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