Sirach 13

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 He who touches pitch blackens his hand; he who associates with an impious man learns his ways.	1 Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and anyone who associates with the proud wil come to be likethem.
2 Bear no burden too heavy for you; go with no one greater or wealthier than yourself. How can the earthen pot go with the metal cauldron? When they knock together, the pot will be smashed:	2 Do not try to carry a burden too heavy for you, do not associate with someone more powerful andwealthy than yourself. Why put the clay pot next to the iron cauldron? It wil only break when they bang againsteach other.
3 The rich man does wrong and boasts of it, the poor man is wronged and begs forgiveness.	3 The rich does wrong and takes a high line; the poor is wronged and has to beg for pardon.
4 As long as the rich man can use you he will enslave you, but when you are exhausted, he will abandon you.	4 If you are useful the rich will exploit you, if you go bankrupt he wil desert you.
5 As long as you have anything he will speak fair words to you, and with smiles he will win your confidence;	5 Are you well off? - he wil live with you, he will clean you out without a single qualm.
6 When he needs something from you he will cajole you, then without regret he will impoverish you.	6 Does he need you? - he will hoodwink you, smile at you and raise your hopes; he wil speak politely toyou and say, 'Is there anything you need?'
7 While it serves his purpose he will beguile you, then twice or three times he will terrify you; When later he sees you he will pass you by, and shake his head over you.	7 He will make you feel smal at his dinner parties and, having cleaned you out two or three times over,wil end by laughing at you. Afterwards, when he sees you, he will avoid you and shake his head about you.
8 Guard against being presumptuous; be not as those who lack sense.	8 Take care you are not hoodwinked and thus humiliated through your own stupidity.
9 When invited by a man of influence, keep your distance; then he will urge you all the more.	9 When an influential person invites you, show reluctance, and he will press his invitation all the more.
10 Be not bold with him lest you be rebuffed, but keep not too far away lest you be forgotten.	10 Do not thrust yourself forward, in case you are pushed aside, but do not stand aloof, or you will beoverlooked.
11 Engage not freely in discussion with him, trust not his many words; For by prolonged talk he will test you, and though smiling he will probe you.	11 Do not affect to treat him as an equal, do not trust his flow of words; since all this talking is expresslymeant to test you, under cover of geniality he wil be weighing you up.
12 Mercilessly he will make of you a laughingstock, and will not refrain from injury or chains.	12 Pitiless is anyone who retails gossip; he wil not spare you either blows or chains.
13 Be on your guard and take care never to accompany men of violence.	13 Be wary, take very great care, because you are walking with your own downfal .
14 Every living thing loves its own kind, every man a man like himself.	14
15 Every being is drawn to its own kind; with his own kind every man associates.	15 Every living thing loves its own sort, and every man his fel ow.
16 Is a wolf ever allied with a lamb? So it is with the sinner and the just.	16 Every creature mixes with its kind, and human beings stick to their own sort.
17 Can there be peace between the hyena and the dog? Or between the rich and the poor can there be peace?	17 How can wolf and lamb agree? - Just so with sinner and devout.
18 Lion's prey are the wild asses of the desert; so too the poor are feeding grounds for the rich.	18 What peace can there be between hyena and dog? And what peace between rich and poor?
19 A proud man abhors lowliness; so does the rich man abhor the poor.	19 Wild desert donkeys are the prey of lions; so too, the poor is the quarry of the rich.
20 When a rich man stumbles he is supported by a friend; when a poor man trips he is pushed down by a friend.	20 The proud thinks humility abhorrent; so too, the rich abominates the poor.
21 Many are the supporters for a rich man when he speaks; though what he says is odious, it wins approval. When a poor man speaks they make sport of him; he speaks wisely and no attention is paid him.	21 When the rich stumbles he is supported by friends; when the poor fal s, his friends push him away.
22 A rich man speaks and all are silent, his wisdom they extol to the clouds. A poor man speaks and they say: "Who is that?" If he slips they cast him down.	22 When the rich slips, there are many hands to catch him, if he talks nonsense he is congratulated. Thepoor slips, and is blamed for it, he may talk good sense, but no room is made for him.
23 Wealth is good when there is no sin; but poverty is evil by the standards of the proud.	23 The rich speaks and everyone stops talking, and then they praise his discourse to the skies. The poorspeaks and people say, 'Who is this?' and if he stumbles, they trip him up yet more.
24 The heart of a man changes his countenance, either for good or for evil.	24 Wealth is good where there is no sin, poverty is evil, the godless say.
25 The sign of a good heart is a cheerful countenance; withdrawn and perplexed is the laborious schemer.	25 The heart moulds a person's expression whether for better or worse.
	26 Happy heart, cheerful expression; but wearisome work, inventing proverbs.