19 One who does this[a] will not become rich;
one who despises small things will fail little by little.
2 Wine and women lead intelligent men astray,
and the man who consorts with prostitutes is reckless.
3 Decay and worms will take possession of him,
and the reckless person will be snatched away.
Against Loose Talk
4 One who trusts others too quickly has a shallow mind,
and one who sins does wrong to himself.
5 One who rejoices in wickedness[b] will be condemned,[c]
6 but one who hates gossip has less evil.
7 Never repeat a conversation,
and you will lose nothing at all.
8 With friend or foe do not report it,
and unless it would be a sin for you, do not reveal it;
9 for someone may have heard you and watched you,
and in time will hate you.
10 Have you heard something? Let it die with you.
Be brave, it will not make you burst!
11 Having heard something, the fool suffers birth-pangs
like a woman in labour with a child.
12 Like an arrow stuck in a person’s thigh,
so is gossip inside a fool.
13 Question a friend; perhaps he did not do it;
or if he did, so that he may not do it again.
14 Question a neighbour; perhaps he did not say it;
or if he said it, so that he may not repeat it.
15 Question a friend, for often it is slander;
so do not believe everything you hear.
16 A person may make a slip without intending it.
Who has not sinned with his tongue?
17 Question your neighbour before you threaten him;
and let the law of the Most High take its course.[d]
True and False Wisdom
20 The whole of wisdom is fear of the Lord,
and in all wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law.[e]
22 The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom,
nor is there prudence in the counsel of sinners.
23 There is a cleverness that is detestable,
and there is a fool who merely lacks wisdom.
24 Better are the God-fearing who lack understanding
than the highly intelligent who transgress the law.
25 There is a cleverness that is exact but unjust,
and there are people who abuse favours to gain a verdict.
26 There is the villain bowed down in mourning,
but inwardly he is full of deceit.
27 He hides his face and pretends not to hear,
but when no one notices, he will take advantage of you.
28 Even if lack of strength keeps him from sinning,
he will nevertheless do evil when he finds the opportunity.
29 A person is known by his appearance,
and a sensible person is known when first met face to face.
30 A person’s attire and hearty laughter,
and the way he walks, show what he is.
Footnotes
- Sirach 19:1 Heb: Gk A worker who is a drunkard
- Sirach 19:5 Other ancient authorities read heart
- Sirach 19:5 Other ancient authorities add but one who withstands pleasures crowns his life. 6 One who controls the tongue will live without strife,
- Sirach 19:17 Other ancient authorities add and do not be angry. 18 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance, and wisdom obtains his love. 19 The knowledge of the Lord’s commandments is life-giving discipline; and those who do what is pleasing to him enjoy the fruit of the tree of immortality.
- Sirach 19:20 Other ancient authorities add and the knowledge of his omnipotence. 21 When a slave says to his master, ‘I will not act as you wish’, even if later he does it, he angers the one who supports him.