Sound mind, straight talk!  Sir.27.4-7

⁴When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains;
so a man's filth remains in his thoughts.
⁵The kiln tests the potter's vessels;
so the test of a man is in his reasoning.
⁶The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;
so the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a man's mind.
⁷Do not praise a man before you hear him reason,
for this is the test of men.

Honesty.  Sir.27.8-10

⁸If you pursue justice, you will attain it
and wear it as a glorious robe.
⁹Birds flock with their kind;
so truth returns to those who practice it.
¹⁰A lion lies in wait for prey;
so does sin for the workers of iniquity.

Foolish talk.  Sir.27.11-15

¹¹The talk of the godly man is always wise,
but the fool changes like the moon.
¹²Among stupid people watch for a chance to leave,
but among thoughtful people stay on.
¹³The talk of fools is offensive,
and their laughter is wantonly sinful.
¹⁴The talk of men given to swearing makes one's hair stand on end,
and their quarrels make a man stop his ears.
¹⁵The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed,
and their abuse is grievous to hear.

Betraying secrets.  Sir.27.16-21

¹⁶Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence,
and he will never find a congenial friend.
¹⁷Love your friend and keep faith with him;
but if you betray his secrets,
do not run after him.
¹⁸For as a man destroys his enemy,
so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbour.
¹⁹And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand,
so you have let your neighbour go, and will not catch him again.
²⁰Do not go after him, for he is too far off,
and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.
²¹For a wound may be bandaged,
and there is reconciliation after abuse,
but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope.

Hypocrisy  Sir.27.22-29

²²Whoever winks his eye plans evil deeds,
and no one can keep him from them.
²³In your presence his mouth is all sweetness,
and he admires your words;
but later he will twist his speech
and with your own words he will give offence.
²⁴I have hated many things, but none to be compared to him;
even the Lord will hate him.
²⁵Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own head;
and a treacherous blow opens up wounds.
²⁶He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and he who sets a snare will be caught in it.
²⁷If a man does evil, it will roll back upon him,
and he will not know where it came from.
²⁸Mockery and abuse issue from the proud man,
but vengeance lies in wait for him like a lion.
²⁹Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare,
and pain will consume them before their death.

Resentment.  Sir.27.30-28.7

³⁰Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
and the sinful man will possess them.