Sirach

1If you do good, know to whom you do it; And your good deeds shall have thanks.

2Do good to a godly man, and you shall find a recompense; And if not from him, yet from the Most High.

3There shall no good come to him that continueth to do evil, Nor to him that gives no alms.

4Give to the godly man, And help not the sinner.

5Do good to one that is lowly, And give not to an ungodly man: Keep back his bread, and give it not to him, Lest he overmaster you thereby: For you shall receive twice as much evil For all the good you shall have done to him.

6For the Most High also hates sinners, And will repay vengeance to the ungodly.

7Give to the good man, And help not the sinner.

8A man’s friend will not be fully tried in prosperity; And his enemy will not be hidden in adversity.

9In a man’s prosperity his enemies are grieved; And in his adversity even his friend will be separated from him.

10Never trust your enemy: For like as the brass rusts, so is his wickedness.

11Though he humble himself, and go crouching, Yet take good heed, and beware of him, And you shall be to him as one that has wiped a mirror, And you shall know that he has not utterly rusted it.

12Set him not by you, Lest he overthrow you and stand in your place; Let him not sit on your right hand, Lest he seek to take your seat, And at the last you acknowledge my words, And be pricked with my sayings.

13Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, Or any that come near wild beasts?

14Even so who will pity him that goes to a sinner, And is mingled with him in his sins?

15For a while he will abide with you, And if you give way, he will not hold out.

16And the enemy will speak sweetly with his lips, And in his heart take counsel how to overthrow you into a pit: The enemy will weep with his eyes, And if he find opportunity, he will not be satiated with blood.

17If adversity meet you, you shall find him there before you; And as though he would help you, he will trip up your heel.

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