| 19 | Ecclesiasticus | ||
| 1 | A workman who is a drunkard will not become rich; he who despises small things will fail little by little. | ||
| 2 | Wine and women lead intelligent men astray, and the man who consorts with harlots is very reckless. | ||
| 3 | Decay and worms will inherit him, and the reckless soul will be snatched away. | ||
| 4 | One who trusts others too quickly is lightminded, and one who sins does wrong to himself. | ||
| 5 | One who rejoices in wickedness will be condemned, | ||
| 6 | and for one who hates gossip evil is lessened. | ||
| 7 | Never repeat a conversation, and you will lose nothing at all. | Loose-talk. Sir.19.7-19 | |
| 8 | With friend or foe do not report it, and unless it would be a sin for you, do not disclose it; | ||
| 9 | for some one has heard you and watched you, and when the time comes he will hate you. | ||
| 10 | Have you heard a word? Let it die with you. Be brave! It will not make you burst! | ||
| 11 | With such a word a fool will suffer pangs like a woman in labour with a child. | ||
| 12 | Like an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh, so is a word inside a fool. | ||
| 13 | Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it; but if he did anything, so that he may do it no more. | ||
| 14 | Question a neighbour, perhaps he did not say it; but if he said it, so that he may not say it again. | ||
| 15 | Question a friend, for often it is slander; so do not believe everything you hear. | ||
| 16 | A person may make a slip without intending it. Who has never sinned with his tongue? | ||
| 17 | Question your neighbour before you threaten him; and let the law of the Most High take its course. | ||
| 20 | All wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and in all wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law. | Real Wisdom. Sir.19.20-30 | |
| 22 | But the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom, nor is there prudence where sinners take counsel. | ||
| 23 | There is a cleverness which is abominable, but there is a fool who merely lacks wisdom. | ||
| 24 | Better is the God-fearing man who lacks intelligence, than the highly prudent man who transgresses the law. | ||
| 25 | There is a cleverness which is scrupulous but unjust, and there are people who distort kindness to gain a verdict. | ||
| 26 | There is a rascal bowed down in mourning, but inwardly he is full of deceit. | ||
| 27 | He hides his face and pretends not to hear; but where no one notices, he will forestall you. | ||
| 28 | And if by lack of strength he is prevented from sinning, he will do evil when he finds an opportunity. | ||
| 29 | A man is known by his appearance, and a sensible man is known by his face, when you meet him. | ||
| 30 | A man's attire and open-mouthed laughter, and a man's manner of walking, show what he is. | ||
| << | Sir:19 | >> | |||
|---|---|---|---|