⁴Prepare what to say, and thus you will be heard;
bind together your instruction, and make your answer.
⁵The heart of a fool is like a cart wheel,
and his thoughts like a turning axle.
⁶A stallion is like a mocking friend;
he neighs under every one who sits on him.

Everyone is different.  Sir.33.7-18

⁷Why is any day better than another,
when all the daylight in the year is from the sun?
⁸By the Lord's decision they were distinguished,
and he appointed the different seasons and feasts;
⁹some of them he exalted and hallowed,
and some of them he made ordinary days.
¹⁰All men are from the ground,
and Adam was created of the dust.
¹¹In the fulness of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them
and appointed their different ways;
¹²some of them he blessed and exalted,
and some of them he made holy and brought near to himself;
but some of them he cursed and brought low,
and he turned them out of their place.
¹³As clay in the hand of the potter -
for all his ways are as he pleases -
so men are in the hand of him who made them,
to give them as he decides.

¹⁴Good is the opposite of evil,
and life the opposite of death;
so the sinner is the opposite of the godly.
¹⁵Look upon all the works of the Most High;
they likewise are in pairs, one the opposite of the other.

¹⁶I was the last on watch;
I was like one who gleans after the grape-gatherers;
by the blessing of the Lord I excelled,
and like a grape-gatherer I filled my wine press.
¹⁷Consider that I have not laboured for myself alone,
but for all who seek instruction.
¹⁸Hear me, you who are great among the people,
and you leaders of the congregation, hearken.

Be independent.  Sir.33.19-23

¹⁹To son or wife, to brother or friend,
do not give power over yourself,
as long as you live;
and do not give your property to another,
lest you change your mind and must ask for it.
²⁰While you are still alive and have breath in you,
do not let any one take your place.
²¹For it is better that your children should ask from you
than that you should look to the hand of you sons.
²²Excel in all that you do;
bring no stain upon your honour.
²³At the time when you end the days of your life,
in the hour of death, distribute your inheritance.

Slaves.  Sir.33.24-31

²⁴Fodder and a stick and burdens for an ass;
bread and discipline and work for a servant.
²⁵Set your slave to work, and you will find rest;
leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty.
²⁶Yoke and thong will bow the neck,
and for a wicked servant there are racks and tortures.
²⁷Put him to work, that he may not be idle,
for idleness teaches much evil.
²⁸Set him to work, as is fitting for him,
and if he does not obey, make his fetters heavy.
²⁹Do not act immoderately toward anybody,
and do nothing without discretion.

³⁰If you have a servant, let him be as yourself,
because you have bought him with blood.
³¹If you have a servant,
treat him as a brother,
for as your own soul you will need him.
³²If you ill-treat him, and he leaves and runs away,
³³which way will you go to seek him?