Sirach 4

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 My son, defraud not the poor of his living, and make not the needy eyes to wait long.	1 My son, rob not the poor man of his livelihood; force not the eyes of the needy to turn away.
2 Make not an hungry soul sorrowful; neither provoke a man in his distress.	2 A hungry man grieve not, a needy man anger not;
3 Add not more trouble to an heart that is vexed; and defer not to give to him that is in need.	3 Do not exasperate the downtrodden; delay not to give to the needy.
4 Reject not the supplication of the afflicted; neither turn away thy face from a poor man.	4 A beggar in distress do not reject; avert not your face from the poor.
5 Turn not away thine eye from the needy, and give him none occasion to curse thee:	5 From the needy turn not your eyes, give no man reason to curse you;
6 For if he curse thee in the bitterness of his soul, his prayer shall be heard of him that made him.	6 For if in the bitterness of his soul he curse you, his Creator will hear his prayer.
7 Get thyself the love of the congregation, and bow thy head to a great man.	7 Endear yourself to the assembly; before a ruler bow your head.
8 Let it not grieve thee to bow down thine ear to the poor, and give him a friendly answer with meekness.	8 Give a hearing to the poor man, and return his greeting with courtesy;
9 Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment.	9 Deliver the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor; let not justice be repugnant to you.
10 Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of an husband unto their mother: so shalt thou be as the son of the most High, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.	10 To the fatherless be as a father, and help their mother as a husband would; Thus will you be like a son to the Most High, and he will be more tender to you than a mother.
11 Wisdom exalteth her children, and layeth hold of them that seek her.	11 Wisdom instructs her children and admonishes those who seek her.
12 He that loveth her loveth life; and they that seek to her early shall be filled with joy.	12 He who loves her loves life; those who seek her out win her favor.
13 He that holdeth her fast shall inherit glory; and wheresoever she entereth, the Lord will bless.	13 He who holds her fast inherits glory; wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessings.
14 They that serve her shall minister to the Holy One: and them that love her the Lord doth love.	14 Those who serve her serve the Holy One; those who love her the LORD loves.
15 Whoso giveth ear unto her shall judge the nations: and he that attendeth unto her shall dwell securely.	15 He who obeys her judges nations; he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers.
16 If a man commit himself unto her, he shall inherit her; and his generation shall hold her in possession.	16 If one trusts her, he will possess her; his descendants too will inherit her.
17 For at the first she will walk with him by crooked ways, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, until she may trust his soul, and try him by her laws.	17 She walks with him as a stranger, and at first she puts him to the test; Fear and dread she brings upon him and tries him with her discipline; With her precepts she puts him to the proof, until his heart is fully with her.
18 Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.	18 Then she comes back to bring him happiness and reveal her secrets to him.
19 But if he go wrong, she will forsake him, and give him over to his own ruin.	19 But if he fails her, she will abandon him and deliver him into the hands of despoilers.
20 Observe the opportunity, and beware of evil; and be not ashamed when it concerneth thy soul.	20 Use your time well; guard yourself from evil, and bring upon yourself no shame.
21 For there is a shame that bringeth sin; and there is a shame which is glory and grace.	21 There is a sense of shame laden with guilt, and a shame that merits honor and respect.
22 Accept no person against thy soul, and let not the reverence of any man cause thee to fall.	22 Show no favoritism to your own discredit; let no one intimidate you to your own downfall.
23 And refrain not to speak, when there is occasion to do good, and hide not thy wisdom in her beauty.	23 Refrain not from speaking at the proper time, and hide not away your wisdom;
24 For by speech wisdom shall be known: and learning by the word of the tongue.	24 For it is through speech that wisdom becomes known, and knowledge through the tongue's rejoinder.
25 In no wise speak against the truth; but be abashed of the error of thine ignorance.	25 Never gainsay the truth, and struggle not against the rushing stream.
26 Be not ashamed to confess thy sins; and force not the course of the river.	26 Be not ashamed to acknowledge your guilt, but of your ignorance rather be ashamed.
27 Make not thyself an underling to a foolish man; neither accept the person of the mighty.	27 Do not abase yourself before an impious man, nor refuse to do so before rulers.
28 Strive for the truth unto death, and the Lord shall fight for thee.	28 Even to the death fight for truth, and the LORD your God will battle for you.
29 Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.	29 Be not surly in your speech, nor lazy and slack in your deeds.
30 Be not as a lion in thy house, nor frantick among thy servants.	30 Be not a lion at home, nor sly and suspicious at work.
31 Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay.	31 Let not your hand be open to receive and clenched when it is time to give.