Sirach 10

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 A sagacious ruler educates his people, and he makes his subjects understand order.	1 A wise magistrate lends stability to his people, and the government of a prudent man is well ordered.
2 As the magistrate is, so will his officials be, as the governor is, so wil be the inhabitants of his city.	2 As the people's judge, so are his ministers; as the head of a city, its inhabitants.
3 An undisciplined king wil be the ruin of his people, a city owes its prosperity to the intel igence of itsleading men.	3 A wanton king destroys his people, but a city grows through the wisdom of its princes.
4 The government of the earth is in the hands of the Lord, he sets the right leader over it at the right time.	4 Sovereignty over the earth is in the hand of God, who raises up on it the man of the hour;
5 Human success is in the hands of the Lord. He invests the scribe with honour.	5 Sovereignty over every man is in the hand of God, who imparts his majesty to the ruler.
6 Do not resent your neighbour's every offence, and never act in a fit of passion.	6 No matter the wrong, do no violence to your neighbor, and do not walk the path of arrogance.
7 Pride is hateful to God and humanity, and injustice is abhorrent to both.	7 Odious to the LORD and to men is arrogance, and the sin of oppression they both hate.
8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation because of injustice, arrogance and money.	8 Dominion is transferred from one people to another because of the violence of the arrogant.
9 What has dust and ashes to pride itself on? Even in life its entrails are repel ent.	9 Why are dust and ashes proud? even during life man's body decays;
10 A long illness makes a fool of the doctor; a king today is a corpse tomorrow.	10 A slight illness--the doctor jests, a king today--tomorrow he is dead.
11 For in death the portion of al alike wil be insects, wild animals and worms.	11 When a man dies, he inherits corruption; worms and gnats and maggots.
12 The first stage of pride is to desert the Lord and to turn one's heart away from one's Maker.	12 The beginning of pride is man's stubbornness in withdrawing his heart from his Maker;
13 Since the first stage of pride is sin, whoever clings to it will pour forth filth. This is why the Lord inflictsunexpected punishments on such people, utterly destroying them.	13 For pride is the reservoir of sin, a source which runs over with vice; Because of it God sends unheard-of afflictions and brings men to utter ruin.
14 The Lord has turned mighty princes off their thrones and seated the humble there instead.	14 The thrones of the arrogant God overturns and establishes the lowly in their stead.
15 The Lord has plucked up the proud by the roots, and planted the lowly in their place.	15 The roots of the proud God plucks up, to plant the humble in their place:
16 The Lord has overthrown the lands of the nations and destroyed them to the very foundations of theearth.	16 He breaks down their stem to the level of the ground, then digs their roots from the earth.
17 Sometimes he has taken them away and destroyed them, and blotted out their memory from the earth.	17 The traces of the proud God sweeps away and effaces the memory of them from the earth.
18 Pride was not created for human beings, nor furious rage for those born of woman.	18 Insolence is not allotted to a man, nor stubborn anger to one born of woman.
19 What race deserves honour? The human race. What race deserves honour? Those who fear the Lord.What race deserves contempt? The human race. What race deserves contempt? Those who break the Law.	19 Whose offspring can be in honor? Those of men. Which offspring are in honor? Those who fear God. Whose offspring can be in disgrace? Those of men. Which offspring are in disgrace? Those who transgress the commandments.
20 A leader is honoured by his brothers, and those who fear the Lord are honoured by him.	20 Among brethren their leader is in honor; he who fears God is in honor among his people.
21	21 Be it tenant or wayfarer, alien or pauper, his glory is the fear of the LORD.
22 The rich, the noble, the poor, let them pride themselves on fearing the Lord.	22 It is not just to despise a man who is wise but poor, nor proper to honor any sinner.
23 It is not right to despise one who is poor but intel igent, and it is not good to honour one who is asinner.	23 The prince, the ruler, the judge are in honor; but none is greater than he who fears God.
24 Magnate, magistrate, potentate, all are to be honoured, but none is greater than the one who fears theLord.	24 When free men serve a prudent slave, the wise man does not complain.
25 A wise slave wil have free men waiting on him, and the enlightened wil not complain.	25 Flaunt not your wisdom in managing your affairs, and boast not in your time of need.
26 Do not try to be smart when you do your work, do not put on airs when you are in difficulties.	26 Better the worker who has plenty of everything than the boaster who is without bread.
27 Better the hardworking who has plenty of everything, than the pretentious at a loss for a meal.	27 My son, with humility have self-esteem; prize yourself as you deserve.
28 My child, be modest in your self-esteem, and value yourself at your proper worth.	28 Who will acquit him who condemns himself? who will honor him who discredits himself?
29 Who can justify one who inflicts injuries on himself, or respect one who is ful of self-contempt?	29 The poor man is honored for his wisdom as the rich man is honored for his wealth;
30 The poor is honoured for wit, and the rich for wealth.	30 Honored in poverty, how much more so in wealth! Dishonored in wealth, in poverty how much the more!
31 Honoured in poverty, how much the more in wealth! Dishonoured in wealth, how much the more inpoverty!