Sirach 13 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Caution Regarding Associates

13 Whoever touches pitch gets dirty,
and whoever associates with a proud person becomes like him.
2 Do not lift a weight too heavy for you,
or associate with one mightier and richer than you.
How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle?
The pot will strike against it and be smashed.
3 A rich person does wrong, and even adds insults;
a poor person suffers wrong, and must add apologies.
4 A rich person[a] will exploit you if you can be of use to him,
but if you are in need he will abandon you.
5 If you own something, he will live with you;
he will drain your resources without a qualm.
6 When he needs you he will deceive you,
and will smile at you and encourage you;
he will speak to you kindly and say, “What do you need?”
7 He will embarrass you with his delicacies,
until he has drained you two or three times,
and finally he will laugh at you.
Should he see you afterwards, he will pass you by
and shake his head at you.

8 Take care not to be led astray
and humiliated when you are enjoying yourself.[b]
9 When an influential person invites you, be reserved,
and he will invite you more insistently.
10 Do not be forward, or you may be rebuffed;
do not stand aloof, or you will be forgotten.
11 Do not try to treat him as an equal,
or trust his lengthy conversations;
for he will test you by prolonged talk,
and while he smiles he will be examining you.
12 Cruel are those who do not keep your secrets;
they will not spare you harm or imprisonment.
13 Be on your guard and very careful,
for you are walking about with your own downfall.[c]

15 Every creature loves its like,
and every person the neighbor.
16 All living beings associate with their own kind,
and people stick close to those like themselves.
17 What does a wolf have in common with a lamb?
No more has a sinner with the devout.
18 What peace is there between a hyena and a dog?
And what peace between the rich and the poor?
19 Wild asses in the wilderness are the prey of lions;
likewise the poor are feeding grounds for the rich.
20 Humility is an abomination to the proud;
likewise the poor are an abomination to the rich.

21 When the rich person totters, he is supported by friends,
but when the humble[d] falls, he is pushed away even by friends.
22 If the rich person slips, many come to the rescue;
he speaks unseemly words, but they justify him.
If the humble person slips, they even criticize him;
he talks sense, but is not given a hearing.
23 The rich person speaks and all are silent;
they extol to the clouds what he says.
The poor person speaks and they say, “Who is this fellow?”
And should he stumble, they even push him down.
24 Riches are good if they are free from sin;
poverty is evil only in the opinion of the ungodly.

25 The heart changes the countenance,
either for good or for evil.[e]
26 The sign of a happy heart is a cheerful face,
but to devise proverbs requires painful thinking.

Footnotes

  1. Sirach 13:4 Gk He
  2. Sirach 13:8 Other ancient authorities read in your folly
  3. Sirach 13:13 Other ancient authorities add as verse 14, When you hear these things in your sleep, wake up! During all your life love the Lord, and call on him for your salvation.
  4. Sirach 13:21 Other ancient authorities read poor
  5. Sirach 13:25 Other ancient authorities add and a glad heart makes a cheerful countenance

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Sirach 13 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

13 He that toucheth pitch, shall be defouled of (or by) it; and he that communeth with a proud man, shall (be) clothe(d) (with) [or in] pride[a]. 2 He raiseth a weight on himself, that communeth with a more honest (or more honoured) man than himself; and be thou not fellow to a man richer than thou....
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Sirach 13 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Caution Regarding Associates13 Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and whoever associates with a proud man will become like him.2 Do not lift a weight beyond your strength, nor associate with a man mightier and richer than you.How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle? The pot will stri...
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Sirach 13 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Caution Regarding Associates13 Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and whoever associates with a proud man will become like him.2 Do not lift a weight beyond your strength, nor associate with a man mightier and richer than you.How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle? The pot will stri...
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Sirach 13 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Caution Regarding Associates13 Whoever touches pitch gets dirty, and whoever associates with a proud person becomes like him.2 Do not lift a weight too heavy for you, or associate with one mightier and richer than you.How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle? The pot will strike against i...
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Sirach 13 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Caution Regarding Associates13 Whoever touches pitch gets dirty, and whoever associates with the proud will become like them.(A)2 Do not lift a weight too heavy for you or associate with one mightier and richer than you.How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle? The pot will strike against...
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Sirach 13 - Good News Translation (GNT)

13 If you touch tar, it will stick to you, and if you keep company with arrogant people, you will come to be just like them. 2 Don't try to lift something too heavy for you, and don't keep company with people who are richer and more powerful than you. You cannot keep a clay pot next to an iron kettl...
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Sirach 13 - Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

13 He that toucheth pitch, shall be defiled with it: and he that hath fellowship with the proud, shall put on pride. 2 He shall take a burden upon him that hath fellowship with one more honourable than himself. And have no fellowship with one that is richer than thyself. 3 What agreement shall the e...
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Sirach 13 - Common English Bible (CEB)

13 Whoever touches tar will get dirty, and those who associate with the arrogant will become like them.2 Don’t lift somethingthat’s too heavy for you, and don’t associate with people who are more powerful and rich than you are.What does a clay pot have in commonwith a metal cauldron? The one will kn...
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