answering.
[12] If you have understanding, answer your
neighbor; but if not, put your hand on your mouth.
[13] Glory and
dishonor come from speaking, and a man's tongue is his
downfall.
[14] Do not be called a slanderer, and do not lie in
ambush with your tongue; for shame comes to the thief,
and severe
condemnation to the double-tongued.
[15] In great and small matters do
not act amiss,
Sir.6
[1] and do not become an enemy instead of a friend; for
a bad name incurs shame and reproach: so fares the double-tongued
sinner.
[2] Do not exalt yourself through your soul's
counsel, lest your soul be torn in pieces like a bull.
[3] You will
devour your leaves and destroy your fruit, and will be left like a withered
tree.
[4] An evil soul will destroy him who has it, and make him
the laughingstock of his enemies.
[5] A pleasant voice multiplies
friends, and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies.
[6] Let those
that are at peace with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a
thousand.
[7] When you gain a friend, gain him through testing, and
do not trust him hastily.
[8] For there is a friend who is such at his
own convenience, but will not stand by you in your day of
trouble.
[9] And there is a friend who changes into an enemy, and
will disclose a quarrel to your disgrace.
[10] And there is a friend
who is a table companion, but will not stand by you in your day of
trouble.
[11] In prosperity he will make himself your equal, and be
bold with your servants;
[12] but if you are brought low he will turn
against you, and will hide himself from your presence.
[13] Keep
yourself far from your enemies, and be on guard toward your
friends.
[14] A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that
has found one has found a treasure.
[15] There is nothing so precious
as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his
excellence.
[16] A faithful friend is an elixir of life; and those
who fear the Lord will find him.
[17] Whoever fears the Lord directs
his friendship aright, for as he is, so is his neighbor
also.
[18] My son, from your youth up choose instruction, and
until you are old you will keep finding wisdom.
[19] Come to her like
one who plows and sows, and wait for her good harvest. For in her service
you will toil a little while, and soon you will eat of her
produce.
[20] She seems very harsh to the uninstructed; a weakling
will not remain with her.
[21] She will weigh him down like a heavy
testing stone, and he will not be slow to cast her off.
[22] For
wisdom is like her name, and is not manifest to many.
[23]
Listen, my son, and accept my judgment; do not reject my
counsel.
[24] Put your feet into her fetters, and your neck into
her collar.
[25] Put your shoulder under her and carry her, and do
not fret under her bonds.
[26] Come to her with all your soul, and
keep her ways with all your might.
[27] Search out and seek, and she
will become known to you; and when you get hold of her, do not let her
go.
[28] For at last you will find the rest she gives, and she will
be changed into joy for you.
[29] Then her fetters will become for you
a strong protection, and her collar a glorious robe.
[30] Her yoke
is a golden ornament, and her bonds are a cord of blue.
[31] You
will wear her like a glorious robe, and put her on like a crown of
gladness.
[32] If you are willing, my son, you will be
taught, and if you apply yourself you will become clever.
[33] If
you love to listen you will gain knowledge, and if you incline your ear you
will become wise.
[34] Stand in the assembly of the elders. Who is
wise? Cleave to him.
[35] Be ready to listen to every
narrative, and do not let wise proverbs escape you.
[36] If you see
an intelligent man, visit him early; let your foot wear out his
doorstep.
[37] Reflect on the statutes of the Lord, and meditate at
all times on his commandments. It is he who will give insight to your
mind, and your desire for wisdom will be granted.
Sir.7
[1] Do no evil, and evil will never befall
you.
[2] Stay away from wrong, and it will turn away from
you.
[3] My son, do not sow the furrows of injustice, and you will
not reap a sevenfold crop.
[4] Do not seek from the Lord the
highest office, nor the seat of honor from the king.
[5] Do not
assert your righteousness before the Lord, nor display your wisdom before the
king.
[6] Do not seek to become a judge, lest you be unable to
remove iniquity, lest you be partial to a powerful man,
and thus put a
blot on your integrity.
[7] Do not offend against the public, and
do not disgrace yourself among the people.
[8] Do not commit a sin
twice; even for one you will not go unpunished.
[9] Do not say, "He
will consider the multitude of my gifts, and when I make an offering to the
Most High
God he will accept it."
[10] Do not be fainthearted in
your prayer, nor neglect to give alms.
[11] Do not ridicule a
man who is bitter in soul, for there is One who abases and
exalts.
[12] Do not devise a lie against your brother, nor do the
like to a friend.
[13] Refuse to utter any lie, for the habit of
lying serves no good.
[14] Do not prattle in the assembly of the
elders, nor repeat yourself in your prayer.
[15] Do not hate
toilsome labor, or farm work, which were created by the Most
High.
[16] Do not count yourself among the crowd of
sinners; remember that wrath does not delay.
[17] Humble yourself
greatly, for the punishment of the ungodly is fire and
worms.
[18] Do not exchange a friend for money, or a real
brother for the gold of Ophir.
[19] Do not deprive yourself of a wise
and good wife, for her charm is worth more than gold.
[20] Do not
abuse a servant who performs his work faithfully, or a hired laborer who
devotes himself to you.
[21] Let your soul love an intelligent
servant; do not withhold from him his freedom.
[22] Do you have
cattle? Look after them; if they are profitable to you, keep
them.
[23] Do you have children? Discipline them, and make them
obedient from their youth.
[24] Do you have daughters? Be concerned
for their chastity, and do not show yourself too indulgent with
them.
[25] Give a daughter in marriage; you will have finished a
great task. But give her to a man of understanding.
[26] If you
have a wife who pleases you, do not cast her out; but do not trust yourself
to one whom you detest.
[27] With all your heart honor your
father, and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother.
[28]
Remember that through your parents you were born; and what can you give back
to them that equals
their gift to you?
[29] With all your soul
fear the Lord, and honor his priests.
[30] With all your might love
your Maker, and do not forsake his ministers.
[31] Fear the Lord
and honor the priest, and give him his portion, as is commanded you:
the
first fruits, the guilt offering, the gift of the shoulders, the sacrifice
of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy
things.
[32] Stretch forth your hand to the poor, so that your
blessing may be complete.
[33] Give graciously to all the
living, and withhold not kindness from the dead.
[34] Do not fail
those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn.
[35] Do not shrink
from visiting a sick man, because for such deeds you will be
loved.
[36] In all you do, remember the end of your life, and then
you will never sin.
Sir.8
[1] Do not contend with a powerful man, lest you fall
into his hands.
[2] Do not quarrel with a rich man, lest his
resources outweigh yours; for gold has ruined many, and has perverted the
minds of kings.
[3] Do not argue with a chatterer, nor heap wood on
his fire.
[4] Do not jest with an ill-bred person, lest your
ancestors be disgraced.
[5] Do not reproach a man who is turning away
from sin; remember that we all deserve punishment.
[6] Do not
disdain a man when he is old, for some of us are growing old.
[7]
Do not rejoice over any one's death; remember that we all must
die.
[8] Do not slight the discourse of the sages, but busy
yourself with their maxims; because from them you will gain
instruction and learn how to serve great men.
[9] Do not disregard
the discourse of the aged, for they themselves learned from their
fathers; because from them you will gain understanding and learn how to
give an answer in time of need.
[10] Do not kindle the coals of a
sinner, lest you be burned in his flaming fire.
[11] Do not get up
and leave an insolent fellow, lest he lie in ambush against your
words.
[12] Do not lend to a man who is stronger than you; but if
you do lend anything, be as one who has lost it.
[13] Do not give
surety beyond your means, but if you give surety, be concerned as one who
must pay.
[14] Do not go to law against a judge, for the
decision will favor him because of his standing.
[15] Do not travel on
the road with a foolhardy fellow, lest he be burdensome to you; for he
will act as he pleases,
and through his folly you will perish with
him.
[16] Do not fight with a wrathful man, and do not cross the
wilderness with him; because blood is as nothing in his sight, and where
no help is at hand, he will strike you down.
[17] Do not consult with
a fool, for he will not be able to keep a secret.
[18] In the
presence of a stranger do nothing that is to be kept secret, for you do
not know what he will divulge.
[19] Do not reveal your thoughts to
every one, lest you drive away your good luck.
Sir.9
[1] Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, and do
not teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.
[2] Do not give
yourself to a woman so that she gains mastery over your
strength.
[3] Do not go to meet a loose woman, lest you fall into
her snares.
[4] Do not associate with a woman singer, lest you be
caught in her intrigues.
[5] Do not look intently at a virgin, lest
you stumble and incur penalties for her.
[6] Do not give yourself to
harlots lest you lose your inheritance.
[7] Do not look around in
the streets of a city, nor wander about in its deserted
sections.
[8] Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman, and do not
look intently at beauty belonging to another; many have been misled by a
woman's beauty, and by it passion is kindled like a fire.
[9] Never
dine with another man's wife, nor revel with her at wine; lest your heart
turn aside to her, and in blood you be plunged into
destruction.
[10] Forsake not an old friend, for a new one does
not compare with him. A new friend is like new wine; when it has aged you
will drink it with pleasure.
[11] Do not envy the honors of a
sinner, for you do not know what his end will be.
[12] Do not
delight in what pleases the ungodly; remember that they will not be held
guiltless as long as they live.
[13] Keep far from a man who
has the power to kill, and you will not be worried by the fear of
death. But if you approach him, make no misstep, lest he rob you of your
life. Know that you are walking in the midst of snares, and that you are
going about on the city battlements.
[14] As much as you can, aim
to know your neighbors, and consult with the wise.
[15] Let your
conversation be with men of understanding, and let all your discussion be
about the law of the Most High.
[16] Let righteous men be your dinner
companions, and let your glorying be in the fear of the Lord.
[17]
A work will be praised for the skill of the craftsmen; so a people's leader
is proved wise by his words.
[18] A babbler is feared in his
city, and the man who is reckless in speech will be hated.
Sir.10
[1] A wise magistrate will educate his people, and the
rule of an understanding man will be well ordered.
[2] Like the
magistrate of the people, so are his officials; and like the ruler of the
city, so are all its inhabitants.
[3] An undisciplined king will ruin
his people, but a city will grow through the understanding of its
rulers.
[4] The government of the earth is in the hands of the
Lord, and over it he will raise up the right man for the time.
[5]
The success of a man is in the hands of the Lord, and he confers his honor
upon the person of the scribe.
[6] Do not be angry with your
neighbor for any injury, and do not attempt anything by acts of
insolence.
[7] Arrogance is hateful before the Lord and before
men, and injustice is outrageous to both.
[8] Sovereignty passes
from nation to nation on account of injustice and insolence and
wealth.
[9] How can he who is dust and ashes be proud? for even in
life his bowels decay.
[10] A long illness baffles the
physician; the king of today will die tomorrow.
[11] For when a man
is dead, he will inherit creeping things, and wild beasts, and
worms.
[12] The beginning of man's pride is to depart from the
Lord; his heart has forsaken his Maker.
[13] For the beginning of
pride is sin, and the man who clings to it pours out
abominations. Therefore the Lord brought upon them extraordinary
afflictions, and destroyed them utterly.
[14] The Lord has cast
down the thrones of rulers, and has seated the lowly in their
place.
[15] The Lord has plucked up the roots of the nations, and
has planted the humble in their place.
[16] The Lord has overthrown
the lands of the nations, and has destroyed them to the foundations of the
earth.
[17] He has removed some of them and destroyed them, and has
extinguished the memory of them from the earth.
[18] Pride was not
created for men, nor fierce anger for those born of women.
[19]
What race is worthy of honor? The human race. What race is worthy of honor?
Those who fear the Lord. What race is unworthy of honor? The human
race. What race is unworthy of honor? Those who transgress the commandments.
[20] Among brothers their leader is worthy of
honor, and those who fear the Lord are worthy of honor in his
eyes.
[22] The rich, and the eminent, and the poor -- their glory
is the fear of the Lord.
[23] It is not right to despise an
intelligent poor man, nor is it proper to honor a sinful man.
[24]
The nobleman, and the judge, and the ruler will be honored, but none of them
is greater than the man who fears the Lord.
[25] Free men will be at
the service of a wise servant, and a man of understanding will not
grumble.
[26] Do not make a display of your wisdom when you do
your work, nor glorify yourself at a time when you are in
want.
[27] Better is a man who works and has an abundance of
everything, than one who goes about boasting, but lacks bread.
[28]
My son, glorify yourself with humility, and ascribe to yourself honor
according to your worth.
[29] Who will justify the man that sins
against himself? And who will honor the man that dishonors his own
life?
[30] A poor man is honored for his knowledge, while a rich
man is honored for his wealth.
[31] A man honored in poverty, how much
more in wealth! And a man dishonored in wealth, how much more in
poverty!
Sir.11
[1] The wisdom of a humble man will lift up his
head, and will seat him among the great.
[2] Do not praise a
man for his good looks, nor loathe a man because of his
appearance.
[3] The bee is small among flying creatures, but her
product is the best of sweet things.
[4] Do not boast about wearing
fine clothes, nor exalt yourself in the day that you are honored; for the
works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works are concealed from
men.
[5] Many kings have had to sit on the ground, but one who was
never thought of has worn a crown.
[6] Many rulers have been greatly
disgraced, and illustrious men have been handed over to
others.
[7] Do not find fault before you investigate; first
consider, and then reprove.
[8] Do not answer before you have
heard, nor interrupt a speaker in the midst of his words.
[9] Do
not argue about a matter which does not concern you, nor sit with sinners
when they judge a case.
[10] My son, do not busy yourself with
many matters; if you multiply activities you will not go unpunished,
and
if you pursue you will not overtake, and by fleeing you will not
escape.
[11] There is a man who works, and toils, and presses
on, but is so much the more in want.
[12] There is another who is
slow and needs help, who lacks strength and abounds in poverty; but the
eyes of the Lord look upon him for his good; he lifts him out of his low
estate
[13] and raises up his head, so that many are amazed at
him.
[14] Good things and bad, life and death, poverty and
wealth, come from the Lord.
[17] The gift of the Lord endures for
those who are godly, and what he approves will have lasting
success.
[18] There is a man who is rich through his diligence and
self-denial, and this is the reward allotted to him:
[19] when he
says, "I have found rest, and now I shall enjoy my goods!" he does not
know how much time will pass
until he leaves them to others and
dies.
[20] Stand by your covenant and attend to it, and grow old in
your work.
[21] Do not wonder at the works of a sinner, but
trust in the Lord and keep at your toil; for it is easy in the sight of the
Lord to enrich a poor man quickly and suddenly.
[22] The blessing
of the Lord is the reward of the godly, and quickly God causes his blessing
to flourish.
[23] Do not say, "What do I need, and what prosperity
could be mine in the future?"
[24] Do not say, "I have enough, and
what calamity could happen to me in the future?"
[25] In the day of
prosperity, adversity is forgotten, and in the day of adversity, prosperity
is not remembered.
[26] For it is easy in the sight of the Lord to
reward a man on the day of death according to his conduct.
[27] The
misery of an hour makes one forget luxury, and at the close of a man's life
his deeds will be revealed.
[28] Call no one happy before his
death; a man will be known through his children.
[29] Do not
bring every man into your home, for many are the wiles of the
crafty.
[30] Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the mind of a
proud man, and like a spy he observes your weakness;
[31] for he
lies in wait, turning good into evil, and to worthy actions he will attach
blame.
[32] From a spark of fire come many burning coals, and a
sinner lies in wait to shed blood.
[33] Beware of a scoundrel, for he
devises evil, lest he give you a lasting blemish.
[34] Receive a
stranger into your home and he will upset you with commotion, and will
estrange you from your family.
Sir.12
[1] If you do a kindness, know to whom you do it, and
you will be thanked for your good deeds.
[2] Do good to a godly man,
and you will be repaid -- if not by him, certainly by the Most
High.
[3] No good will come to the man who persists in evil or to
him who does not give alms.
[4] Give to the godly man, but do not help
the sinner.
[5] Do good to the humble, but do not give to the
ungodly; hold back his bread, and do not give it to him, lest by means of
it he subdue you; for you will receive twice as much evil for all the good
which you do to him.
[6] For the Most High also hates sinners and
will inflict punishment on the ungodly.
[7] Give to the good man, but
do not help the sinner.
[8] A friend will not be known in
prosperity, nor will an enemy be hidden in adversity.
[9] A man's
enemies are grieved when he prospers, and in his adversity even his friend
will separate from him.
[10] Never trust your enemy, for like the
rusting of copper, so is his wickedness.
[11] Even if he humbles
himself and goes about cringing, watch yourself, and be on your guard against
him; and you will be to him like one who has polished a mirror, and you
will know that it was not hopelessly tarnished.
[12] Do not put him
next to you, lest he overthrow you and take your place; do not have him
sit at your right, lest he try to take your seat of honor, and at last you
will realize the truth of my words, and be stung by what I have
said.
[13] Who will pity a snake charmer bitten by a
serpent, or any who go near wild beasts?
[14] So no one will pity a
man who associates with a sinner and becomes involved in his
sins.
[15] He will stay with you for a time, but if you falter, he
will not stand by you.
[16] An enemy will speak sweetly with his
lips, but in his mind he will plan to throw you into a pit; an enemy will
weep with his eyes, but if he finds an opportunity his thirst for blood
will be insatiable.
[17] If calamity befalls you, you will find him
there ahead of you; and while pretending to help you, he will trip you by
the heel;
[18] he will shake his head, and clap his hands, and
whisper much, and change his expression.
Sir.13
[1] Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and whoever
associates with a proud man will become like him.
[2] Do not lift a
weight beyond your strength, nor associate with a man mightier and richer
than you. How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle? The pot
will strike against it, and will itself be broken.
[3] A rich man does
wrong, and he even adds reproaches; a poor man suffers wrong, and he must add
apologies.
[4] A rich man will exploit you if you can be of use to
him, but if you are in need he will forsake you.
[5] If you own
something, he will live with you; he will drain your resources and he will
not care.
[6] When he needs you he will deceive you, he will smile
at you and give you hope. He will speak to you kindly and say, "What do you
need?"
[7] He will shame you with his foods, until he has drained
you two or three times; and finally he will deride you.
Should he see you
afterwards, he will forsake you, and shake his head at you.
[8]
Take care not to be led astray, and not to be humiliated in your
feasting.
[9] When a powerful man invites you, be reserved; and he
will invite you the more often.
[10] Do not push forward, lest you be
repulsed; and do not remain at a distance, lest you be
forgotten.
[11] Do not try to treat him as an equal, nor trust his
abundance of words; for he will test you through much talk,
and while he
smiles he will be examining you.
[12] Cruel is he who does not keep
words to himself; he will not hesitate to injure or to
imprison.
[13] Keep words to yourself and be very watchful, for you
are walking about with your own downfall.
[15] Every creature
loves its like, and every person his neighbor;
[16] all living
beings associate by species, and a man clings to one like
himself.
[17] What fellowship has a wolf with a lamb? No more has a
sinner with a godly man.
[18] What peace is there between a hyena and
a dog? And what peace between a rich man and a poor man?
[19] Wild
asses in the wilderness are the prey of lions; likewise the poor are pastures
for the rich.
[20] Humility is an abomination to a proud
man; likewise a poor man is an abomination to a rich one.
[21]
When a rich man totters, he is steadied by friends, but when a humble man
falls, he is even pushed
away by friends.
[22] If a rich man slips,
his helpers are many; he speaks unseemly words, and they justify him. If a
humble man slips, they even reproach him; he speaks sensibly, and receives no
attention.
[23] When the rich man speaks all are silent, and they
extol to the clouds what he says. When the poor man speaks they say, "Who is
this fellow?" And should he stumble, they even push him
down.
[24] Riches are good if they are free from sin, and
poverty is evil in the opinion of the ungodly.
[25] A man's heart
changes his countenance, either for good or for evil.
[26] The mark
of a happy heart is a cheerful face, but to devise proverbs requires painful
thinking.
Sir.14
[1] Blessed is the man who does not blunder with his
lips and need not suffer grief for sin.
[2] Blessed is he whose
heart does not condemn him, and who has not given up his
hope.
[3] Riches are not seemly for a stingy man; and of what
use is property to an envious man?
[4] Whoever accumulates by
depriving himself, accumulates for others; and others will live in luxury
on his goods.
[5] If a man is mean to himself, to whom will he be
generous? He will not enjoy his own riches.
[6] No one is meaner
than the man who is grudging to himself, and this is the retribution for his
baseness;
[7] even if he does good, he does it unintentionally, and
betrays his baseness in the end.
[8] Evil is the man with a grudging
eye; he averts his face and disregards people.
[9] A greedy man's
eye is not satisfied with a portion, and mean injustice withers the
soul.
[10] A stingy man's eye begrudges bread, and it is lacking at
his table.
[11] My son, treat yourself well, according to your
means, and present worthy offerings to the Lord.
[12] Remember that
death will not delay, and the decree of Hades has not been shown to
you.
[13] Do good to a friend before you die, and reach out and
give to him as much as you can.
[14] Do not deprive yourself of a
happy day; let not your share of desired good pass by you.
[15]
Will you not leave the fruit of your labors to another, and what you acquired
by toil to be divided by lot?
[16] Give, and take, and beguile
yourself, because in Hades one cannot look for luxury.
[17] All
living beings become old like a garment, for the decree from of old is, "You
must surely die!"
[18] Like flourishing leaves on a spreading
tree which sheds some and puts forth others, so are the generations of
flesh and blood: one dies and another is born.
[19] Every product
decays and ceases to exist, and the man who made it will pass away with
it.
[20] Blessed is the man who meditates on wisdom and who
reasons intelligently.
[21] He who reflects in his mind on her
ways will also ponder her secrets.
[22] Pursue wisdom like a
hunter, and lie in wait on her paths.
[23] He who peers through her
windows will also listen at her doors;
[24] he who encamps near her
house will also fasten his tent peg to her walls;
[25] he will
pitch his tent near her, and will lodge in an excellent lodging
place;
[26] he will place his children under her shelter, and will
camp under her boughs;
[27] he will be sheltered by her from the
heat, and will dwell in the midst of her glory.
Sir.15
[1] The man who fears the Lord will do this, and he who
holds to the law will obtain wisdom.
[2] She will come to meet him
like a mother, and like the wife of his youth she will welcome
him.
[3] She will feed him with the bread of understanding, and
give him the water of wisdom to drink.
[4] He will lean on her and
will not fall, and he will rely on her and will not be put to
shame.
[5] She will exalt him above his neighbors, and will open
his mouth in the midst of the assembly.
[6] He will find gladness and
a crown of rejoicing, and will acquire an everlasting name.
[7]
Foolish men will not obtain her, and sinful men will not see
her.
[8] She is far from men of pride, and liars will never think
of her.
[9] A hymn of praise is not fitting on the lips of a
sinner, for it has not been sent from the Lord.
[10] For a hymn of
praise should be uttered in wisdom, and the Lord will prosper
it.
[11] Do not say, "Because of the Lord I left the right
way"; for he will not do what he hates.
[12] Do not say, "It was he
who led me astray"; for he had no need of a sinful man.
[13] The
Lord hates all abominations, and they are not loved by those who fear
him.
[14] It was he who created man in the beginning, and he left
him in the power of his own inclination.
[15] If you will, you can
keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own
choice.
[16] He has placed before you fire and water: stretch out
your hand for whichever you wish.
[17] Before a man are life and
death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him.
[18] For
great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees
everything;
[19] his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows
every deed of man.
[20] He has not commanded any one to be
ungodly, and he has not given any one permission to sin.
Sir.16
[1] Do not desire a multitude of useless children, nor
rejoice in ungodly sons.
[2] If they multiply , do not rejoice in
them, unless the fear of the Lord is in them.
[3] Do not trust in
their survival, and do not rely on their multitude; for one is better than
a thousand, and to die childless is better than to have ungodly
children.
[4] For through one man of understanding a city will be
filled with people, but through a tribe of lawless men it will be made
desolate.
[5] Many such things my eye has seen, and my ear has
heard things more striking than these.
[6] In an assembly of
sinners a fire will be kindled, and in a disobedient nation wrath was
kindled.
[7] He was not propitiated for the ancient giants who
revolted in their might.
[8] He did not spare the neighbors of
Lot, whom he loathed on account of their insolence.
[9] He showed
no pity for a nation devoted to destruction, for those destroyed in their
sins;
[10] nor for the six hundred thousand men on foot, who
rebelliously assembled in their stubbornness.
[11] Even if there is
only one stiff-necked person, it will be a wonder if he remains
unpunished. For mercy and wrath are with the Lord; he is mighty to
forgive, and he pours out wrath.
[12] As great as his mercy, so great
is also his reproof; he judges a man according to his deeds.
[13]
The sinner will not escape with his plunder, and the patience of the godly
will not be frustrated.
[14] He will make room for every act of
mercy; every one will receive in accordance with his
deeds.
[17] Do not say, "I shall be hidden from the Lord, and
who from on high will remember me? Among so many people I shall not be
known, for what is my soul in the boundless creation?
[18] Behold,
heaven and the highest heaven, the abyss and the earth, will tremble at his
visitation.
[19] The mountains also and the foundations of the
earth shake with trembling when he looks upon them.
[20] And no
mind will reflect on this. Who will ponder his ways?
[21] Like a
tempest which no man can see, so most of his works are
concealed.
[22] Who will announce his acts of justice? Or who will
await them? For the covenant is far off."
[23] This is what one devoid
of understanding thinks; a senseless and misguided man thinks
foolishly.
[24] Listen to me, my son, and acquire
knowledge, and pay close attention to my words.
[25] I will impart
instruction by weight, and declare knowledge accurately.
[26]
The works of the Lord have existed from the beginning by his creation, and
when he made them, he determined their divisions.
[27] He arranged his
works in an eternal order, and their dominion for all generations; they
neither hunger nor grow weary, and they do not cease from their
labors.
[28] They do not crowd one another aside, and they will
never disobey his word.
[29] After this the Lord looked upon the
earth, and filled it with his good things;
[30] with all kinds of
living beings he covered its surface, and to it they return.
Sir.17
[1] The Lord created man out of earth, and turned him
back to it again.
[2] He gave to men few days, a limited time, but
granted them authority over the things upon the earth.
[3] He endowed
them with strength like his own, and made them in his own
image.
[4] He placed the fear of them in all living beings, and
granted them dominion over beasts and birds.
[6] He made for them
tongue and eyes; he gave them ears and a mind for thinking.
[7] He
filled them with knowledge and understanding, and showed them good and
evil.
[8] He set his eye upon their hearts to show them the majesty
of his works.
[10] And they will praise his holy name, to proclaim
the grandeur of his works.
[11] He bestowed knowledge upon
them, and allotted to them the law of life.
[12] He established
with them an eternal covenant, and showed them his judgments.
[13]
Their eyes saw his glorious majesty, and their ears heard the glory of his
voice.
[14] And he said to them, "Beware of all
unrighteousness." And he gave commandment to each of them concerning
his
neighbor.
[15] Their ways are always before him, they will not be
hid from his eyes.
[17] He appointed a ruler for every nation, but
Israel is the Lord's own portion.
[19] All their works are as the sun
before him, and his eyes are continually upon their ways.
[20]
Their iniquities are not hidden from him, and all their sins are before the
Lord.
[22] A man's almsgiving is like a signet with the Lord and he
will keep a person's kindness like
the apple of his eye.
[23]
Afterward he will arise and requite them, and he will bring their recompense
on their heads.
[24] Yet to those who repent he grants a
return, and he encourages those whose endurance is
failing.
[25] Turn to the Lord and forsake your sins; pray in
his presence and lessen your offenses.
[26] Return to the Most High
and turn away from iniquity, and hate abominations intensely.
[27]
Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades, as do those who are alive
and give thanks?
[28] From the dead, as from one who does not
exist, thanksgiving has ceased; he who is alive and well sings the Lord's
praises.
[29] How great is the mercy of the Lord, and his
forgiveness for those who turn to him!
[30] For all things cannot be
in men, since a son of man is not immortal.
[31] What is brighter
than the sun? Yet its light fails. So flesh and blood devise
evil.
[32] He marshals the host of the height of heaven; but all
men are dust and ashes.
Sir.18
[1] He who lives for ever created the whole
universe;
[2] the Lord alone will be declared righteous.
[4]
To none has he given power to proclaim his works; and who can search out his
mighty deeds?
[5] Who can measure his majestic power? And who can
fully recount his mercies?
[6] It is not possible to diminish or
increase them, nor is it possible to trace the wonders of the
Lord.
[7] When a man has finished, he is just beginning, and when
he stops, he will be at a loss.
[8] What is man, and of what use is
he? What is his good and what is his evil?
[9] The number of a
man's days is great if he reaches a hundred years.
[10] Like a drop
of water from the sea and a grain of sand so are a few years in the day of
eternity.
[11] Therefore the Lord is patient with them and pours
out his mercy upon them.
[12] He sees and recognizes that their end
will be evil; therefore he grants them forgiveness in
abundance.
[13] The compassion of man is for his neighbor, but the
compassion of the Lord is for all living beings. He rebukes and trains and
teaches them, and turns them back, as a shepherd his flock.
[14] He
has compassion on those who accept his discipline and who are eager for his
judgments.
[15] My son, do not mix reproach with your good
deeds, nor cause grief by your words when you present a gift.
[16]
Does not the dew assuage the scorching heat? So a word is better than a
gift.
[17] Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift? Both are to
be found in a gracious man.
[18] A fool is ungracious and
abusive, and the gift of a grudging man makes the eyes
dim.
[19] Before you speak, learn, and before you fall ill,
take care of your health.
[20] Before judgment, examine
yourself, and in the hour of visitation you will find
forgiveness.
[21] Before falling ill, humble yourself, and when you
are on the point of sinning, turn back.
[22] Let nothing hinder you
from paying a vow promptly, and do not wait until death to be released from
it.
[23] Before making a vow, prepare yourself; and do not be like
a man who tempts the Lord.
[24] Think of his wrath on the day of
death, and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his
face.
[25] In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger; in
the days of wealth think of poverty and need.
[26] From morning to
evening conditions change, and all things move swiftly before the
Lord.
[27] A wise man is cautious in everything, and in days of
sin he guards against wrongdoing.
[28] Every intelligent man knows
wisdom, and he praises the one who finds her.
[29] Those who
understand sayings become skilled themselves, and pour forth apt
proverbs.
[30] Do not follow your base desires, but restrain
your appetites.
[31] If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base
desire, it will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.
[32] Do
not revel in great luxury, lest you become impoverished by its
expense.
[33] Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed
money, when you have nothing in your purse.
Sir.19
[1] A workman who is a drunkard will not become
rich; he who despises small things will fail little by little.
[2]
Wine and women lead intelligent men astray, and the man who consorts with
harlots is very reckless.
[3] Decay and worms will inherit him, and
the reckless soul will be snatched away.
[4] One who trusts others
too quickly is lightminded, and one who sins does wrong to
himself.
[5] One who rejoices in wickedness will be
condemned,
[6] and for one who hates gossip evil is
lessened.
[7] Never repeat a conversation, and you will lose
nothing at all.
[8] With friend or foe do not report it, and unless
it would be a sin for you, do not disclose it;
[9] for some one has
heard you and watched you, and when the time comes he will hate
you.
[10] Have you heard a word? Let it die with you. Be brave! It
will not make you burst!
[11] With such a word a fool will suffer
pangs like a woman in labor with a child.
[12] Like an arrow stuck
in the flesh of the thigh, so is a word inside a fool.
[13]
Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it; but if he did anything, so that
he may do it no more.
[14] Question a neighbor, perhaps he did not say
it; but if he said it, so that he may not say it again.
[15]
Question a friend, for often it is slander; so do not believe everything you
hear.
[16] A person may make a slip without intending it. Who has
never sinned with his tongue?
[17] Question your neighbor before you
threaten him; and let the law of the Most High take its
course.
[20] All wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and in all
wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law.
[22] But the knowledge of
wickedness is not wisdom, nor is there prudence where sinners take
counsel.
[23] There is a cleverness which is abominable, but there
is a fool who merely lacks wisdom.
[24] Better is the God-fearing man
who lacks intelligence, than the highly prudent man who transgresses the
law.
[25] There is a cleverness which is scrupulous but unjust, and
there are people who distort kindness to gain a verdict.
[26] There is
a rascal bowed down in mourning, but inwardly he is full of
deceit.
[27] He hides his face and pretends not to hear; but where
no one notices, he will forestall you.
[28] And if by lack of strength
he is prevented from sinning, he will do evil when he finds an
opportunity.
[29] A man is known by his appearance, and a sensible
man is known by his face, when you meet him.
[30] A man's attire and
open-mouthed laughter, and a man's manner of walking, show what he
is.
Sir.20
[1] There is a reproof which is not timely; and there
is a man who keeps silent but is wise.
[2] How much better it is to
reprove than to stay angry!
[3] And the one who confesses his fault will be kept
from loss.
[4] Like a eunuch's desire to violate a maiden is a man
who executes judgments by violence.
[5] There is one who by keeping
silent is found wise, while another is detested for being too
talkative.
[6] There is one who keeps silent because he has no
answer, while another keeps silent because he knows when to
speak.
[7] A wise man will be silent until the right moment, but a
braggart and fool goes beyond the right moment.
[8] Whoever uses too
many words will be loathed, and whoever usurps the right to speak will be
hated.
[9] There may be good fortune for a man in
adversity, and a windfall may result in a loss.
[10] There is a
gift that profits you nothing, and there is a gift that brings a double
return.
[11] There are losses because of glory, and there are men
who have raised their heads from humble circumstances.
[12] There
is a man who buys much for a little, but pays for it seven times
over.
[13] The wise man makes himself beloved through his
words, but the courtesies of fools are wasted.
[14] A fool's gift
will profit you nothing, for he has many eyes instead of one.
[15]
He gives little and upbraids much, he opens his mouth like a herald; today
he lends and tomorrow he asks it back;
such a one is a hateful
man.
[16] A fool will say, "I have no friend, and there is no
gratitude for my good deeds; those who eat my bread speak
unkindly."
[17] How many will ridicule him, and how
often!
[18] A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the
tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily.
[19] An
ungracious man is like a story told at the wrong time, which is continually
on the lips of the ignorant.
[20] A proverb from a fool's lips will be
rejected, for he does not tell it at its proper time.
[21] A
man may be prevented from sinning by his poverty, so when he rests he feels
no remorse.
[22] A man may lose his life through shame, or lose it
because of his foolish look.
[23] A man may for shame make promises to
a friend, and needlessly make him an enemy.
[24] A lie is an
ugly blot on a man; it is continually on the lips of the
ignorant.
[25] A thief is preferable to a habitual liar, but the
lot of both is ruin.
[26] The disposition of a liar brings
disgrace, and his shame is ever with him.
[27] He who speaks
wisely will advance himself, and a sensible man will please great
men.
[28] Whoever cultivates the soil will heap up his harvest, and
whoever pleases great men will atone for injustice.
[29] Presents and
gifts blind the eyes of the wise; like a muzzle on the mouth they avert
reproofs.
[30] Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure, what advantage is
there in either of them?
[31] Better is the man who hides his
folly than the man who hides his wisdom.
Sir.21
[1] Have you sinned, my son? Do so no more, but pray
about your former sins.
[2] Flee from sin as from a snake; for if
you approach sin, it will bite you. Its teeth are lion's teeth, and
destroy the souls of men.
[3] All lawlessness is like a two-edged
sword; there is no healing for its wound.
[4] Terror and
violence will lay waste riches; thus the house of the proud will be laid
waste.
[5] The prayer of a poor man goes from his lips to the ears of
God, and his judgment comes speedily.
[6] Whoever hates reproof
walks in the steps of the sinner, but he that fears the Lord will repent in
his heart.
[7] He who is mighty in speech is known from afar; but
the sensible man, when he slips, is aware of it.
[8] A man who
builds his house with other people's money is like one who gathers stones for
his burial mound.
[9] An assembly of the wicked is like tow gathered
together, and their end is a flame of fire.
[10] The way of sinners
is smoothly paved with stones, but at its end is the pit of
Hades.
[11] Whoever keeps the law controls his thoughts, and
wisdom is the fulfilment of the fear of the Lord.
[12] He who is not
clever cannot be taught, but there is a cleverness which increases
bitterness.
[13] The knowledge of a wise man will increase like a
flood, and his counsel like a flowing spring.
[14] The mind of a
fool is like a broken jar; it will hold no knowledge.
[15] When
a man of understanding hears a wise saying, he will praise it and add to
it; when a reveler hears it, he dislikes it and casts it behind his
back.
[16] A fool's narration is like a burden on a journey, but
delight will be found in the speech of the intelligent.
[17] The
utterance of a sensible man will be sought in the assembly, and they will
ponder his words in their minds.
[18] Like a house that has
vanished, so is wisdom to a fool; and the knowledge of the ignorant is
unexamined talk.
[19] To a senseless man education is fetters on his
feet, and like manacles on his right hand.
[20] A fool raises his
voice when he laughs, but a clever man smiles quietly.
[21] To a
sensible man education is like a golden ornament, and like a bracelet on the
right arm.
[22] The foot of a fool rushes into a house, but a
man of experience stands respectfully before it.
[23] A boor peers
into the house from the door, but a cultivated man remains
outside.
[24] It is ill-mannered for a man to listen at a door, and
a discreet man is grieved by the disgrace.
[25] The lips of strangers
will speak of these things, but the words of the prudent will be weighed in
the balance.
[26] The mind of fools is in their mouth, but the
mouth of wise men is in their mind.
[27] When an ungodly man curses
his adversary, he curses his own soul.
[28] A whisperer defiles his
own soul and is hated in his neighborhood.
Sir.22
[1] The indolent may be compared to a filthy stone, and
every one hisses at his disgrace.
[2] The indolent may be compared to
the filth of dunghills; any one that picks it up will shake it off his
hand.
[3] It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined
son, and the birth of a daughter is a loss.
[4] A sensible daughter
obtains her husband, but one who acts shamefully brings grief to her
father.
[5] An impudent daughter disgraces father and husband, and
will be despised by both.
[6] Like music in mourning is a tale told at
the wrong time, but chastising and discipline are wisdom at all
times.
[7] He who teaches a fool is like one who glues potsherds
together, or who rouses a sleeper from deep slumber.
[8] He who
tells a story to a fool tells it to a drowsy man; and at the end he will say,
"What is it?"
[11] Weep for the dead, for he lacks the light; and
weep for the fool, for he lacks intelligence; weep less bitterly for the
dead, for he has attained rest; but the life of the fool is worse than
death.
[12] Mourning for the dead lasts seven days, but for a fool
or an ungodly man it lasts all his life.
[13] Do not talk much
with a foolish man, and do not visit an unintelligent man; guard yourself
from him to escape trouble, and you will not be soiled when he shakes himself
off; avoid him and you will find rest, and you will never be wearied by
his madness.
[14] What is heavier than lead? And what is its name
except "Fool"?
[15] Sand, salt, and a piece of iron are easier to
bear than a stupid man.
[16] A wooden beam firmly bonded into a
building will not be torn loose by an earthquake; so the mind firmly fixed
on a reasonable counsel will not be afraid in a crisis.
[17] A mind
settled on an intelligent thought is like the stucco decoration on the wall
of a colonnade.
[18] Fences set on a high place will not stand firm
against the wind; so a timid heart with a fool's purpose will not stand
firm against any fear.
[19] A man who pricks an eye will make
tears fall, and one who pricks the heart makes it show
feeling.
[20] One who throws a stone at birds scares them away, and
one who reviles a friend will break off the friendship.
[21] Even if
you have drawn your sword against a friend, do not despair, for a renewal of
friendship is possible.
[22] If you have opened your mouth against
your friend, do not worry, for reconciliation is possible; but as for
reviling, arrogance, disclosure of secrets, or a treacherous blow -- in
these cases any friend will flee.
[23] Gain the trust of your
neighbor in his poverty, that you may rejoice with him in his
prosperity; stand by him in time of affliction, that you may share with
him in his inheritance.
[24] The vapor and smoke of the furnace
precede the fire; so insults precede bloodshed.
[25] I will not be
ashamed to protect a friend, and I will not hide from him;
[26] but
if some harm should happen to me because of him, whoever hears of it will
beware of him.
[27] O that a guard were set over my mouth, and
a seal of prudence upon my lips, that it may keep me from falling,
so that
my tongue may not destroy me!
Sir.23
[1] O Lord, Father and Ruler of my life, do not abandon
me to their counsel, and let me not fall because of them!
[2] O
that whips were set over my thoughts, and the discipline of wisdom over my
mind! That they may not spare me in my errors, and that it may not pass by
my sins;
[3] in order that my mistakes may not be multiplied, and
my sins may not abound; then I will not fall before my adversaries, and my
enemy will not rejoice over me.
[4] O Lord, Father and God of my
life, do not give me haughty eyes,
[5] and remove from me evil
desire.
[6] Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me, and do not
surrender me to a shameless soul.
[7] Listen, my children, to
instruction concerning speech; the one who observes it will never be
caught.
[8] The sinner is overtaken through his lips, the reviler
and the arrogant are tripped by them.
[9] Do not accustom your mouth
to oaths, and do not habitually utter the name of the Holy
One;
[10] for as a servant who is continually examined under
torture will not lack bruises, so also the man who always swears and
utters the Name will not be cleansed from sin.
[11] A man who
swears many oaths will be filled with iniquity, and the scourge will not
leave his house; if he offends, his sin remains on him, and if he
disregards it, he sins doubly; if he has sworn needlessly, he will not be
justified, for his house will be filled with calamities.
[12]
There is an utterance which is comparable to death; may it never be found in
the inheritance of Jacob! For all these errors will be far from the
godly, and they will not wallow in sins.
[13] Do not accustom your
mouth to lewd vulgarity, for it involves sinful speech.
[14]
Remember your father and mother when you sit among great men; lest you be
forgetful in their presence, and be deemed a fool on account of your
habits; then you will wish that you had never been born, and you will
curse the day of your birth.
[15] A man accustomed to use insulting
words will never become disciplined all his days.
[16] Two
sorts of men multiply sins, and a third incurs wrath. The soul heated like
a burning fire will not be quenched until it is consumed; a man who
commits fornication with his near of kin will never cease until the fire
burns him up.
[17] To a fornicator all bread tastes sweet; he will
never cease until he dies.
[18] A man who breaks his marriage
vows says to himself, "Who sees me? Darkness surrounds me, and the walls
hide me, and no one sees me. Why should I fear? The Most High will not
take notice of my sins."
[19] His fear is confined to the eyes of
men, and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord are ten thousand
times brighter than the sun; they look upon all the ways of men, and
perceive even the hidden places.
[20] Before the universe was created,
it was known to him; so it was also after it was finished.
[21]
This man will be punished in the streets of the city, and where he least
suspects it, he will be seized.
[22] So it is with a woman who leaves
her husband and provides an heir by a stranger.
[23] For first of
all, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High; second, she has committed an
offense against her husband; and third, she has committed adultery through
harlotry and brought forth children by another man.
[24] She
herself will be brought before the assembly, and punishment will fall on her
children.
[25] Her children will not take root, and her branches
will not bear fruit.
[26] She will leave her memory for a
curse, and her disgrace will not be blotted out.
[27] Those who
survive her will recognize that nothing is better than the fear of the
Lord, and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.
Sir.24
[1] Wisdom will praise herself, and will glory in the
midst of her people.
[2] In the assembly of the Most High she will
open her mouth, and in the presence of his host she will glory:
[3]
"I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a
mist.
[4] I dwelt in high places, and my throne was in a pillar of
cloud.
[5] Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven and
have walked in the depths of the abyss.
[6] In the waves of the sea,
in the whole earth, and in every people and nation I have gotten a
possession.
[7] Among all these I sought a resting place; I sought
in whose territory I might lodge.
[8] "Then the Creator of all
things gave me a commandment, and the one who created me assigned a place for
my tent. And he said, `Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive
your inheritance.'
[9] From eternity, in the beginning, he created
me, and for eternity I shall not cease to exist.
[10] In the holy
tabernacle I ministered before him, and so I was established in
Zion.
[11] In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting
place, and in Jerusalem was my dominion.
[12] So I took root in an
honored people, in the portion of the Lord, who is their
inheritance.
[13] "I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon, and
like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
[14] I grew tall like a palm
tree in En-ge'di, and like rose plants in Jericho; like a beautiful olive
tree in the field,
and like a plane tree I grew tall.
[15] Like
cassia and camel's thorn I gave forth the aroma of spices, and like choice
myrrh I spread a pleasant odor,
like galbanum, onycha, and stacte, and
like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.
[16] Like a
terebinth I spread out my branches, and my branches are glorious and
graceful.
[17] Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud, and my
blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit.
[19] "Come to me, you
who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce.
[20] For the
remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance sweeter than the
honeycomb.
[21] Those who eat me will hunger for more, and those
who drink me will thirst for more.
[22] Whoever obeys me will not be
put to shame, and those who work with my help will not
sin."
[23] All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High
God, the law which Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the
congregations of Jacob.
[25] It fills men with wisdom, like the
Pishon, and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.
[26]
It makes them full of understanding, like the Euphrates, and like the Jordan
at harvest time.
[27] It makes instruction shine forth like
light, like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
[28] Just as the
first man did not know her perfectly, the last one has not fathomed
her;
[29] for her thought is more abundant than the sea, and her
counsel deeper than the great abyss.
[30] I went forth like a
canal from a river and like a water channel into a garden.
[31] I
said, "I will water my orchard and drench my garden plot"; and lo, my
canal became a river, and my river became a sea.
[32] I will again
make instruction shine forth like the dawn, and I will make it shine
afar;
[33] I will again pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave
it to all future generations.
[34] Observe that I have not labored for
myself alone, but for all who seek instruction.
Sir.25
[1] My soul takes pleasure in three things, and they
are beautiful in the sight of the Lord and of men; agreement between
brothers, friendship between neighbors, and a wife and a husband who live in
harmony.
[2] My soul hates three kinds of men, and I am greatly
offended at their life: a beggar who is proud, a rich man who is a
liar, and an adulterous old man who lacks good sense.
[3] You
have gathered nothing in your youth; how then can you find anything in your
old age?
[4] What an attractive thing is judgment in gray-haired
men, and for the aged to possess good counsel!
[5] How attractive
is wisdom in the aged, and understanding and counsel in honorable
men!
[6] Rich experience is the crown of the aged, and their boast
is the fear of the Lord.
[7] With nine thoughts I have gladdened
my heart, and a tenth I shall tell with my tongue: a man rejoicing in his
children; a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes;
[8]
happy is he who lives with an intelligent wife, and he who has not made a
slip with his tongue, and he who has not served a man inferior to
himself;
[9] happy is he who has gained good sense, and he who
speaks to attentive listeners.
[10] How great is he who has gained
wisdom! But there is no one superior to him who fears the
Lord.
[11] The fear of the Lord surpasses everything; to whom shall
be likened the one who holds it fast?
[13] Any wound, but not a
wound of the heart! Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a
wife!
[14] Any attack, but not an attack from those who hate! And
any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!
[15] There is no
venom worse than a snake's venom, and no wrath worse than an enemy's
wrath.
[16] I would rather dwell with a lion and a dragon than
dwell with an evil wife.
[17] The wickedness of a wife changes her
appearance, and darkens her face like that of a bear.
[18] Her
husband takes his meals among the neighbors, and he cannot help sighing
bitterly.
[19] Any iniquity is insignificant compared to a wife's
iniquity; may a sinner's lot befall her!
[20] A sandy ascent for
the feet of the aged -- such is a garrulous wife for a quiet
husband.
[21] Do not be ensnared by a woman's beauty, and do not
desire a woman for her possessions.
[22] There is wrath and impudence
and great disgrace when a wife supports her husband.
[23] A
dejected mind, a gloomy face, and a wounded heart are caused by an evil
wife. Drooping hands and weak knees are caused by the wife who does not
make her husband happy.
[24] From a woman sin had its
beginning, and because of her we all die.
[25] Allow no outlet to
water, and no boldness of speech in an evil wife.
[26] If she does
not go as you direct, separate her from yourself.
Sir.26
[1] Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of
his days will be doubled.
[2] A loyal wife rejoices her
husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.
[3] A good wife
is a great blessing;
she will be granted among the blessings of
the man
who fears the Lord.
[4] Whether rich or poor, his heart is
glad,
and at all times his face is cheerful.
[5] Of three things my
heart is afraid,
and of a fourth I am frightened:
The slander of a city,
the gathering of a mob,
and false accusation -- all these are worse than
death.
[6] There is grief of heart and sorrow
when a wife is
envious of a rival, and a tongue-lashing
makes it known to all.
[7]
An evil wife is an ox yoke which chafes;
taking hold of her is like grasping
a scorpion.
[8] There is great anger when a wife is drunken;
she
will not hide her shame.
[9] A wife's harlotry shows in her lustful
eyes,
and she is known by her eyelids.
[10] Keep strict watch over
a headstrong daughter,
lest, when she finds liberty, she use it to her
hurt.
[11] Be on guard against her impudent eye,
and do not wonder
if she sins against you.
[12] As a thirsty wayfarer opens his
mouth
and drinks from any water near him,
so will she sit in front of
every post
and open her quiver to the arrow.
[13] A wife's
charm delights her husband,
and her skill puts fat on his
bones.
[14] A silent wife is a gift of the Lord,
and there is
nothing so precious as a disciplined soul.
[15] A modest wife adds
charm to charm,
and no balance can weigh the value of a chaste
soul.
[16] Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is
the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
[17] Like the
shining lamp on the holy lampstand,
so is a beautiful face on a stately
figure.
[18] Like pillars of gold on a base of silver,
so are
beautiful feet with a steadfast heart.
[28] At two things my heart
is grieved,
and because of a third anger comes over me:
a warrior in want
through poverty,
and intelligent men who are treated contemptuously;
a man
who turns back from righteousness to sin --
the Lord will prepare him for the
sword!
[29] A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,
and a
tradesman will not be declared innocent of sin.
Sir.27
[1] Many have committed sin for a trifle,
and whoever
seeks to get rich will avert his eyes.
[2] As a stake is driven firmly
into a fissure between stones,
so sin is wedged in between selling and
buying.
[3] If a man is not steadfast and zealous in the fear of the
Lord,
his house will be quickly overthrown.
[4] When a sieve is
shaken, the refuse remains;
so a man's filth remains in his
thoughts.
[5] The kiln tests the potter's vessels;
so the test of a
man is in his reasoning.
[6] The fruit discloses the cultivation of a
tree;
so the expression of a thought discloses the
cultivation of a man's
mind.
[7] Do not praise a man before you hear him reason,
for this
is the test of men.
[8] If you pursue justice, you will attain
it
and wear it as a glorious robe.
[9] Birds flock with their
kind;
so truth returns to those who practice it.
[10] A lion lies
in wait for prey;
so does sin for the workers of iniquity.
[11]
The talk of the godly man is always wise,
but the fool changes like the
moon.
[12] Among stupid people watch for a chance to leave,
but
among thoughtful people stay on.
[13] The talk of fools is
offensive,
and their laughter is wantonly sinful.
[14] The talk of
men given to swearing makes one's
hair stand on end,
and their quarrels
make a man stop his ears.
[15] The strife of the proud leads to
bloodshed,
and their abuse is grievous to hear.
[16] Whoever
betrays secrets destroys confidence,
and he will never find a congenial
friend.
[17] Love your friend and keep faith with him;
but if you
betray his secrets, do not run after him.
[18] For as a man destroys
his enemy,
so you have destroyed the friendship of your
neighbor.
[19] And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand,
so
you have let your neighbor go, and will
not catch him again.
[20]
Do not go after him, for he is too far off,
and has escaped like a gazelle
from a snare.
[21] For a wound may be bandaged,
and there is
reconciliation after abuse,
but whoever has betrayed secrets is without
hope.
[22] Whoever winks his eye plans evil deeds,
and no one
can keep him from them.
[23] In your presence his mouth is all
sweetness,
and he admires your words;
but later he will twist his
speech
and with your own words he will give offense.
[24] I have
hated many things, but none to be compared to him;
even the Lord will hate
him.
[25] Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own
head;
and a treacherous blow opens up wounds.
[26] He who digs a
pit will fall into it,
and he who sets a snare will be caught in
it.
[27] If a man does evil, it will roll back upon him,
and he
will not know where it came from.
[28] Mockery and abuse issue from
the proud man,
but vengeance lies in wait for him like a lion.
[29]
Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly
will be caught in a snare,
and
pain will consume them before their death.
[30] Anger and wrath,
these also are abominations,
and the sinful man will possess them.
Sir.28
[1] He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the
Lord,
and he will firmly establish his sins.
[2] Forgive your
neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you
pray.
[3] Does a man harbor anger against another,
and yet seek for
healing from the Lord?
[4] Does he have no mercy toward a man like
himself,
and yet pray for his own sins?
[5] If he himself, being
flesh, maintains wrath,
who will make expiation for his sins?
[6]
Remember the end of your life, and cease from enmity,
remember destruction
and death, and be true
to the commandments.
[7] Remember the
commandments, and do not be angry
with your neighbor;
remember the
covenant of the Most High, and
overlook ignorance.
[8] Refrain
from strife, and you will lessen sins;
for a man given to anger will kindle
strife,
[9] and a sinful man will disturb friends
and inject enmity
among those who are at peace.
[10] In proportion to the fuel for the
fire, so will be the burning,
and in proportion to the obstinacy of
strife
will be the burning;
in proportion to the strength of the man will
be his anger,
and in proportion to his wealth he will heighten his
wrath.
[11] A hasty quarrel kindles fire,
and urgent strife sheds
blood.
[12] If you blow on a spark, it will glow;
if you spit on
it, it will be put out;
and both come out of your mouth.
[13]
Curse the whisperer and deceiver,
for he has destroyed many who were at
peace.
[14] Slander has shaken many,
and scattered them from nation
to nation,
and destroyed strong cities,
and overturned the houses of great
men.
[15] Slander has driven away courageous women,
and deprived
them of the fruit of their toil.
[16] Whoever pays heed to slander
will not find rest,
nor will he settle down in peace.
[17] The blow
of a whip raises a welt,
but a blow of the tongue crushes the
bones.
[18] Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
but not so
many as have fallen because of the tongue.
[19] Happy is the man who
is protected from it,
who has not been exposed to its anger,
who has not
borne its yoke,
and has not been bound with its fetters;
[20] for
its yoke is a yoke of iron,
and its fetters are fetters of
bronze;
[21] its death is an evil death,
and Hades is preferable to
it.
[22] It will not be master over the godly,
and they will not be
burned in its flame.
[23] Those who forsake the Lord will fall into
its power;
it will burn among them and will not be put out.
It will be
sent out against them like a lion;
like a leopard it will mangle
them.
[24] See that you fence in your property with thorns,
lock up
your silver and gold,
[25] make balances and scales for your
words,
and make a door and a bolt for your mouth.
[26] Beware lest
you err with your tongue,
lest you fall before him who lies in wait.
Sir.29
[1] He that shows mercy will lend to his neighbor,
and
he that strengthens him with his hand
keeps the commandments.
[2]
Lend to your neighbor in the time of his need;
and in turn, repay your
neighbor promptly.
[3] Confirm your word and keep faith with
him,
and on every occasion you will find what you need.
[4] Many
persons regard a loan as a windfall,
and cause trouble to those who help
them.
[5] A man will kiss another's hands until he gets a loan,
and
will lower his voice in speaking of his neighbor's money;
but at the time for
repayment he will delay,
and will pay in words of unconcern,
and will find
fault with the time.
[6] If the lender exert pressure, he will hardly
get back half,
and will regard that as a windfall.
If he does not, the
borrower has robbed him of his money,
and he has needlessly made him his
enemy;
he will repay him with curses and reproaches,
and instead of glory
will repay him with dishonor.
[7] Because of such wickedness,
therefore, many
have refused to lend;
they have been afraid of being
defrauded needlessly.
[8] Nevertheless, be patient with a man in
humble circumstances,
and do not make him wait for your alms.
[9]
Help a poor man for the commandment's sake,
and because of his need do not
send him away empty.
[10] Lose your silver for the sake of a brother
or a friend,
and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost.
[11]
Lay up your treasure according to the commandments
of the Most High,
and
it will profit you more than gold.
[12] Store up almsgiving in your
treasury,
and it will rescue you from all affliction;
[13] more
than a mighty shield and more than a heavy spear,
it will fight on your
behalf against your enemy.
[14] A good man will be surety for his
neighbor,
but a man who has lost his sense of shame will fail
him.
[15] Do not forget all the kindness of your surety,
for he has
given his life for you.
[16] A sinner will overthrow the prosperity of
his surety,
[17] and one who does not feel grateful will abandon his
rescuer.
[18] Being surety has ruined many men who were
prosperous,
and has shaken them like a wave of the sea;
it has driven men
of power into exile,
and they have wandered among foreign
nations.
[19] The sinner who has fallen into suretyship
and pursues
gain will fall into lawsuits.
[20] Assist your neighbor according to
your ability,
but take heed to yourself lest you fall.
[21] The
essentials for life are water and bread
and clothing and a house to cover
one's nakedness.
[22] Better is the life of a poor man under the
shelter of his roof
than sumptuous food in another man's
house.
[23] Be content with little or much.
[24] It is a
miserable life to go from house to house,
and where you are a stranger you
may not open your mouth;
[25] you will play the host and provide drink
without being thanked,
and besides this you will hear bitter
words:
[26] "Come here, stranger, prepare the table,
and if you
have anything at hand, let me have it to eat."
[27] "Give place,
stranger, to an honored person;
my brother has come to stay with me; I need
my house."
[28] These things are hard to bear for a man who has
feeling:
scolding about lodging and the reproach of the moneylender.
Sir.30
[1] He who loves his son will whip him often,
in order
that he may rejoice at the way he turns out.
[2] He who disciplines
his son will profit by him,
and will boast of him among
acquaintances.
[3] He who teaches his son will make his enemies
envious,
and will glory in him in the presence of friends.
[4] The
father may die, and yet he is not dead,
for he has left behind him one like
himself;
[5] while alive he saw and rejoiced,
and when he died he
was not grieved;
[6] he has left behind him an avenger against his
enemies,
and one to repay the kindness of his friends.
[7] He
who spoils his son will bind up his wounds,
and his feelings will be troubled
at every cry.
[8] A horse that is untamed turns out to be
stubborn,
and a son unrestrained turns out to be wilful.
[9] Pamper
a child, and he will frighten you;
play with him, and he will give you
grief.
[10] Do not laugh with him, lest you have sorrow with
him,
and in the end you will gnash your teeth.
[11] Give him no
authority in his youth,
and do not ignore his errors.
[12] Bow down
his neck in his youth,
and beat his sides while he is young,
lest he
become stubborn and disobey you,
and you have sorrow of soul from
him.
[13] Discipline your son and take pains with him,
that you may
not be offended by his shamelessness.
[14] Better off is a poor
man who is well and strong in constitution
than a rich man who is severely
afflicted in body.
[15] Health and soundness are better than all
gold,
and a robust body than countless riches.
[16] There is no
wealth better than health of body,
and there is no gladness above joy of
heart.
[17] Death is better than a miserable life,
and eternal rest
than chronic sickness.
[18] Good things poured out upon a mouth
that is closed
are like offerings of food placed upon a grave.
[19]
Of what use to an idol is an offering of fruit?
For it can neither eat nor
smell.
So is he who is afflicted by the Lord;
[20] he sees with his
eyes and groans,
like a eunuch who embraces a maiden and
groans.
[21] Do not give yourself over to sorrow,
and do not
afflict yourself deliberately.
[22] Gladness of heart is the life of
man,
and the rejoicing of a man is length of days.
[23] Delight
your soul and comfort your heart,
and remove sorrow far from you,
for
sorrow has destroyed many, and there is no profit in it.
[24] Jealousy
and anger shorten life,
and anxiety brings on old age too
soon.
[25] A man of cheerful and good heart
will give heed to the
food he eats.
Sir.31
[1] Wakefulness over wealth wastes away one's
flesh,
and anxiety about it removes sleep.
[2] Wakeful anxiety
prevents slumber,
and a severe illness carries off sleep.
[3] The
rich man toils as his wealth accumulates,
and when he rests he fills himself
with his dainties.
[4] The poor man toils as his livelihood
diminishes,
and when he rests he becomes needy.
[5] He who
loves gold will not be justified,
and he who pursues money will be led astray
by it.
[6] Many have come to ruin because of gold,
and their
destruction has met them face to face.
[7] It is a stumbling block to
those who are devoted to it,
and every fool will be taken captive by
it.
[8] Blessed is the rich man who is found blameless,
and who
does not go after gold.
[9] Who is he? And we will call him
blessed,
for he has done wonderful things among his people.
[10]
Who has been tested by it and been found perfect?
Let it be for him a ground
for boasting.
Who has had the power to transgress and did not
transgress,
and to do evil and did not do it?
[11] His prosperity
will be established,
and the assembly will relate his acts of
charity.
[12] Are you seated at the table of a great man?
Do
not be greedy at it,
and do not say, "There is certainly much upon
it!"
[13] Remember that a greedy eye is a bad thing.
What has been
created more greedy than the eye?
Therefore it sheds tears from every
face.
[14] Do not reach out your hand for everything you see,
and
do not crowd your neighbor at the dish.
[15] Judge your neighbor's
feelings by your own,
and in every matter be thoughtful.
[16] Eat
like a human being what is set before you,
and do not chew greedily, lest you
be hated.
[17] Be the first to stop eating, for the sake of good
manners,
and do not be insatiable, lest you give offense.
[18] If
you are seated among many persons,
do not reach out your hand before they
do.
[19] How ample a little is for a well-disciplined man!
He
does not breathe heavily upon his bed.
[20] Healthy sleep depends on
moderate eating;
he rises early, and feels fit.
The distress of
sleeplessness and of nausea
and colic are with the glutton.
[21] If
you are overstuffed with food,
get up in the middle of the meal, and you will
have relief.
[22] Listen to me, my son, and do not disregard
me,
and in the end you will appreciate my words.
In all your work be
industrious,
and no sickness will overtake you.
[23] Men will
praise the one who is liberal with food,
and their testimony to his
excellence is trustworthy.
[24] The city will complain of the one who
is niggardly with food,
and their testimony to his niggardliness is
accurate.
[25] Do not aim to be valiant over wine,
for wine has
destroyed many.
[26] Fire and water prove the temper of steel,
so
wine tests hearts in the strife of the proud.
[27] Wine is like life
to men,
if you drink it in moderation.
What is life to a man who is
without wine?
It has been created to make men glad.
[28] Wine drunk
in season and temperately
is rejoicing of heart and gladness of
soul.
[29] Wine drunk to excess is bitterness of soul,
with
provocation and stumbling.
[30] Drunkenness increases the anger of a
fool to his injury,
reducing his strength and adding wounds.
[31]
Do not reprove your neighbor at a banquet of wine,
and do not despise him in
his merrymaking;
speak no word of reproach to him,
and do not afflict him
by making demands of him.
Sir.32
[1] If they make you master of the feast, do not exalt
yourself;
be among them as one of them;
take good care of them and then be
seated;
[2] when you have fulfilled your duties, take your
place,
that you may be merry on their account
and receive a wreath for
your excellent leadership.
[3] Speak, you who are older, for it is
fitting that you should,
but with accurate knowledge, and do not interrupt
the music.
[4] Where there is entertainment, do not pour out
talk;
do not display your cleverness out of season.
[5] A ruby seal
in a setting of gold
is a concert of music at a banquet of
wine.
[6] A seal of emerald in a rich setting of gold
is the melody
of music with good wine.
[7] Speak, young man, if there is need of
you,
but no more than twice, and only if asked.
[8] Speak
concisely, say much in few words;
be as one who knows and yet holds his
tongue.
[9] Among the great do not act as their equal;
and when
another is speaking, do not babble.
[10] Lightning speeds before
the thunder,
and approval precedes a modest man.
[11] Leave in good
time and do not be the last;
go home quickly and do not
linger.
[12] Amuse yourself there, and do what you have in
mind,
but do not sin through proud speech.
[13] And for these
things bless him who made you
and satisfies you with his good
gifts.
[14] He who fears the Lord will accept his
discipline,
and those who rise early to seek him will find
favor.
[15] He who seeks the law will be filled with it,
but the
hypocrite will stumble at it.
[16] Those who fear the Lord will form
true judgments,
and like a light they will kindle righteous
deeds.
[17] A sinful man will shun reproof,
and will find a
decision according to his liking.
[18] A man of judgment will not
overlook an idea,
and an insolent and proud man will not cower in
fear.
[19] Do nothing without deliberation;
and when you have
acted, do not regret it.
[20] Do not go on a path full of
hazards,
and do not stumble over stony ground.
[21] Do not be
overconfident on a smooth way,
[22] and give good heed to your
paths.
[23] Guard yourself in every act,
for this is the keeping of
the commandments.
[24] He who believes the law gives heed to the
commandments,
and he who trusts the Lord will not suffer loss.
Sir.33
[1] No evil will befall the man who fears the Lord,
but
in trial he will deliver him again and again.
[2] A wise man will not
hate the law,
but he who is hypocritical about it is like a boat in a
storm.
[3] A man of understanding will trust in the law;
for him
the law is as dependable as an inquiry
by means of Urim.
[4]
Prepare what to say, and thus you will be heard;
bind together your
instruction, and make your answer.
[5] The heart of a fool is like a
cart wheel,
and his thoughts like a turning axle.
[6] A stallion is
like a mocking friend;
he neighs under every one who sits on
him.
[7] Why is any day better than another,
when all the daylight
in the year is from the sun?
[8] By the Lord's decision they were
distinguished,
and he appointed the different seasons and
feasts;
[9] some of them he exalted and hallowed,
and some of them
he made ordinary days.
[10] All men are from the ground,
and Adam
was created of the dust.
[11] In the fulness of his knowledge the Lord
distinguished them
and appointed their different ways;
[12] some of
them he blessed and exalted,
and some of them he made holy and brought near
to himself;
but some of them he cursed and brought low,
and he turned them
out of their place.
[13] As clay in the hand of the potter --
for
all his ways are as he pleases --
so men are in the hand of him who made
them,
to give them as he decides.
[14] Good is the opposite of
evil,
and life the opposite of death;
so the sinner is the opposite of the
godly.
[15] Look upon all the works of the Most High;
they likewise
are in pairs, one the opposite of the other.
[16] I was the last
on watch;
I was like one who gleans after the grape-gatherers;
by the
blessing of the Lord I excelled,
and like a grape-gatherer I filled my wine
press.
[17] Consider that I have not labored for myself alone,
but
for all who seek instruction.
[18] Hear me, you who are great among
the people,
and you leaders of the congregation, hearken.
[19]
To son or wife, to brother or friend,
do not give power over yourself, as
long as you live;
and do not give your property to another,
lest you
change your mind and must ask for it.
[20] While you are still alive
and have breath in you,
do not let any one take your place.
[21]
For it is better that your children should ask from you
than that you should
look to the hand of you sons.
[22] Excel in all that you do;
bring
no stain upon your honor.
[23] At the time when you end the days of
your life,
in the hour of death, distribute your
inheritance.
[24] Fodder and a stick and burdens for an
ass;
bread and discipline and work for a servant.
[25] Set your
slave to work, and you will find rest;
leave his hands idle, and he will seek
liberty.
[26] Yoke and thong will bow the neck,
and for a wicked
servant there are racks and tortures.
[27] Put him to work, that he
may not be idle,
for idleness teaches much evil.
[28] Set him to
work, as is fitting for him,
and if he does not obey, make his fetters
heavy.
[29] Do not act immoderately toward anybody,
and do nothing
without discretion.
[30] If you have a servant, let him be as
yourself,
because you have bought him with blood.
[31] If you have
a servant, treat him as a brother,
for as your own soul you will need
him.
If you ill-treat him, and he leaves and runs away,
which way will you
go to seek him?
Sir.34
[1] A man of no understanding has vain and false
hopes,
and dreams give wings to fools.
[2] As one who catches at a
shadow and pursues the wind,
so is he who gives heed to dreams.
[3]
The vision of dreams is this against that,
the likeness of a face confronting
a face.
[4] From an unclean thing what will be made clean?
And from
something false what will be true?
[5] Divinations and omens and
dreams are folly,
and like a woman in travail the mind has
fancies.
[6] Unless they are sent from the Most High as a
visitation,
do not give your mind to them.
[7] For dreams have
deceived many,
and those who put their hope in them have
failed.
[8] Without such deceptions the law will be fulfilled,
and
wisdom is made perfect in truthful lips.
[9] An educated man knows
many things,
and one with much experience will speak with
understanding.
[10] He that is inexperienced knows few things,
but
he that has traveled acquires much cleverness.
[11] I have seen many
things in my travels,
and I understand more than I can
express.
[12] I have often been in danger of death,
but have
escaped because of these experiences.
[13] The spirit of those who
fear the Lord will live,
for their hope is in him who saves
them.
[14] He who fears the Lord will not be timid,
nor play the
coward, for he is his hope.
[15] Blessed is the soul of the man who
fears the Lord!
To whom does he look? And who is his support?
[16]
The eyes of the Lord are upon those who love him,
a mighty protection and
strong support,
a shelter from the hot wind and a shade from noonday
sun,
a guard against stumbling and a defense against falling.
[17]
He lifts up the soul and gives light to the eyes;
he grants healing, life,
and blessing.
[18] If one sacrifices from what has been wrongfully
obtained, the
offering is blemished; the gifts of the lawless are not
acceptable.
[19] The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of
the ungodly;
and he is not propitiated for sins by a multitude
of
sacrifices.
[20] Like one who kills a son before his father's
eyes
is the man who offers a sacrifice from the
property of the
poor.
[21] The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;
whoever
deprives them of it is a man of blood.
[22] To take away a neighbor's
living is to murder him;
to deprive an employee of his wages is to shed
blood.
[23] When one builds and another tears down,
what do
they gain but toil?
[24] When one prays and another curses,
to
whose voice will the Lord listen?
[25] If a man washes after touching
a dead body,
and touches it again,
what has he gained by his
washing?
[26] So if a man fasts for his sins,
and goes again and
does the same things,
who will listen to his prayer?
And what has he
gained by humbling himself?
Sir.35
[1] He who keeps the law makes many offerings;
he who
heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
[2] He who returns
a kindness offers fine flour,
and he who gives alms sacrifices a thank
offering.
[3] To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord,
and
to forsake unrighteousness is atonement.
[4] Do not appear before the
Lord empty-handed,
[5] for all these things are to be done
because
of the commandment.
[6] The offering of a righteous man
anoints the altar,
and its pleasing odor rises before the Most
High.
[7] The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable,
and the
memory of it will not be forgotten.
[8] Glorify the Lord
generously,
and do not stint the first fruits of your hands.
[9]
With every gift show a cheerful face,
and dedicate your tithe with
gladness.
[10] Give to the Most High as he has given,
and as
generously as your hand has found.
[11] For the Lord is the one who
repays,
and he will repay you sevenfold.
[12] Do not offer him a
bribe, for he will not accept it;
and do not trust to an unrighteous
sacrifice;
for the Lord is the judge,
and with him is no
partiality.
[13] He will not show partiality in the case of a poor
man;
and he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.
[14]
He will not ignore the supplication of the fatherless,
nor the widow when she
pours out her story.
[15] Do not the tears of the widow run down her
cheek
as she cries out against him who has caused them to
fall?
[16] He whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be
accepted,
and his prayer will reach to the clouds.
[17] The prayer
of the humble pierces the clouds,
and he will not be consoled until it
reaches the Lord;
he will not desist until the Most High visits him,
and
does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment.
[18] And the
Lord will not delay,
neither will he be patient with them,
till he crushes
the loins of the unmerciful
and repays vengeance on the nations;
till he
takes away the multitude of the insolent,
and breaks the scepters of the
unrighteous;
[19] till he repays the man according to his
deeds,
and the works of men according to their devices;
till he judges the
case of his people
and makes them rejoice in his mercy.
[20] Mercy
is as welcome when he afflicts them
as clouds of rain in the time of
drought.
Sir.36
[1] Have mercy upon us, O Lord, the God of all, and look
upon us,
[2] and cause the fear of thee to fall upon all the
nations.
[3] Lift up thy hand against foreign nations
and let them
see thy might.
[4] As in us thou hast been sanctified before
them,
so in them be thou magnified before us;
[5] and let them know
thee, as we have known
that there is not God but thee, O Lord.
[6]
Show signs anew, and work further wonders;
make thy hand and thy right arm
glorious.
[7] Rouse thy anger and pour out thy wrath;
destroy the
adversary and wipe out the enemy.
[8] Hasten the day, and remember the
appointed time,
and let people recount thy mighty deeds.
[9] Let
him who survives be consumed in the fiery wrath,
and may those who harm thy
people meet destruction.
[10] Crush the heads of the rulers of the
enemy,
who say, "There is no one but ourselves."
[11] Gather all
the tribes of Jacob,
and give them their inheritance, as at the
beginning.
[12] Have mercy, O Lord, upon the people called by thy
name,
upon Israel, whom thou hast likened to a first-born son.
[13]
Have pity on the city of thy sanctuary,
Jerusalem, the place of thy
rest.
[14] Fill Zion with the celebration of thy wondrous
deeds,
and thy temple with thy glory.
[15] Bear witness to those
whom thou didst create in the beginning,
and fulfil the prophecies spoken in
thy name.
[16] Reward those who wait for thee,
and let thy prophets
be found trustworthy.
[17] Hearken, O Lord, to the prayer of thy
servants,
according to the blessing of Aaron for thy people,
and all who
are on the earth will know
that thou art the Lord, the God of the
ages.
[18] The stomach will take any food,
yet one food is
better than another.
[19] As the palate tastes the kinds of
game,
so an intelligent mind detects false words.
[20] A perverse
mind will cause grief,
but a man of experience will pay him
back.
[21] A woman will accept any man,
but one daughter is better
than another.
[22] A woman's beauty gladdens the countenance,
and
surpasses every human desire.
[23] If kindness and humility mark her
speech,
her husband is not like other men.
[24] He who acquires a
wife gets his best possession,
a helper fit for him and a pillar of
support.
[25] Where there is no fence, the property will be
plundered;
and where there is no wife, a man will wander about and
sigh.
[26] For who will trust a nimble robber
that skips from city
to city?
So who will trust a man that has no home,
and lodges wherever
night finds him?
Sir.37
[1] Every friend will say, "I too am a friend";
but
some friends are friends only in name.
[2] Is it not a grief to the
death
when a companion and friend turns to enmity?
[3] O evil
imagination, why were you formed
to cover the land with deceit?
[4]
Some companions rejoice in the happiness of a friend,
but in time of trouble
are against him.
[5] Some companions help a friend for their stomach's
sake,
and in the face of battle take up the shield.
[6] Do not
forget a friend in your heart,
and be not unmindful of him in your
wealth.
[7] Every counselor praises counsel,
but some give
counsel in their own interest.
[8] Be wary of a counselor,
and
learn first what is his interest --
for he will take thought for himself
--
lest he cast the lot against you
[9] and tell you, "Your way is
good,"
and then stand aloof to see what will happen to you.
[10] Do
not consult the one who looks at you suspiciously;
hide your counsel from
those who are jealous of you.
[11] Do not consult with a woman about
her rival
or with a coward about war,
with a merchant about barter
or
with a buyer about selling,
with a grudging man about gratitude
or with a
merciless man about kindness,
with an idler about any work
or with a man
hired for a year about completing his work,
with a lazy servant about a big
task --
pay no attention to these in any matter of counsel.
[12]
But stay constantly with a godly man
whom you know to be a keeper of the
commandments,
whose soul is in accord with your soul,
and who will sorrow
with you if you fail.
[13] And establish the counsel of your own
heart,
for no one is more faithful to you than it is.
[14] For a
man's soul sometimes keeps him better informed
than seven watchmen sitting
high on a watchtower.
[15] And besides all this pray to the Most
High
that he may direct your way in truth.
[16] Reason is the
beginning of every work,
and counsel precedes every
undertaking.
[17] As a clue to changes of heart
[18] four
turns of fortune appear,
good and evil, life and death;
and it is the
tongue that continually rules them.
[19] A man may be shrewd and the
teacher of many,
and yet be unprofitable to himself.
[20] A man
skilled in words may be hated;
he will be destitute of all
food,
[21] for grace was not given him by the Lord,
since he is
lacking in all wisdom.
[22] A man may be wise to his own
advantage,
and the fruits of his understanding may be
trustworthy on his
lips.
[23] A wise man will instruct his own people,
and the fruits
of his understanding will be trustworthy.
[24] A wise man will have
praise heaped upon him,
and all who see him will call him
happy.
[25] The life of a man is numbered by days,
but the days of
Israel are without number.
[26] He who is wise among his people will
inherit confidence,
and his name will live for ever.
[27] My
son, test your soul while you live;
see what is bad for it and do not give it
that.
[28] For not everything is good for every one,
and not every
person enjoys everything.
[29] Do not have an insatiable appetite for
any luxury,
and do not give yourself up to food;
[30] for
overeating brings sickness,
and gluttony leads to nausea.
[31] Many
have died of gluttony,
but he who is careful to avoid it prolongs his
life.
Sir.38
[1] Honor the physician with the honor due
him,
according to your need of
him, for the Lord created
him;
[2] for healing comes from the Most High,
and he will receive
a gift from the king.
[3] The skill of the physician lifts up his
head,
and in the presence of great men he is admired.
[4] The Lord
created medicines from the earth,
and a sensible man will not despise
them.
[5] Was not water made sweet with a tree
in order that his
power might be known?
[6] And he gave skill to men
that he might be
glorified in his marvelous works.
[7] By them he heals and takes away
pain;
[8] the pharmacist makes of them a compound.
His works will
never be finished;
and from him health is upon the face of the
earth.
[9] My son, when you are sick do not be negligent,
but
pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
[10] Give up your faults and
direct your hands aright,
and cleanse your heart from all sin.
[11]
Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial
portion of fine
flour,
and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can
afford.
[12] And give the physician his place, for the Lord created
him;
let him not leave you, for there is need of him.
[13] There is
a time when success lies in the hands of physicians,
[14] for they too
will pray to the Lord
that he should grant them success in diagnosis
and
in healing, for the sake of preserving life.
[15] He who sins before
his Maker,
may he fall into the care of a physician.
[16] My
son, let your tears fall for the dead,
and as one who is suffering grievously
begin the lament.
Lay out his body with the honor due him,
and do not
neglect his burial.
[17] Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing
fervent;
observe the mourning according to his merit,
for one day, or two,
to avoid criticism;
then be comforted for your sorrow.
[18] For
sorrow results in death,
and sorrow of heart saps one's
strength.
[19] In calamity sorrow continues,
and the life of the
poor man weighs down his heart.
[20] Do not give your heart to
sorrow;
drive it away, remembering the end of life.
[21] Do not
forget, there is no coming back;
you do the dead no good, and you injure
yourself.
[22] "Remember my doom, for yours is like it:
yesterday
it was mine, and today it is yours."
[23] When the dead is at rest,
let his remembrance cease,
and be comforted for him when his spirit is
departed.
[24] The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity
of leisure;
and he who has little business may become wise.
[25]
How can he become wise who handles the plow,
and who glories in the shaft of
a goad,
who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,
and whose talk is
about bulls?
[26] He sets his heart on plowing furrows,
and he is
careful about fodder for the heifers.
[27] So too is every craftsman
and master workman
who labors by night as well as by day;
those who cut
the signets of seals,
each is diligent in making a great variety;
he sets
his heart on painting a lifelike image,
and he is careful to finish his
work.
[28] So too is the smith sitting by the anvil,
intent upon
his handiwork in iron;
the breath of the fire melts his flesh,
and he
wastes away in the heat of the furnace;
he inclines his ear to the sound of
the hammer,
and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.
He sets his
heart on finishing his handiwork,
and he is careful to complete its
decoration.
[29] So too is the potter sitting at his work
and
turning the wheel with his feet;
he is always deeply concerned over his
work,
and all his output is by number.
[30] He moulds the clay with
his arm
and makes it pliable with his feet;
he sets his heart to finish
the glazing,
and he is careful to clean the furnace.
[31] All
these rely upon their hands,
and each is skilful in his own
work.
[32] Without them a city cannot be established,
and men can
neither sojourn nor live there.
[33] Yet they are not sought out for
the council of the people,
nor do they attain eminence in the public
assembly.
They do not sit in the judge's seat,
nor do they understand the
sentence of judgment;
they cannot expound discipline or judgment,
and they
are not found using proverbs.
[34] But they keep stable the fabric of
the world,
and their prayer is in the practice of their trade.
Sir.39
[1] On the other hand he who devotes himself
to the
study of the law of the Most High
will seek out the wisdom of all the
ancients,
and will be concerned with prophecies;
[2] he will
preserve the discourse of notable men
and penetrate the subtleties of
parables;
[3] he will seek out the hidden meanings of proverbs
and
be at home with the obscurities of parables.
[4] He will serve among
great men
and appear before rulers;
he will travel through the lands of
foreign nations,
for he tests the good and the evil among men.
[5]
He will set his heart to rise early
to seek the Lord who made him,
and
will make supplication before the Most High;
he will open his mouth in
prayer
and make supplication for his sins.
[6] If the great
Lord is willing,
he will be filled with the spirit of understanding;
he
will pour forth words of wisdom
and give thanks to the Lord in
prayer.
[7] He will direct his counsel and knowledge aright,
and
meditate on his secrets.
[8] He will reveal instruction in his
teaching,
and will glory in the law of the Lord's covenant.
[9]
Many will praise his understanding,
and it will never be blotted out;
his
memory will not disappear,
and his name will live through all
generations.
[10] Nations will declare his wisdom,
and the
congregation will proclaim his praise;
[11] if he lives long, he will
leave a name greater than a thousand,
and if he goes to rest, it is enough
for him.
[12] I have yet more to say, which I have thought
upon,
and I am filled, like the moon at the full.
[13] Listen to
me, O you holy sons,
and bud like a rose growing by a stream of
water;
[14] send forth fragrance like frankincense,
and put forth
blossoms like a lily.
Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of
praise;
bless the Lord for all his works;
[15] ascribe majesty to
his name
and give thanks to him with praise,
with songs on your lips, and
with lyres;
and this you shall say in thanksgiving:
[16] "All
things are the works of the Lord, for they are very good,
and whatever he
commands will be done in his time."
[17] No one can say, "What is
this?" "Why is that?"
for in God's time all things will be sought
after.
At his word the waters stood in a heap,
and the reservoirs of water
at the word of his mouth.
[18] At his command whatever pleases him is
done,
and none can limit his saving power.
[19] The works of all
flesh are before him,
and nothing can be hid from his eyes.
[20]
From everlasting to everlasting he beholds them,
and nothing is marvelous to
him.
[21] No one can say, "What is this?" "Why is that?"
for
everything has been created for its use.
[22] His blessing covers the
dry land like a river,
and drenches it like a flood.
[23] The
nations will incur his wrath,
just as he turns fresh water into
salt.
[24] To the holy his ways are straight,
just as they are
obstacles to the wicked.
[25] From the beginning good things were
created for good people,
just as evil things for sinners.
[26]
Basic to all the needs of man's life
are water and fire and iron and
salt
and wheat flour and milk and honey,
the blood of the grape, and oil
and clothing.
[27] All these are for good to the godly,
just as
they turn into evils for sinners.
[28] There are winds that have
been created for vengeance,
and in their anger they scourge heavily;
in
the time of consummation they will pour out their strength
and calm the anger
of their Maker.
[29] Fire and hail and famine and pestilence,
all
these have been created for vengeance;
[30] the teeth of wild beasts,
and scorpions and vipers,
and the sword that punishes the ungodly with
destruction;
[31] they will rejoice in his commands,
and be made
ready on earth for their service,
and when their times come they will not
transgress his word.
[32] Therefore from the beginning I have been
convinced,
and have thought this out and left it in writing:
[33]
The works of the Lord are all good,
and he will supply every need in its
hour.
[34] And no one can say, "This is worse than that,"
for all
things will prove good in their season.
[35] So now sing praise with
all your heart and voice,
and bless the name of the Lord.
Sir.40
[1] Much labor was created for every man,
and a heavy
yoke is upon the sons of Adam,
from the day they come forth from their
mother's womb
till the day they return to the mother of all.
[2]
Their perplexities and fear of heart --
their anxious thought is the day of
death,
[3] from the man who sits on a splendid throne
to the one
who is humbled in dust and ashes,
[4] from the man who wears purple
and a crown
to the one who is clothed in burlap;
[5] there is anger
and envy and trouble and unrest,
and fear of death, and fury and
strife.
And when one rests upon his bed,
his sleep at night confuses his
mind.
[6] He gets little or no rest,
and afterward in his sleep, as
though he were on watch,
he is troubled by the visions of his mind
like
one who has escaped from the battle-front;
[7] at the moment of his
rescue he wakes up,
and wonders that his fear came to nothing.
[8]
With all flesh, both man and beast,
and upon sinners seven times
more,
[9] are death and bloodshed and strife and sword,
calamities,
famine and affliction and plague.
[10] All these were created for the
wicked,
and on their account the flood came.
[11] All things that
are from the earth turn back to the earth,
and what is from the waters
returns to the sea.
[12] All bribery and injustice will be blotted
out,
but good faith will stand for ever.
[13] The wealth of the
unjust will dry up like a torrent,
and crash like a loud clap of thunder in a
rain.
[14] A generous man will be made glad;
likewise transgressors
will utterly fail.
[15] The children of the ungodly will not put forth
many branches;
they are unhealthy roots upon sheer rock.
[16] The
reeds by any water or river bank
will be plucked up before any
grass.
[17] Kindness is like a garden of blessings,
and almsgiving
endures for ever.
[18] Life is sweet for the self-reliant and the
worker,
but he who finds treasure is better off than both.
[19]
Children and the building of a city establish a man's name,
but a blameless
wife is accounted better than both.
[20] Wine and music gladden the
heart,
but the love of wisdom is better than both.
[21] The flute
and the harp make pleasant melody,
but a pleasant voice is better than
both.
[22] The eye desires grace and beauty,
but the green shoots
of grain more than both.
[23] A friend or a companion never meets one
amiss,
but a wife with her husband is better than both.
[24]
Brothers and help are for a time of trouble,
but almsgiving rescues better
than both.
[25] Gold and silver make the foot stand sure,
but good
counsel is esteemed more than both.
[26] Riches and strength lift up
the heart,
but the fear of the Lord is better than both.
There is no loss
in the fear of the Lord,
and with it there is no need to seek for
help.
[27] The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing,
and
covers a man better than any glory.
[28] My son, do not lead the
life of a beggar;
it is better to die than to beg.
[29] When a man
looks to the table of anoth