Sirach 19

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¹A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich: and he that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little.

²Wine and women make wise men fall off, and shall rebuke the prudent.

³And he that joineth himself to harlots, will be wicked. Rottenness and worms shall inherit him, and he shall be lifted up for a greater example, and his soul shall be taken away out of the number.

⁴He that is hasty to give credit, is light of heart, and shall be lessened: and he that sinneth against his own soul, shall be despised.

⁵He that rejoiceth in iniquity, shall be censured, and he that hateth chastisement, shall have less life: and he that hateth babbling, extinguisheth evil.

⁶He that sinneth against his own soul, shall repent: and he that is delighted with wickedness, shall be condemned.

⁷Rehearse not again a wicked and harsh word, and thou shalt not fare the worse.

⁸Tell not thy mind to friend or foe: and if there be a sin with thee, disclose it not.

⁹For he will hearken to thee, and will watch thee, and as it were defending thy sin he will hate thee, and so will he be with thee always.

¹⁰Hast thou heard a word against thy neighbour? let it die within thee, trusting that it will not burst thee.

¹¹At the hearing of a word the fool is in travail, as a woman groaning. in the bringing forth a child.

¹²As an arrow that sticketh in a man’s thigh: so is a word in the heart of a fool.

¹³Reprove a friend, lest he may not have understood, and say: I did it not: or if he did it, that he may do it no more.

¹⁴Reprove thy neighbour, for it may be he hath not said it: and if he hath said it, that he may not say it again.

¹⁵Admonish thy friend: for there is often a fault committed.

¹⁶And believe not every word. There is one, that slippeth with the tongue, but not from his heart.

¹⁷For who is there that hath not offended with his tongue? Admonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him.

¹⁸And give place to the fear of the most High: for the fear of God is all wisdom, and therein is to fear God, and the disposition of the law is in all wisdom.

¹⁹But the learning of wickedness is not wisdom: and the device of sinners is not prudence.

²⁰There is a subtle wickedness, and the same is detestable: and there is a man that is foolish, wanting in wisdom.

²¹Better is a man that hath less wisdom, and wanteth understanding, with the fear of God, than he that aboundeth in understanding, and transgresseth the law of the most High.

²²There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust.

²³And there is one that uttereth an exact word telling the truth. There is one that humbleth himself wickedly, and his interior is full of deceit:

²⁴And there is one that submitteth himself exceedingly with a great lowliness: and there is one that casteth down his countenance, and maketh as if he did not see that which is unknown:

²⁵And if he be hindered from sinning for want of power, if he shall find opportunity to do evil, he will do it.

²⁶A man is known by his look, and a wise man, when thou meetest him, is known by his countenance.

²⁷The attire of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the gait of the man, shew what he is.

²⁸There is a lying rebuke in the anger of an injurious man: and there is a judgment that is not allowed to be good: and there is one that holdeth his peace, he is wise.