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/Sir/ - Sirach

<< Wisdom Baruch >>The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus
The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus
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10A wise judge will instruct his people; and the government of a prudent man is well ordered.

2As the judge of the people is himself, so are his officers; and what manner of man the ruler of the city is, such are all they that dwell therein.

3An unwise king destroyeth his people; but through the prudence of them which are in authority the city shall be inhabited.

4The power of the earth is in the hand of the Lord, and in due time he will set over it one that is profitable.

5In the hand of God is the prosperity of man: and upon the person of the scribe shall he lay his honour.

6Bear not hatred to thy neighbour for every wrong; and do nothing at all by injurious practices.

7Pride is hateful before God and man: and by both doth one commit iniquity.

8Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is translated from one people to another.

9Why is earth and ashes proud? There is not a more wicked thing than a covetous man: for such an one setteth his own soul to sale; because while he liveth he casteth away his bowels.

10The physician cutteth off a long disease; and he that is to day a king to morrow shall die.

11For when a man is dead, he shall inherit creeping things, beasts, and worms.

12The beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned away from his Maker.

13For pride is the beginning of sin, and he that hath it shall pour out abomination: and therefore the Lord brought upon them strange calamities, and overthrew them utterly.

14The Lord hath cast down the thrones of proud princes, and set up the meek in their stead.

15The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud nations, and planted the lowly in their place.

16The Lord overthrew countries of the heathen, and destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.

17He took some of them away, and destroyed them, and hath made their memorial to cease from the earth.

18Pride was not made for men, nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman.

19They that fear the Lord are a sure seed, and they that love him an honourable plant: they that regard not the law are a dishonourable seed; they that transgress the commandments are a deceivable seed.

20Among brethren he that is chief is honorable; so are they that fear the Lord in his eyes.

21The fear of the Lord goeth before the obtaining of authority: but roughness and pride is the losing thereof.

22Whether he be rich, noble, or poor, their glory is the fear of the Lord.

23It is not meet to despise the poor man that hath understanding; neither is it convenient to magnify a sinful man.

24Great men, and judges, and potentates, shall be honoured; yet is there none of them greater than he that feareth the Lord.

25Unto the servant that is wise shall they that are free do service: and he that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed.

26Be not overwise in doing thy business; and boast not thyself in the time of thy distress.

27Better is he that laboureth, and aboundeth in all things, than he that boasteth himself, and wanteth bread.

28My son, glorify thy soul in meekness, and give it honour according to the dignity thereof.

29Who will justify him that sinneth against his own soul? and who will honour him that dishonoureth his own life?

30The poor man is honoured for his skill, and the rich man is honoured for his riches.

31He that is honoured in poverty, how much more in riches? and he that is dishonourable in riches, how much more in poverty?

11Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men.

2Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.

3The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.

4Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden.

5Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.

6Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men’s hands.

7Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.

8Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.

9Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in judgment with sinners.

10My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.

11There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind.

12Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,

13And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw from him is peace over all the

14Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord.

15Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him.

16Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.

17The gift of the Lord remaineth with the ungodly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever.

18There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this his the portion of his reward:

19Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die.

20Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work.

21Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.

22The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing flourish.

23Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?

24Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter?

25In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.

26For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.

27The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered.

28Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.

29Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains.

30Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:

31For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.

32Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man layeth wait for blood.

33Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness; lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.

34Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.

12When thou wilt do good know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits.

2Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High.

3There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms.

4Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.

5Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for else thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him.

6For the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment.

7Give unto the good, and help not the sinner.

8A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

9In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart.

10Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.

11Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a lookingglass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away.

12Set him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith.

13Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts?

14So one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?

15For a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry.

16An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.

17If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee.

18He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.

13He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him.

2Burden not thyself above thy power while thou livest; and have no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer than thyself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? for if the one be smitten against the other, it shall be broken.

3The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he threateneth withal: the poor is wronged, and he must intreat also.

4If thou be for his profit, he will use thee: but if thou have nothing, he will forsake thee.

5If thou have any thing, he will live with thee: yea, he will make thee bare, and will not be sorry for it.

6If he have need of thee, he will deceive thee, and smile upon thee, and put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and say, What wantest thou?

7And he will shame thee by his meats, until he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at the last he will laugh thee to scorn afterward, when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

8Beware that thou be not deceived and brought down in thy jollity.

9If thou be invited of a mighty man, withdraw thyself, and so much the more will he invite thee.

10Press thou not upon him, lest thou be put back; stand not far off, lest thou be forgotten.

11Affect not to be made equal unto him in talk, and believe not his many words: for with much communication will he tempt thee, and smiling upon thee will get out thy secrets:

12But cruelly he will lay up thy words, and will not spare to do thee hurt, and to put thee in prison.

13Observe, and take good heed, for thou walkest in peril of thy overthrowing: when thou hearest these things, awake in thy sleep.

14Love the Lord all thy life, and call upon him for thy salvation.

15Every beast loveth his like, and every man loveth his neighbor.

16All flesh consorteth according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like.

17What fellowship hath the wolf with the lamb? so the sinner with the godly.

18What agreement is there between the hyena and a dog? and what peace between the rich and the poor?

19As the wild ass is the lion’s prey in the wilderness: so the rich eat up the poor.

20As the proud hate humility: so doth the rich abhor the poor.

21A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust away by his friends.

22When a rich man is fallen, he hath many helpers: he speaketh things not to be spoken, and yet men justify him: the poor man slipped, and yet they rebuked him too; he spake wisely, and could have no place.

23When a rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and, look, what he saith, they extol it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? and if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.

24Riches are good unto him that hath no sin, and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.

25The heart of a man changeth his countenance, whether it be for good or evil: and a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.

26A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity; and the finding out of parables is a wearisome labour of the mind.

14Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.

2Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.

3Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?

4He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.

5He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.

6There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.

7And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.

8The envious man hath a wicked eye; he turneth away his face, and despiseth men.

9A covetous man’s eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.

10A wicked eye envieth his bread, and he is a niggard at his table.

11My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.

12Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.

13Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give to him.

14Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass thee.

15Shalt thou not leave thy travails unto another? and thy labours to be divided by lot?

16Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.

17All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death.

18As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.

19Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.

20Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding. ing.

21He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.

22Go after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her ways.

23He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors.

24He that doth lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.

25He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.

26He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.

27By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.



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