Sirach 32

If thou be made ^athe master of the feast, lift not thyself up,

But be among them as one of the rest;

Take diligent care for them, and so sit down.

²And when thou hast done all thy office, ^btake thy place,

That thou mayest be merry with them,

And receive ^ca crown for thy well ordering of the feast.

^3dSpeak, thou that art the elder, for it becometh thee, but with sound judgment;

And hinder not musick.

⁴Pour not out words where there is a musician,

And ^eshew not forth wisdom out of time.

^5fA concert of musick in a banquet of wine

Is as a signet of ^gcarbuncle set in gold.

⁶As a signet of an ^hemerald set in a work of gold,

So is the melody of musick with pleasant wine.

^7dSpeak, young man, if there be need of thee:

And yet scarcely when thou art twice asked.

⁸Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in few words;

Be as one that knoweth and yet holdeth his tongue.

⁹If thou be among great men, make not thyself equal with them;

And ⁱwhen ancient men are in place, use not many words.

¹⁰Before the thunder goeth lightning;

And before a shamefast man shall go favour.

¹¹Rise up betimes, and be not the last;

But get thee home without delay.

¹²There take thy pastime, and do what thou wilt:

But sin not by proud speech.

¹³And ^jfor these things bless him that made thee,

And hath ^kreplenished thee with his good things.

¹⁴Whoso feareth the Lord will receive his discipline;

And ^lthey that seek him early shall find favour.

¹⁵He that seeketh the law ^mshall be filled therewith:

But ⁿthe hypocrite will be offended thereat.

¹⁶They that fear the Lord shall find judgment,

And shall kindle justice ^oas a light.

^17pA sinful man will not be reproved,

But findeth an excuse according to his will.

¹⁸A man of counsel will be considerate;

But a strange and proud man is not daunted with fear,

Even when of himself he hath done without counsel.

^19qDo nothing without advice;

And ^uwhen thou hast once done, repent not.

²⁰Go not in a way wherein thou mayest fall,

And ^rstumble not among the stones.

²¹Be not confident in a ^splain way.

²²And ^tbeware of thine own children.

^23uIn every good work trust thy own soul;

For this is ^xthe keeping of the commandments.

²⁴He that believeth in the Lord ^ytaketh heed to the commandment;

And he that trusteth in him shall fare never the worse.

XXXIII.