Sirach 5

5Trust not in thy wealth,

And say not, ‘I have power.’

Trust not in thy wealth,

To walk after the desire of thy soul.

^[Go not after ⁽the desire⁽ of thine heart and of thine eyes,

To walk in the desires of thy soul.^[

Say not, ‘Who shall have power over me?’

For Jahveh is an avenger of the persecuted.

Say not, ‘I have sinned, but what happened unto me?’

For Jahveh is longsuffering.

Count not upon forgiveness,

That thou shouldst add sin to sin.

And say not, ‘His mercies are great,

He will forgive the multitude of mine iniquities’;

For mercy and wrath are with Him,

And His indignation abideth upon the ungodly.

Delay not to turn unto Him,

And put ⁽it⁽ not off from day to day;

For suddenly doth His wrath come forth,

And in the time of vengeance thou shalt perish.

Trust not in unrighteous gains,

For they shall profit ⁽thee⁽ nothing in the day of wrath.

Winnow not with every wind,

And walk not in every path.

Be steadfast concerning that which thou knowest,

And let thy speech be one.

Be swift to hear,

But with patience make reply.

If it lie in thy power answer thy neighbour;

And if not,— thy hand upon thy mouth!

Glory and dishonour come through speaking,

And the tongue of a man is his fall.

Be not called ‘Double-tongued’,

And slander not with thy tongue;

For shame hath been created for the thief,

And sore reproach for the double-tongued.

Deal not corruptly either in a small or a great matter;