Man is nothing.  Sir.18.8-14

⁸What is man, and of what use is he?
What is his good and what is his evil?
⁹The number of a man's days is great if he reaches a hundred years.
¹⁰Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand
so are a few years in the day of eternity.
¹¹Therefore the Lord is patient with them
and pours out his mercy upon them.
¹²He sees and recognizes that their end will be evil;
therefore he grants them forgiveness in abundance.
¹³The compassion of man is for his neighbour,
but the compassion of the Lord is for all living beings.
He rebukes and trains and teaches them,
and turns them back, as a shepherd his flock.
¹⁴He has compassion on those who accept his discipline
and who are eager for his judgments.

Kindness & charity.  Sir.18.15-18

¹⁵My son, do not mix reproach with your good deeds,
nor cause grief by your words when you present a gift.
¹⁶Does not the dew assuage the scorching heat?
So a word is better than a gift.
¹⁷Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift?
Both are to be found in a gracious man.
¹⁸A fool is ungracious and abusive,
and the gift of a grudging man makes the eyes dim.

Self-examination.  Sir.18.19-29

¹⁹Before you speak, learn, and before you fall ill,
take care of your health.
²⁰Before judgment, examine yourself,
and in the hour of visitation you will find forgiveness.
²¹Before falling ill, humble yourself,
and when you are on the point of sinning, turn back.
²²Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly,
and do not wait until death to be released from it.
²³Before making a vow, prepare yourself;
and do not be like a man who tempts the Lord.
²⁴Think of his wrath on the day of death,
and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his face.
²⁵In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger;
in the days of wealth think of poverty and need.
²⁶From morning to evening conditions change,
and all things move swiftly before the Lord.

²⁷A wise man is cautious in everything,
and in days of sin he guards against wrongdoing.
²⁸Every intelligent man knows wisdom,
and he praises the one who finds her.
²⁹Those who understand sayings become skilled themselves,
and pour forth apt proverbs.

Self-control.  Sir.18.30-19.5

³⁰Do not follow your base desires,
but restrain your appetites.
³¹If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base desire,
it will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.
³²Do not revel in great luxury,
lest you become impoverished by its expense.
³³Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money,
when you have nothing in your purse.