Sirach 14

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Happy the man whose mouth brings him no grief, who is not stung by remorse for sin.	1 Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.
2 Happy the man whose conscience does not reproach him, who has not lost hope.	2 Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.
3 Wealth ill becomes the mean man; and to the miser, of what use is gold?	3 Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?
4 What he denies himself he collects for others, and in his possessions a stranger will revel.	4 He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.
5 To whom will he be generous who is stingy with himself and does not enjoy what is his own?	5 He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.
6 None is more stingy than he who is stingy with himself; he punishes his own miserliness.	6 There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.
7 If ever he is generous, it is by mistake; and in the end he displays his greed.	7 And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.
8 In the miser's opinion his share is too small;	8 The envious man hath a wicked eye; he turneth away his face, and despiseth men.
9 he refuses his neighbor and brings ruin on himself.	9 A covetous man's eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.
10 The miser's eye is rapacious for bread, but on his own table he sets it stale.	10 A wicked eye envieth [his] bread, and he is a niggard at his table.
11 My son, use freely whatever you have and enjoy it as best you can;	11 My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.
12 Remember that death does not tarry, nor have you been told the grave's appointed time.	12 Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.
13 Before you die, be good to your friend, and give him a share in what you possess.	13 Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give to him.
14 Deprive not yourself of present good things, let no choice portion escape you.	14 Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass thee.
15 Will you not leave your riches to others, and your earnings to be divided by lot?	15 Shalt thou not leave thy travails unto another? and thy labours to be divided by lot?
16 Give, take, and treat yourself well, for in the nether world there are no joys to seek.	16 Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.
17 All flesh grows old, like a garment; the age-old law is: All must die.	17 All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death.
18 As with the leaves that grow on a vigorous tree: one falls off and another sprouts-- So with the generations of flesh and blood: one dies and another is born.	18 As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.
19 All man's works will perish in decay, and his handiwork will follow after him.	19 Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.
20 Happy the man who meditates on wisdom, and reflects on knowledge;	20 Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding. ing.
21 Who ponders her ways in his heart, and understands her paths;	21 He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.
22 Who pursues her like a scout, and lies in wait at her entry way;	22 Go after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her ways.
23 Who peeps through her windows, and listens at her doors;	23 He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors.
24 Who encamps near her house, and fastens his tent pegs next to her walls;	24 He that doth lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.
25 Who pitches his tent beside her, and lives as her welcome neighbor;	25 He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.
26 Who builds his nest in her leafage, and lodges in her branches;	26 He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.
27 Who takes shelter with her from the heat, and dwells in her home.	27 By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.