33 1 Him that feareth Jahveh no evil befalleth,

But jin temptationj k〈he shall again be delivered〉k.

2 l mHe that hateth the law is not wisem,

nAnd is tossed about 〈like a ship in a storm〉nl.

3 oA man of discernment pdiscerneth the Wordp,

qAnd the Law 〈is faithful unto him as the Urim〉qo.

(d) 33:(36:)4–6. Against thoughtlessness, especially in teaching

(=3 distichs).

G 4 r sPrepare thy speechs, tand sot ulet it be heardu;

vBind upv instruction, wand thenw replyr.

G(S) 5 xLike a cart-wheelx yis the mind of a fooly,

And his thought zlike a rolling wheel-rimz.

6 aLike a saddled horse is the love of a foola;

Under bwhatever riderb he neighs.

(e) 33:(36:)7–15. Divine preferences in Nature and Man justified

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

7 eWhy is one day distinguished from anotherc,

dWhen all daylight in the year is from the Sund?

8 eBy God’s 〈great〉 wisdome they were distinguished,

fAnd He differentiatedf gseasons and feastsg.

9 Some hHe blessed and hallowedh,

And others He made iordinary daysi.

G(S) 10 jLikewise alsoj all men kare made from the clayk,

And Adam was created lof earthl.

11 mIn His great wisdomm God distinguished them,

And differentiated ntheir waysn.

12 Some He blessed and exalted,

And others He hallowed oand brought nigh to Himselfo;

pSome He cursed qand abasedq,

rAnd overthrew themr sfrom their places.

13 tAs the clay is in the power of the pottert,

uTo fashion itu according to his good pleasure;

vSo is manv in the power wof his creatorw,

xTo make him according to His ordinancex.

14 Over against evil (stands)y the good, and against deathy life;

zLikewise over against the godlyy the sinnerz.

15 aEven thus look upon all the works of Goda,

bEach differentb, one the opposite of the other.

(f) 33:16–18 (36:16 a, 30:20–22). Ben Sira’s right to give instruction asserted

(= 2 + 2 distichs).

16 cI, indeedc, dcame last of alld,

(30:25)eAs one that gleanethe after the grape-gatherers:

fI advanced fby the blessing of God,

And filled gmy winepressg as a grape-gatherer.

17 (30:26) hConsider that not for myself alone have I laboured,

iButi for all that seek jwisdomjh!

G(S) 18(30:27) Listen kunto mek, ye leaders lof the peoplel,

And ye rulers of the congregation, give ear!

(g) 33:19–23(30:28–32). Against surrendering one’s independence to others

(= 2 + 2 + 2 distichs).

19(30:28) To son or wife, to brother or friend,

Give no power over thyself while thou livest;

mAnd give not thy goods nto anothern

oSo as to have to ask for them againom.

20(30:29) Whilst thou art yet alive and breath remaineth in thee,

pGive not any creature power over thyselfp.

21(30:30) For it is better that thy children ask of thee

qThan that thou shouldst look to the hand of thy sonsq.

22(30:31) In all thy works rremain uppermostr,

Ands tlet no stain come on thine honourt.

23(30:32) Whenu the days of thy life are ended,

uIn the dayu of death, vdistribute thine inheritancev.

(h) 33:24–31 (30:33–40) On the treatment of subordinates

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

24(30:33) wFodderx and stick and burdensy for an ass,

zBread and disciplinez and work for a servant!

G(S) 25(30:34) aPut thy servant to worka, band he will seek restb;

cLeave his hands idlec, and he will seek liberty!

26(30:35) dYoke and thong bow down the neck,

And for an evil servant (there are) estocks and chastisement.e d

27(30:36) fPut thy servant to workf, gthat he be not idleg;

(30:37)Forhidlenessh teacheth much mischief.

28(30:38) iAppoint him (a task) in thy housei such as befitteth him,

And if he obey not jmake his fetters heavyj.

29 kBut be not overbearingk against any creature,

And do nothing lthat is without rightl.

30(30:39) mHast thou an only servantm, let him be as nthyselfn—

oFor pthou hast need of him as thy very selfpo.

31 mHast thou an only servantm, treat him as qthy brotherq—

o rBe not jealous against thy very lifer o!

G(S) (30:40) If thou treat him ill, sand he proceed to run aways,

On what way shalt thou find him?

(a) 34:(31:)1–8. The vanity of dreams and divinations

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