(ECCLESIASTICUS, OR THE WISDOM OF JESUS SON OF SIRACH)
Chapter 6
1: and do not become an enemy instead of a friend; for a bad name incurs shame and reproach; so it is with the double-tongued sinner.
2: Do not fall into the grip of passion, or you may be torn apart as by a bull.
3: Your leaves will be devoured and your fruit destroyed, and you will be left like a withered tree.
4: Evil passion destroys those who have it, and makes them the laughing-stock of their enemies.
Friendship, False and True
5: Pleasant speech multiplies friends, and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies.
6: Let those who are friendly with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand.
7: When you gain friends, gain them through testing, and do not trust them hastily.
8: For there are friends who are such when it suits them, but they will not stand by you in time of trouble.
9: And there are friends who change into enemies, and tell of the quarrel to your disgrace.
10: And there are friends who sit at your table, but they will not stand by you in time of trouble.
11: When you are prosperous, they become your second self, and lord it over your servants;
12: but if you are brought low, they turn against you, and hide themselves from you.
13: Keep away from your enemies, and be on guard with your friends.
14: Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter: whoever finds one has found a treasure.
15: Faithful friends are beyond price; no amount can balance their worth.
16: Faithful friends are life-saving medicine; and those who fear the Lord will find them.
17: Those who fear the Lord direct their friendship aright, for as they are, so are their neighbours also.
Blessings of Wisdom
18: My child, from your youth choose discipline, and when you have grey hair you will still find wisdom.
19: Come to her like one who ploughs and sows, and wait for her good harvest. For when you cultivate her you will toil but little, and soon you will eat of her produce.
20: She seems very harsh to the undisciplined; fools cannot remain with her.
21: She will be like a heavy stone to test them, and they will not delay in casting her aside.
22: For wisdom is like her name; she is not readily perceived by many.
23: Listen, my child, and accept my judgement; do not reject my counsel.
24: Put your feet into her fetters, and your neck into her collar.
25: Bend your shoulders 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 defence, and her collar a glorious robe.
30: Her yoke is a golden ornament, and her bonds a purple cord.
31: You will wear her like a glorious robe, and put her on like a splendid crown.
32: If you are willing, my child, you can be disciplined, and if you apply yourself you will become clever.
33: If you love to listen you will gain knowledge, and if you pay attention you will become wise.
34: Stand in the company of the elders. Who is wise? Attach yourself to such a one.
35: Be ready to listen to every godly discourse, and let no wise proverbs escape you.
36: If you see an intelligent person, rise early to visit him; 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.
Chapter 7
Miscellaneous Advice
1: Do no evil, and evil will never overtake you.
2: Stay away from wrong, and it will turn away from you.
3: Do not sow in the furrows of injustice, and you will not reap a sevenfold crop.
4: Do not seek from the Lord high office, or the seat of honour from the king.
5: Do not assert your righteousness before the Lord, or display your wisdom before the king.
6: Do not seek to become a judge, or you may be unable to root out injustice; you may be partial to the powerful, and so mar your integrity.
7: Commit no offence against the public, and do not disgrace yourself among the people.
8: Do not commit a sin twice; not even for one will you go unpunished.
9: Do not say, ‘He will consider the great number of my gifts, and when I make an offering to the Most High God, he will accept it.’
10: Do not grow weary when you pray; do not neglect to give alms.
11: Do not ridicule a person who is embittered in spirit, or there is One who humbles and exalts.
12: Do not devise a lie against your brother, or do the same to a friend.
13: Refuse to utter any lie, for it is a habit that results in no good.
14: Do not babble in the assembly of the elders, and do not repeat yourself when you pray.
15: Do not hate hard labour or farm work, which was created by the Most High.
16: Do not enroll in the ranks of sinners; remember that retribution does not delay.
17: Humble yourself to the utmost, for the punishment of the ungodly is fire and worms.
Relations with Others
18: Do not exchange a friend for money, or a real brother for the gold of Ophir.
19: Do not dismiss a wise and good wife, for her charm is worth more than gold.
20: Do not abuse slaves who work faithfully, or hired labourers who devote themselves to their task.
21: Let your soul love intelligent slaves; do not withhold from them their 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, and you complete a great task; but give her to a sensible man.
26: Do you have a wife who pleases you? Do not divorce her; but do not trust yourself to one whom you detest.
27: With all your heart honour your father, and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother.
28: Remember that it was of your parents you were born; how can you repay what they have given to you?
29: With all your soul fear the Lord, and revere his priests.
30: With all your might love your Maker, and do not neglect his ministers.
31: Fear the Lord and honour the priest, and give him his portion, as you have been commanded: 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 out your hand to the poor, so that your blessing may be complete.
33: Give graciously to all the living; do not withhold kindness even from the dead.
34: Do not avoid those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn.
35: Do not hesitate to visit the sick, 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.
Chapter 8
Prudence and Common Sense
1: Do not contend with the powerful, or you may fall into their hands.
2: Do not quarrel with the rich, in case their resources outweigh yours; for gold has ruined many, and has perverted the minds of kings.
3: Do not argue with the loud of mouth, and do not heap wood on their fire.
4: Do not make fun of one who is ill-bred, or your ancestors may be insulted.
5: Do not reproach one who is turning away from sin; remember that we all deserve punishment.
6: Do not disdain one who is old, for some of us are also growing old.
7: Do not rejoice over anyone’s death; remember that we must all die.
8: Do not slight the discourse of the sages, but busy yourself with their maxims; because from them you will learn discipline and how to serve princes.
9: Do not ignore the discourse of the aged, for they themselves learned from their parents; from them you learn how to understand and to give an answer when the need arises.
10: Do not kindle the coals of sinners, or you may be burned in their flaming fire.
11: Do not let the insolent bring you to your feet, or they may lie in ambush against your words.
12: Do not lend to one who is stronger than you; but if you do lend anything, count it as a loss.
13: Do not give surety beyond your means; but if you give surety, be prepared to pay.
14: Do not go to law against a judge, for the decision will favour him because of his standing.
15: Do not go travelling with the reckless, or they will be burdensome to you; for they will act as they please, and through their folly you will perish with them.
16: Do not pick a fight with the quick-tempered, and do not journey with them through lonely country, because bloodshed means nothing to them, and where no help is at hand they will strike you down.
17: Do not consult with fools, for they cannot keep a secret.
18: In the presence of strangers do nothing that is to be kept secret, for you do not know what they will divulge.
19: Do not reveal your thoughts to anyone, or you may drive away your happiness.
Chapter 9
Advice Concerning Women
1: Do not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.
2: Do not give yourself to a woman and let her trample down your strength.
3: Do not go near a loose woman, or you will fall into her snares.
4: Do not dally with a singing - girl, or you will be caught by her tricks.
5: Do not look intently at a virgin, or you may stumble and incur penalties for her.
6: Do not give yourself to prostitutes, or you may lose your inheritance.
7: Do not look around in the streets of a city, or wander about in its deserted sections.
8: Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman, and do not gaze at beauty belonging to another; many have been seduced by a woman’s beauty, and by it passion is kindled like a fire.
9: Never dine with another man’s wife, or revel with her at wine; or your heart may turn aside to her, and in blood you may be plunged into destruction.
Choice of Friends
10: Do not abandon old friends, for new ones cannot equal them. A new friend is like new wine; when it has aged, you can drink it with pleasure.
11: Do not envy the success of sinners, for you do not know what their end will be like.
12: Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly; remember that they will not be held guiltless all their lives.
13: Keep far from those who have power to kill, and you will not be haunted by the fear of death. But if you approach them, take no false step, or they may rob you of your life. Know that you are stepping among snares, and that you are walking on the city battlements.
14: As much as you can, aim to know your neighbours, and consult with the wise.
15: Let your conversation be with intelligent people, and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High.
16: Let the righteous be your dinner companions, and let your glory be in the fear of the Lord.
Concerning Rulers
17: A work is praised for the skill of the artisan; so a people’s leader is proved wise by his words.
18: The loud of mouth are feared in their city, and the one who is reckless in speech is hated.
Chapter 10
1: A wise magistrate educates his people, and the rule of an intelligent person is well ordered.
2: As the people’s judge is, so are his officials; as the ruler of the city is, so are all its inhabitants.
3: An undisciplined king ruins his people, but a city becomes fit to live in through the understanding of its rulers.
4: The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time.
5: Human success is in the hand of the Lord, and it is he who confers honour upon the lawgiver.
The Sin of Pride
6: Do not get angry with your neighbour for every injury, and do not resort to acts of insolence.
7: Arrogance is hateful to the Lord and to mortals, and injustice is outrageous to both.
8: Sovereignty passes from nation to nation on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.
9: How can dust and ashes be proud? Even in life the human body decays.
10: A long illness baffles the physician; the king of today will die tomorrow.
11: For when one is dead he inherits maggots and vermin and worms.
12: The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.
13: For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities, and destroys them completely.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities, and destroys them completely.
14: The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers, and enthrones the lowly in their place.
15: The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations, and plants the humble in their place.
16: The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations, and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.
17: He removes some of them and destroys them, and erases the memory of them from the earth.
18: Pride was not created for human beings or violent anger for those born of women.
Persons Deserving Honour
19: Whose offspring are worthy of honour? Human offspring. Whose offspring are worthy of honour? Those who fear the Lord. Whose offspring are unworthy of honour? Human offspring. Whose offspring are unworthy of honour? Those who break the commandments.
20: Among family members their leader is worthy of honour, but those who fear the Lord are worthy of honour 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 one who is intelligent but poor, and it is not proper to honour one who is sinful.
24: The prince and the judge and the ruler are honoured, but none of them is greater than one who fears the Lord.
25: Free citizens will serve a wise servant, and an intelligent person will not complain.
Concerning Humility
26: Do not make a display of your wisdom when you do your work, and do not boast when you are in need.
27: Better is the worker who has goods in plenty than the boaster who lacks bread.
28: My child, honour yourself with humility, and give yourself the esteem you deserve.
29: Who will acquit those who condemn themselves? And who will honour those who dishonour themselves?
30: The poor are honoured for their knowledge, while the rich are honoured for their wealth.
31: One who is honoured in poverty, how much more in wealth! And one dishonoured in wealth, how much more in poverty!
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