Sirach 9:1–13:23

1 aBe not jealous of the wife bof thy bosomb,

cLest she learnc dmaliced against thee.

2 eGive note thyself unto a woman,

fSo as to let her trample down thy manhoodf.

3 gMeet notg ha strange womanh,

Lest thou fall into her netsi.

4 jWith a female singerj khave no conversek,

Lest thou be taken in her snares.

5 On a maiden fix not thy gaze,

lLest thou be entrapped in penalties with herl.

HA 6 Give not thyself unto the harlot,

mLest thou losem nthine inheritancen.

G(S) 7 opLook not round about theep qin the streets of a cityq,

rAnd wander not about in the broad places thereofr.

HA 8 s tHide thine eyet from a lovely woman,

u And gaze notu upon beauty which is not thine;

vBy the comelinessv of a woman many whave been ruinedw,

xAnd this wayx ypassiony flameth zlike firez.

9 s aWith a married womana bsit not at tableb,

cAnd [mingle not] wine in her companyc;

Lest thou incline dthine heartd towards her,

eAnd in thy bloode f[descendest]f to the Pit.

(f) 9:10–16. Precepts regarding friends and others

(= 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 distichs).

10 Forsake not ffanff old friend,

For the new g[is not his equivalent]g.

New wine is a new friend;

hBut when old—then thou mayst drink ith!

11 Envy not ithe ungodly mani,

For thou knowest not what jhis destiny shall bej.

12 kTake no pleasurek lin the arrogant man that prosperethl,

Remember that mhe shall not escape unpunishedm ntill deathn.

13 Keep far from the man that hath power to kill,

oAnd so thou needest have no terroro pof death’s terrorsp.

qBut whenq thou comest nigh (him) rcommit no faultr,

Lest he take away sthy lifes.

Know that thou marchest amid snares,

And walkest tupon netst.

14 As far as thou canst uassociate withu thy neighbour,

And converse with the wise.

15 v wWithw xthe intelligentx let ythy communingy be,

And all thy converse zin the Law of the Most Highz.

HA 16 Let men of rectitude be athe companions of thy boarda;

And in the fear of God be thy boast.

(g) 9:17–10:5. The value of God-fearing wisdom as exemplified in rulers

(= 2 + 3 + 2 distichs).

17 bBy the cunning-handedb ca shapely work is devisedc,

dEven sod one who ruleth over his people (must be) ewise in discernmente.

18 A man (full) of tongue is dangerous fin the cityf,

gAnd he that is ∙hasty in speechg is detested.

10 1 h iA wise governori jinstructethj his people;

And the rule of one that is discerning kis well-orderedk.

2 As is the governor lof a peoplel, so are his officers;

And as is the head of a city, msom are its inhabitants.

3 nA reckless kingn ruineth ohis peopleo,

But a city becometh populous through pthe prudence of its princesp.

4 qThe rule over the world is in the hands of God,

And at the right time He setteth over it rone that is worthyr.

5 qIn the hand of God is rrthe rule of every manrr,

And He investeth sthe commanders with his dignity.

(h) 10:6–18. Pride in rulers ruins whole nations

(= 2 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 1 distichs).

6 tRequite not [evil to] thy neighbourt for any wrong,

uAnd walk not in the way of prideu.

HA 7 vPride is hateful to the Lord and to men,

wAnd before both oppression is an offencew.

8 Sovereignty is transferred from nation to nation

x On account of the violence of pridex.

9 How should he that is dust and ashes vaunt himselfy,

z He whose entrails rot (even) during his lifez?

10 a A suspicion (?) of disease defieth (?) the physiciana—

bTo-day a kingb, and to-morrow che shall fallc!

11 When a man dieth he inheriteth

d Worm and maggot, lice and creeping thingsd.

12 The beginning of pride is ewhen a man becometh shamelesse,

And fhis heartf departeth from his Maker.

HA 13 gFor sin is the rallying-place of insolenceg,

hAnd its source overfloweth with depravityh.

For this cause ihath God stricken such an one marvellouslyi,

And smitten him to the uttermost.

14 jThe throne of the proudj God overthroweth,

kAnd settethk the humble in their placel.

16 mThe roots of the proudm God nsweepeth awayn,

oAnd extirpateth them to the foundations of the eartho.

17 pHe teareth them out of the earthp qand rooteth them upq,

And extinguisheth their memory rfrom among menr.

18 Insolence swas not the heritage of mans,

tNor savage wratht (apportioned) to the earth-born.

(i) 10:19–25. Honour to whom honour is due

(= 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 distichs).

19 An honourable race is what? The race of men!

G uAn honourable race is that which feareth God.

G A despicable race is what? The race of menu!

HA vA despicable race is that which transgresseth the commandmentv.

20 Among brethren their head is honoured,

And he that feareth God aamong his own peoplea.

22 b cSojourner and stranger, alien and poor manc—

Their glory is the fear of God.

23 A poor man that hath understanding is not to be despised,

Nor is dany man of violenced to be honoured.

24 ePrincee, ruler and governor are honoured,

fBut none is greater than he that feareth Godf.

25 gNobles will serve a servant that hath understandingg,

hAnd a wise man will not complainh.

(j) 10:26–29. The wrong and the right kind of self-esteem

(= 2 + 2 distichs).

26 iPlay not the wise mani when thou doest thy business,

jAnd glorify not thyselfj in the time of thy need.

27 Better is he that worketh kand hath wealth in abundancek,

Than he that glorifieth himself land lacketh sustenancel.

HA 28 My son, glorify thy soul in humility,

mAnd give it discretionm nsuch as befitteth itn.

29 o pWho will justify him that condemneth himselfp?

And who will honour him that dishonoureth qhimselfq?

(a) 10:30–11:1. Wisdom rather than mere wealth brings honour

(= 3 distichs).

30 There is a poor man that is honoured on account of his wisdom,

rAnd there isr he that is honoured on account of his wealth.

31 sHe that is honoured (in his poverty)—how much more in his wealths!

And he that is despicable in his wealth—how much more t(in his poverty)t!

11 1 The wisdom of the poor man lifteth up uhis headu,

And causeth him to sit among princes.

(b) 11:2–13. Warnings against hasty judgements

(= 2 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 3 distichs).

2 Praise no man vfor his beautyv,

And abhor no man wfor his appearancew.

3 xOf no accountx among flying things is the bee,

But her fruit is ysupreme among productsy.

HA 4 zMock not the dress of the wretchedz,

aAnd scoff nota bat those whose day is bitterb:

For wondrous are cthe works of Jahvehc,

And His operation is hid dfrom mand.

5 Many edowntroddene have sat fupon a thronef,

gAnd those who were never thought ofg have worn ha crownh.

6 Many exalted have suffered igreati abasement,

And also honourable jbeen delivered upj.

7 Before thou hast examined kblame notk;

Investigate first, and afterwards lrebukel.

8 mAnswer not a word before thou hear,

And in the midst of na discoursen speak not.

9 oIn a matter where thou art not affectedo, penter not into strifep,

qAnd with the quarrels of the arrogant meddle notq.

10 My son, rwhy multiply thy business (unduly)r?

sBut if thou so doest thou shalt not go unpunisheds.

HA tIf thou runnest thou shalt not attaint,

uAnd if thou seekest thou shalt not findu.

11 There is one that toileth and laboureth vand runnethv,

wAnd is so much the morew behind.

12 xThere is (another) that is weak and wandering in miseryx,

yLacking in strength and abounding in frailtyy;

zAnd the eye of Jahveh watcheth him for goodz,

aAnd He shaketh him up out of the stinking dusta.

13 He lifteth up his head band exalteth himb,

So that many may marvel at himc.

(c) 11:14–28. All things are in the hands of God

(= 1 [ + 3] + 1 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 distichs).

14 Good and evil, life and death,

dPoverty and wealth come from Jahvehd.

15 e[Wisdom and insight eeand discernment ‘of the Law’ee

Come from Jahveh:

fLovef and upright ways

Come from Jahveh.

16 Folly and darkness have been formed for sinners;

gAnd as for evil-doers—evil abideth with themge.]

HA 17 hThe gift of Jahveh abideth for the righteoush,

And His good pleasure is ever successful.

18 There is that waxeth rich ifrom self-deniali,

jAnd this is his allotted rewardj:

19 kWhat time he saith: ‘I have found rest,

And now lI will enjoy my goods’l—

He knoweth not mwhat lot shall befallm;

He shall leave (them) to others and die.

20 nMy sonn, obe steadfasto in thy task pand think thereonp,

And qgrow oldq in thy work.

21 rMarvel not at the doers of iniquityr—

sTrusts in Jahveh and wait for tHis lightt;

For it is ueasyu in Jahveh’s sight

Suddenly—in a moment—vto make a poor man richv.

HA 22 wThe blessing of God is xthe portionx of the righteous,

yAnd at the right timey zhis hope shall flourishz.

23 Say not: a‘What is (yet) my desirea?

bAnd what henceforth is left unto meb?’

24 Say not: c‘I have enoughc,

dAnd what mischief can befall med?’

25 eA day’s happiness maketh misfortune to be forgottene,

fAnd a day’s misfortune maketh happiness to be forgottenf.

G 26 gFor it is easy in Jahveh’s sight

At the end to requite a man according to his deedsg.

HA 27 hAn evil time causeth forgetfulness of delightsh,

iAnd the last end of a man will tell of himi.

28 jPronounce no man happy before his death;

kFor by his latter endk a man shall be knownj.

(d) 11:29–34. Beware of intercourse with strangers and bad characters

(= 3 + 1 + 2 distichs).

HA 29 lNot every one is to be brought into mthe housem—

nAnd how many are the wounds of a slanderern!

30 oAs a decoy partridge in a cageo, so is the heart of the insolent (sinner),

And as a spy that seeth pthe nakednesspl.

HA 31 qThe backbiter turnethq good into evil,

And in thy loveliest qualities he putteth ra stainr.

32 sFrom a spark cometh much coals,

tAnd a villain lieth in wait for bloodt.

33 Shrink from an evil man, for he begetteth evil—

Why ushouldst thou incuru a lasting blemish?

34 vLet a stranger dwell with thee and he will estrange thy way of life,

And alienate thee from thine own housev.

(e) 12:1–7. Against indiscriminate benevolence

(= 3 + 3 + 1 distichs).

12 1 wIf thou do an act of kindness, know to whom thou doest itw,

xThat thou mayst have hope of thy kindnessx.

2 Do acts of kindness to the righteous and find recompense;

If not from him, yfrom Jahvehy.

3 zNo (return of) kindness (cometh) to him that giveth satisfaction to the ungodlyz,

aNor hath he done any act of benevolencea.

HA †5 (b)bWeapons of bread give him notb,

†5 (c)cLest he attack thee with themc.

†5 (d)dTwofold evild shalt thou obtaine

†5 (e)fFor all the good thou shalt have brought himf…