Sirach 14

14Blessed is the man whose mouth doth not grieve him,

And ⁽who⁽ doth not mourn for the sorrow of his heart.

Blessed is the man whose soul doth not reproach him,

And whose hope hath not ceased.

To him that is small of heart wealth is unfitting,

And wherefore should the evil-eyed have gold?

He that withholdeth from himself gathereth for another,

And a stranger shall satiate himself with his goods.

He that harmeth his own soul, to whom will he do good?

Forhe hath no delight in his own goods.

None is worse than him that is evil to his own soul,

And the recompense of his evil is in himself.

And even if he doeth good, he doeth it in forgetfulness,

And at the last he showeth forth his wickedness.

Evil is he that envieth with his eye,

Turning away his face and despising men.

In the eye of the covetous ⁽too⁽ small is his portion,

But he that taketh his neighbour’s portion destroyeth his own portion.

The eye of the envious hasteth after bread,

And naught is on his table.

^[A good eye causeth bread to increase,

And ‘A dry fountain sendeth forth water’ upon ⁽his⁽ table.^[

My son, if thou possessest aught, do well to thyself,

And prosper to the best of thy power.

Remember that death tarrieth not,

Nor hath the decree of Sheol been told thee.

Before thou diest do good to him that loveth ⁽thee⁽,

And as thou hast prospered, give to him.

Refrain not from the joy of the present,

And let not the portion of a good desire pass thee by.

Wilt thou not leave thy wealth to another,

And thy labour to them that cast the lot?

Give and take; yea, indulge thy soul,

For in Sheol there is no delight.

All flesh withereth like a garment,

And the eternal decree is: ‘Thou shalt surely die!’

As the leaf that groweth on a luxuriant tree,

One fadeth, and another sprouteth;

So ⁽are⁽ the generations of flesh and blood,

One dieth, and another flourisheth;

All his works will surely decay,

And the labour of his hands followeth after him.

Blessed ⁽is⁽ the man that meditateth on Wisdom,

And that giveth heed to understanding,

That directeth his heart upon her ways,

And giveth heed unto her paths;

Going forth after her like a spy,

He looketh stealthily upon her enterings-in.

^[Blessed is he^[ that peereth into her window,

And hearkeneth at her doors;

Who encampeth round about her house,

And fixeth his pegs into her wall;

Who pitcheth his tent close beside her,

And dwelleth in a goodly dwelling;

And buildeth his nest in her foliage,

And lodgeth among her branches;

Seeking refuge from the heat in her shade,

He dwelleth within her habitations.