Sirach

1Many have sinned for a thing indifferent; And he that seeks to multiply gain will turn his eye away.

2A nail will stick fast between the joinings of stones; And sin will thrust itself in between buying and selling.

3Unless a man hold on diligently in the fear of the Lord, His house shall soon be overthrown.

4In the shaking of a sieve, the refuse remains; So the filth of man in his reasoning.

5The furnace will prove the potter’s vessels; And the trial of a man is in his reasoning.

6The fruit of a tree declares the husbandry thereof; So is the utterance of the thought of the heart of a man.

7Praise no man before you hear him reason; For this is the trial of men.

8If you follow righteousness, you shall obtain her, And put her on, as a long robe of glory.

9Birds will resort to their like; And truth will return to them that practise her.

10The lion lies in wait for prey; So does sin for them that work iniquity.

11The discourse of a godly man is always wisdom: But the foolish man changes as the moon.

12Among men void of understanding observe the opportunity; But stay continually among the thoughtful.

13The discourse of fools is an offence; And their laughter is in the wantonness of sin.

14The talk of a man of many oaths will make the hair stand upright; And their strife makes one stop his ears.

15The strife of the proud is a shedding of blood; And their reviling of each other is a grievous thing to hear.

16He that reveals secrets destroys credit, And shall not find a friend to his mind.

17Love a friend, and keep faith with him: But if you reveal his secrets, You shall not pursue after him;

18For as a man has destroyed his enemy, So have you destroyed the friendship of your neighbor.

19And as a bird which you have loosed out of your hand, So have you let your neighbor go, and you will not catch him again:

20Pursue him not, for he is gone far away, And has escaped as a gazelle out of the snare.

21For a wound may be bound up, and after reviling there may be a reconcilement; But he that reveals secrets has lost hope.

22One that winks with the eye contriveth evil things; And no man will remove him from it.

23When you are present, he will speak sweetly, And will admire your words; But afterward he will writhe his mouth, And set a trap for you in your words.

24I have hated many things, but nothing like him; And the Lord will hate him.

25One that casts a stone on high casts it on his own head; And a deceitful stroke will open wounds.

26He that digs a pit shall fall into it; And he that sets a snare shall be taken therein.

27He that does evil things, they shall roll upon him, And he shall not know whence they have come to him.

28Mockery and reproach are from the haughty; And vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in wait for him.

29They that rejoice at the fall of the godly shall be taken in a snare; And anguish shall consume them before they die.

30Wrath and anger, these also are abominations; And a sinful man shall possess them.