Sirach 21

21My son, hast thou sinned, ⁽then⁽ add not thereto;

And pray concerning thy former ⁽sins⁽.

Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent;

For if thou come nigh it, it will bite thee;

Like the teeth of a lion are the teeth thereof,

It slayeth the souls of men.

Like a two-edged sword is all iniquity,

From the stroke thereof is no healing.

Tyranny and violence make habitations desolate,

And the houseof the arrogant is rooted out.

The supplication of the poor man cometh unto His ears,

And his vindication cometh quickly.

He that hateth reproof ^[walketh^[ in the path of a sinner,

But he that feareth God will turn ^[to Him^[ whole-heartedly.

The wise discerneth him that is before him,

And spieth out the sinner at once.

He that buildeth his house with other men’s money

Is as one gathering stones for his sepulchral mound.

⁽Like⁽ tow wrapped together is the assembly of the ungodly,

And their end is the flame of fire.

The way of sinners is made smooth without stones,

And at the end thereof is the pit of Hades.

He that keepeth the Law controlleth his natural tendency,

And the fear of the Lord is the consummation of Wisdom.

He that is not wise will not be instructed,

And there is a wisdom which maketh bitterness to abound.

The knowledge of a wise man aboundeth like a spring of water,

And his counsel is likethe water of life.

The heart of a fool is like a broken vessel,

He holdeth no knowledge.

If a man of understanding hear a wise word,

He commendeth it, and addeth thereto;

If a foolish man hear it, he mocketh at it,

And casteth it behind his back.

The discourse of a fool is like a burden on a journey,

But grace is found on the lips of the wise.

The utterance of the prudent is sought for in the assembly,

And his words are pondered in the heart.

As a prison-house is Wisdom to a fool,

And the knowledge of the wise as coals of fire.

As chains on ⁽their⁽ feet is instruction to the foolish,

And as manacles on their right hand.

As a golden ornament is instruction to the wise,

And as a bracelet upon their right arm.

The fool lifteth up his voice with laughter,

But the wise man smileth in silence.

The foot of a fool hasteth into a house,

But it is good mannersto stand outside.

The fool through the door looketh into a house,

But the cautious man demeans himself humbly.

‘Tis unseemly for one to listen at the door,

And the wise man would be grieved at the shameful act.

The lips of babblers ^[only^[ repeatwhat others say,

But the words of the wise are weighed in the balance.

The heart of fools is in their mouth,

But the mouth of the wise is in their heart.

When the fool curseth his adversary,

He curseth his own soul.

The whisperer defileth his own soul,

And is hated wheresoever he sojourneth.