Sirach 7 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Miscellaneous Advice

7 Do no evil, and evil will never befall you.
² Stay away from wrong, and it will turn away from you.
³ My son, do not sow the furrows of injustice,
and you will not reap a sevenfold crop.

⁴ Do not seek from the Lord the highest office,
nor the seat of honor from the king.
⁵ Do not assert your righteousness before the Lord,
nor display your wisdom before the king.
⁶ Do not seek to become a judge,
lest you be unable to remove iniquity,
lest you be partial to a powerful man,
and thus put a blot on your integrity.
⁷ Do not offend against the public,
and do not disgrace yourself among the people.

⁸ Do not commit a sin twice;
even for one you will not go unpunished.
⁹ Do not say, “He will consider the multitude of my gifts,
and when I make an offering to the Most High God he will accept it.”
¹⁰ Do not be fainthearted in your prayer,
nor neglect to give alms.

¹¹ Do not ridicule a man who is bitter in soul,
for there is One who abases and exalts.
¹² Do not devise^[a] a lie against your brother,
nor do the like to a friend.
¹³ Refuse to utter any lie,
for the habit of lying serves no good.
¹⁴ Do not prattle in the assembly of the elders,
nor repeat yourself in your prayer.

¹⁵ Do not hate toilsome labor,
or farm work, which were created by the Most High.
¹⁶ Do not count yourself among the crowd of sinners;
remember that wrath does not delay.
¹⁷ Humble yourself greatly,
for the punishment of the ungodly is fire and worms.^[b]

Relations with Others

¹⁸ Do not exchange a friend for money,
or a real brother for the gold of Ophir.
¹⁹ Do not deprive yourself of a wise and good wife,
for her charm is worth more than gold.
²⁰ Do not abuse a servant who performs his work faithfully,
or a hired laborer who devotes himself to you.
²¹ Let your soul love^[c] an intelligent servant;
do not withhold from him his freedom.

²² Do you have cattle? Look after them;
if they are profitable to you, keep them.
²³ Do you have children? Discipline them,
and make them obedient^[d] from their youth.
²⁴ Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity,^[e]
and do not show yourself too indulgent with them.
²⁵ Give a daughter in marriage; you will have finished a great task.
But give her to a man of understanding.

²⁶ If you have a wife who pleases you,^[f] do not cast her out;
but do not trust yourself to one whom you detest.
²⁷ With all your heart honor your father,
and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother.
²⁸ Remember that through your parents^[g] you were born;
and what can you give back to them that equals their gift to you?

²⁹ With all your soul fear the Lord,
and honor his priests.
³⁰ With all your might love your Maker,
and do not forsake his ministers.
³¹ Fear the Lord and honor the priest,
and give him his portion, as is commanded you:
the first fruits, the guilt offering, the gift of the shoulders,
the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy things.

³² Stretch forth your hand to the poor,
so that your blessing may be complete.
³³ Give graciously to all the living,
and withhold not kindness from the dead.
³⁴ Do not fail those who weep,
but mourn with those who mourn.
³⁵ Do not shrink from visiting a sick man,
because for such deeds you will be loved.
³⁶ In all you do, remember the end of your life,
and then you will never sin.

Footnotes

1. Sirach 7:12 Heb: Gk plow
2. Sirach 7:17 The Hebrew text reads for the expectation of man is worms
3. Sirach 7:21 The Hebrew text reads Love like yourself
4. Sirach 7:23 Gk bend their necks
5. Sirach 7:24 Gk body
6. Sirach 7:26 Heb Syr omit who pleases you
7. Sirach 7:28 Gk them