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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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29He that is merciful will lend unto his neighbour; and he that strengtheneth his hand keepeth the commandments.

2Lend to thy neighbour in time of his need, and pay thou thy neighbour again in due season.

3Keep thy word, and deal faithfully with him, and thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary for thee.

4Many, when a thing was lent them, reckoned it to be found, and put them to trouble that helped them.

5Till he hath received, he will kiss a man’s hand; and for his neighbour’s money he will speak submissly: but when he should repay, he will prolong the time, and return words of grief, and complain of the time.

6If he prevail, he shall hardly receive the half, and he will count as if he had found it: if not, he hath deprived him of his money, and he hath gotten him an enemy without cause: he payeth him with cursings and railings; and for honour he will pay him disgrace.

7Many therefore have refused to lend for other men’s ill dealing, fearing to be defrauded.

8Yet have thou patience with a man in poor estate, and delay not to shew him mercy.

9Help the poor for the commandment’s sake, and turn him not away because of his poverty.

10Lose thy money for thy brother and thy friend, and let it not rust under a stone to be lost.

11Lay up thy treasure according to the commandments of the most High, and it shall bring thee more profit than gold.

12Shut up alms in thy storehouses: and it shall deliver thee from all affliction.

13It shall fight for thee against thine enemies better than a mighty shield and strong spear.

14An honest man is surety for his neighbour: but he that is impudent will forsake him.

15Forget not the friendship of thy surety, for he hath given his life for thee.

16A sinner will overthrow the good estate of his surety:

17And he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him in danger that delivered him.

18Suretiship hath undone many of good estate, and shaken them as a wave of the sea: mighty men hath it driven from their houses, so that they wandered among strange nations.

19A wicked man transgressing the commandments of the Lord shall fall into suretiship: and he that undertaketh and followeth other men’s business for gain shall fall into suits.

20Help thy neighbour according to thy power, and beware that thou thyself fall not into the same.

21The chief thing for life is water, and bread, and clothing, and an house to cover shame.

22Better is the life of a poor man in a mean cottage, than delicate fare in another man’s house.

23Be it little or much, hold thee contented, that thou hear not the reproach of thy house.

24For it is a miserable life to go from house to house: for where thou art a stranger, thou darest not open thy mouth.

25Thou shalt entertain, and feast, and have no thanks: moreover thou shalt hear bitter words:

26Come, thou stranger, and furnish a table, and feed me of that thou hast ready.

27Give place, thou stranger, to an honourable man; my brother cometh to be lodged, and I have need of mine house.

28These things are grievous to a man of understanding; the upbraiding of houseroom, and reproaching of the lender.

30He that loveth his son causeth him oft to feel the rod, that he may have joy of him in the end.

2He that chastiseth his son shall have joy in him, and shall rejoice of him among his acquaintance.

3He that teacheth his son grieveth the enemy: and before his friends he shall rejoice of him.

4Though his father die, yet he is as though he were not dead: for he hath left one behind him that is like himself.

5While he lived, he saw and rejoiced in him: and when he died, he was not sorrowful.

6He left behind him an avenger against his enemies, and one that shall requite kindness to his friends.

7He that maketh too much of his son shall bind up his wounds; and his bowels will be troubled at every cry.

8An horse not broken becometh headstrong: and a child left to himself will be wilful.

9Cocker thy child, and he shall make thee afraid: play with him, and he will bring thee to heaviness.

10Laugh not with him, lest thou have sorrow with him, and lest thou gnash thy teeth in the end.

11Give him no liberty in his youth, and wink not at his follies.

12Bow down his neck while he is young, and beat him on the sides while he is a child, lest he wax stubborn, and be disobedient unto thee, and so bring sorrow to thine heart.

13Chastise thy son, and hold him to labour, lest his lewd behaviour be an offence unto thee.

14Better is the poor, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body.

15Health and good estate of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth.

16There is no riches above a sound body, and no joy above the joy of the heart.

17Death is better than a bitter life or continual sickness.

18Delicates poured upon a mouth shut up are as messes of meat set upon a grave.

19What good doeth the offering unto an idol? for neither can it eat nor smell: so is he that is persecuted of the Lord.

20He seeth with his eyes and groaneth, as an eunuch that embraceth a virgin and sigheth.

21Give not over thy mind to heaviness, and afflict not thyself in thine own counsel.

22The gladness of the heart is the life of man, and the joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days.

23Love thine own soul, and comfort thy heart, remove sorrow far from thee: for sorrow hath killed many, and there is no profit therein.

24Envy and wrath shorten the life, and carefulness bringeth age before the time.

25A cheerful and good heart will have a care of his meat and diet.

31Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, and the care thereof driveth away sleep.

2Watching care will not let a man slumber, as a sore disease breaketh sleep,

3The rich hath great labour in gathering riches together; and when he resteth, he is filled with his delicates.

4The poor laboureth in his poor estate; and when he leaveth off, he is still needy.

5He that loveth gold shall not be justified, and he that followeth corruption shall have enough thereof.

6Gold hath been the ruin of many, and their destruction was present.

7It is a stumblingblock unto them that sacrifice unto it, and every fool shall be taken therewith.

8Blessed is the rich that is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold.

9Who is he? and we will call him blessed: for wonderful things hath he done among his people.

10Who hath been tried thereby, and found perfect? then let him glory. Who might offend, and hath not offended? or done evil, and hath not done it?

11His goods shall be established, and the congregation shall declare his alms.

12If thou sit at a bountiful table, be not greedy upon it, and say not, There is much meat on it.

13Remember that a wicked eye is an evil thing: and what is created more wicked than an eye? therefore it weepeth upon every occasion.

14Stretch not thine hand whithersoever it looketh, and thrust it not with him into the dish.

15Judge not thy neighbour by thyself: and be discreet in every point.

16Eat as it becometh a man, those things which are set before thee; and devour note, lest thou be hated.

17Leave off first for manners’ sake; and be not unsatiable, lest thou offend.

18When thou sittest among many, reach not thine hand out first of all.

19A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured, and he fetcheth not his wind short upon his bed.

20Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating: he riseth early, and his wits are with him: but the pain of watching, and choler, and pangs of the belly, are with an unsatiable man.

21And if thou hast been forced to eat, arise, go forth, vomit, and thou shalt have rest.

22My son, hear me, and despise me not, and at the last thou shalt find as I told thee: in all thy works be quick, so shall there no sickness come unto thee.

23Whoso is liberal of his meat, men shall speak well of him; and the report of his good housekeeping will be believed.

24But against him that is a niggard of his meat the whole city shall murmur; and the testimonies of his niggardness shall not be doubted of.

25Shew not thy valiantness in wine; for wine hath destroyed many.

26The furnace proveth the edge by dipping: so doth wine the hearts of the proud by drunkeness.

27Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk moderately: what life is then to a man that is without wine? for it was made to make men glad.

28Wine measurably drunk and in season bringeth gladness of the heart, and cheerfulness of the mind:

29But wine drunken with excess maketh bitterness of the mind, with brawling and quarrelling.

30Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool till he offend: it diminisheth strength, and maketh wounds.

31Rebuke not thy neighbour at the wine, and despise him not in his mirth: give him no despiteful words, and press not upon him with urging him to drink.

32If thou be made the master of a feast, lift not thyself up, but be among them as one of the rest; take diligent care for them, and so sit down.

2And when thou hast done all thy office, take thy place, that thou mayest be merry with them, and receive a crown for thy well ordering of the feast.

3Speak, thou that art the elder, for it becometh thee, but with sound judgment; and hinder not musick.

4Pour not out words where there is a musician, and shew not forth wisdom out of time.

5A concert of musick in a banquet of wine is as a signet of carbuncle set in gold.

6As a signet of an emerald set in a work of gold, so is the melody of musick with pleasant wine.

7Speak, young man, if there be need of thee: and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked.

8Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in few words; be as one that knoweth and yet holdeth his tongue.

9If thou be among great men, make not thyself equal with them; and when ancient men are in place, use not many words.

10Before the thunder goeth lightning; and before a shamefaced man shall go favour.

11Rise up betimes, and be not the last; but get thee home without delay.

12There take thy pastime, and do what thou wilt: but sin not by proud speech.

13And for these things bless him that made thee, and hath replenished thee with his good things.

14Whoso feareth the Lord will receive his discipline; and they that seek him early shall find favour.

15He that seeketh the law shall be filled therewith: but the hypocrite will be offended thereat.

16They that fear the Lord shall find judgment, and shall kindle justice as a light.

17A sinful man will not be reproved, but findeth an excuse according to his will.

18A man of counsel will be considerate; but a strange and proud man is not daunted with fear, even when of himself he hath done without counsel.

19Do nothing without advice; and when thou hast once done, repent not.

20Go not in a way wherein thou mayest fall, and stumble not among the stones.

21Be not confident in a plain way.

22And beware of thine own children.

23In every good work trust thy own soul; for this is the keeping of the commandments.

24He that believeth in the Lord taketh heed to the commandment; and he that trusteth in him shall fare never the worse.

33There shall no evil happen unto him that feareth the Lord; but in temptation even again he will deliver him.

2A wise man hateth not the law; but he that is an hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.

3A man of understanding trusteth in the law; and the law is faithful unto him, as an oracle.

4Prepare what to say, and so thou shalt be heard: and bind up instruction, and then make answer.

5The heart of the foolish is like a cartwheel; and his thoughts are like a rolling axletree.

6A stallion horse is as a mocking friend, he neigheth under every one that sitteth upon him.

7Why doth one day excel another, when as all the light of every day in the year is of the sun?

8By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished: and he altered seasons and feasts.

9Some of them hath he made high days, and hallowed them, and some of them hath he made ordinary days.

10And all men are from the ground, and Adam was created of earth:

11In much knowledge the Lord hath divided them, and made their ways diverse.

12Some of them hath he blessed and exalted and some of them he sanctified, and set near himself: but some of them hath he cursed and brought low, and turned out of their places.

13As the clay is in the potter’s hand, to fashion it at his pleasure: so man is in the hand of him that made him, to render to them as liketh him best.

14Good is set against evil, and life against death: so is the godly against the sinner, and the sinner against the godly.

15So look upon all the works of the most High; and there are two and two, one against another.

16I awaked up last of all, as one that gathereth after the grapegatherers: by the blessing of the Lord I profited, and tred my winepress like a gatherer of grapes.

17Consider that I laboured not for myself only, but for all them that seek learning.

18Hear me, O ye great men of the people, and hearken with your ears, ye rulers of the congregation.

19Give not thy son and wife, thy brother and friend, power over thee while thou livest, and give not thy goods to another: lest it repent thee, and thou intreat for the same again.

20As long as thou livest and hast breath in thee, give not thyself over to any.

21For better it is that thy children should seek to thee, than that thou shouldest stand to their courtesy.

22In all thy works keep to thyself the preeminence; leave not a stain in thine honour.

23At the time when thou shalt end thy days, and finish thy life, distribute thine inheritance.

24Fodder, a wand, and burdens, are for the ass; and bread, correction, and work, for a servant.

25If thou set thy servant to labour, thou shalt find rest: but if thou let him go idle, he shall seek liberty.

26A yoke and a collar do bow the neck: so are tortures and torments for an evil servant.

27Send him to labour, that he be not idle; for idleness teacheth much evil.

28Set him to work, as is fit for him: if he be not obedient, put on more heavy fetters.

29But be not excessive toward any; and without discretion do nothing.

30If thou have a servant, let him be unto thee as thyself, because thou hast bought him with a price.

31If thou have a servant, entreat him as a brother: for thou hast need of him, as of thine own soul: if thou entreat him evil, and he run from thee, which way wilt thou go to seek him?


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