Sirach 11

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men.	1 Wisdom enables the poor to stand erect, and gives to the poor a place with the great.
2 Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.	2 Do not praise anyone for good looks, nor dislike anyone for mere appearance.
3 The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.	3 Smal among winged creatures is the bee but her produce is the sweetest of the sweet.
4 Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden.	4 Do not grow proud when people honour you; for the works of the Lord are wonderful but hidden fromhuman beings.
5 Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.	5 Many monarchs have been made to sit on the ground, and the person nobody thought of has worn thecrown.
6 Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands.	6 Many influential people have been utterly disgraced, and prominent people have fal en into the power ofothers.
7 Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.	7 Do not find fault before making thorough enquiry; first reflect, then give a reprimand.
8 Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.	8 Listen before you answer, and do not interrupt a speech before it is finished.
9 Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in judgment with sinners.	9 Do not wrangle about something that does not concern you, do not interfere in the quarrels of sinners.
10 My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.	10 My child, do not take on a great amount of business; if you multiply your interests, you are bound to suffer for it; hurry as fast as you can, yet you wil never arrive, nor wil you escape by running away.
11 There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind.	11 Some people work very hard at top speed, only to find themselves fal ing further behind.
12 Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,	12 Or there is the slow kind of person, needing help, poor in possessions and rich in poverty; and theLord turns a favourable eye on him, lifts him out of his wretched condition,
13 And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw from him is peace over all the	13 and enables him to hold his head high, thus causing general astonishment.
14 Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord.	14 Good and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, al come from the Lord.
15 Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him.	15
16 Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.	16
17 The gift of the Lord remaineth with the ungodly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever.	17 To the devout the Lord's gift remains constant, and his favour will be there to lead them for ever.
18 There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this his the portion of his reward:	18 Others grow rich by pinching and scraping, and here is the reward they receive for it:
19 Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die.	19 although they say, 'Now I can sit back and enjoy the benefit of what I have got,' they do not know howlong this wil last; they will have to leave their goods to others and die.
20 Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work.	20 Stick to your job, work hard at it and grow old at your work.
21 Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.	21 Do not admire the achievements of sinners, trust the Lord and mind your own business; since it is atrifle in the eyes of the Lord, in a moment, suddenly to make the poor rich.
22 The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing flourish.	22 The blessing of the Lord is the reward of the devout, in a moment God brings his blessing to flower.
23 Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?	23 Do not say, 'What are my needs, how much shal I have in the future?'
24 Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil shall I have hereafter?	24 And do not say, 'I am self-sufficient, what disaster can affect me now?'
25 In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.	25 In prosperous times, disasters are forgotten and in times of disaster, no one remembers prosperity.
26 For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.	26 Yet it is a trifle for the Lord on the day someone dies to repay him as his conduct deserves.
27 The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered.	27 A moment's adversity, and pleasures are forgotten; in a person's last hour his deeds wil standrevealed.
28 Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.	28 Cal no one fortunate before his death; it is by his end that someone wil be known.
29 Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains.	29 Do not bring everyone home with you, for many are the traps of the crafty.
30 Like as a partridge taken [and kept] in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:	30 Like a captive partridge in a cage, so is the heart of the proud: like a spy he watches for your downfal ,
31 For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.	31 ever on the look-out, turning good into bad and finding fault with what is praiseworthy.
32 Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man layeth wait for blood.	32 A hearthful of glowing coals starts from a single spark, and the sinner lurks for the chance to spilblood.
33 Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness; lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.	33 Beware of a scoundrel and his evil contrivances, in case he puts a smear on you for ever.
34 Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.	34 Give a home to a stranger and he wil start trouble and estrange you from your own family.