Sirach 12

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 If you do good, know for whom you are doing it, and your kindness will have its effect.	1 When thou wilt do good know to whom thou doest it; so shalt thou be thanked for thy benefits.
2 Do good to the just man and reward will be yours, if not from him, from the LORD.	2 Do good to the godly man, and thou shalt find a recompence; and if not from him, yet from the most High.
3 No good comes to him who gives comfort to the wicked, nor is it an act of mercy that he does.	3 There can no good come to him that is always occupied in evil, nor to him that giveth no alms.
4 Give to the good man, refuse the sinner; refresh the downtrodden, give nothing to the proud man.	4 Give to the godly man, and help not a sinner.
5 No arms for combat should you give him, lest he use them against yourself;	5 Do well unto him that is lowly, but give not to the ungodly: hold back thy bread, and give it not unto him, lest he overmaster thee thereby: for [else] thou shalt receive twice as much evil for all the good thou shalt have done unto him.
6 With twofold evil you will meet for every good deed you do for him.	6 For the most High hateth sinners, and will repay vengeance unto the ungodly, and keepeth them against the mighty day of their punishment.
7 The Most High himself hates sinners, and upon the wicked he takes vengeance.	7 Give unto the good, and help not the sinner.
8 In our prosperity we cannot know our friends; in adversity an enemy will not remain concealed.	8 A friend cannot be known in prosperity: and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.
9 When a man is successful even his enemy is friendly; in adversity even his friend disappears.	9 In the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved: but in his adversity even a friend will depart.
10 Never trust your enemy, for his wickedness is like corrosion in bronze.	10 Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.
11 Even though he acts humbly and peaceably toward you, take care to be on your guard against him. Rub him as one polishes a brazen mirror, and you will find that there is still corrosion.	11 Though he humble himself, and go crouching, yet take good heed and beware of him, and thou shalt be unto him as if thou hadst wiped a lookingglass, and thou shalt know that his rust hath not been altogether wiped away.
12 Let him not stand near you, lest he oust you and take your place. Let him not sit at your right hand, lest he then demand your seat, And in the end you appreciate my advice, when you groan with regret, as I warned you.	12 Set him not by thee, lest, when he hath overthrown thee, he stand up in thy place; neither let him sit at thy right hand, lest he seek to take thy seat, and thou at the last remember my words, and be pricked therewith.
13 Who pities a snake charmer when he is bitten, or anyone who goes near a wild beast?	13 Who will pity a charmer that is bitten with a serpent, or any such as come nigh wild beasts?
14 So is it with the companion of the proud man, who is involved in his sins:	14 So one that goeth to a sinner, and is defiled with him in his sins, who will pity?
15 While you stand firm, he makes no bold move; but if you slip, he cannot hold back.	15 For a while he will abide with thee, but if thou begin to fall, he will not tarry.
16 With his lips an enemy speaks sweetly, but in his heart he schemes to plunge you into the abyss. Though your enemy has tears in his eyes, if given the chance, he will never have enough of your blood.	16 An enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips, but in his heart he imagineth how to throw thee into a pit: he will weep with his eyes, but if he find opportunity, he will not be satisfied with blood.
17 If evil comes upon you, you will find him at hand; feigning to help, he will trip you up,	17 If adversity come upon thee, thou shalt find him there first; and though he pretend to help thee, yet shall he undermine thee.
18 Then he will nod his head and clap his hands and hiss repeatedly, and show his true face.	18 He will shake his head, and clap his hands, and whisper much, and change his countenance.