Sirach 10

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 A sagacious ruler educates his people, and he makes his subjects understand order.	1 A wise judge will judge his people, and the leadership of an understanding man will be steadfast.
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 judge of the people is, so also are his assistants. And whatever kind of man the ruler of a city is, of such a kind also are those who live in it.
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 foolish king will be the ruin of his people. For cities will be inhabited through the understanding of those with power.
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 Power over the earth is in the hand of God, and, in due time, he will raise up a helpful leader over the earth.
5 Human success is in the hands of the Lord. He invests the scribe with honour.	5 The prosperity of a man is in the hand of God, and he will place his honor above the face of the scribe.
6 Do not resent your neighbour's every offence, and never act in a fit of passion.	6 You should forget all injury done to you by your neighbor, and you should do nothing among the works of injury.
7 Pride is hateful to God and humanity, and injustice is abhorrent to both.	7 Arrogance is hateful in the sight of God and of men. And all iniquity among the nations is abominable.
8 Sovereignty passes from nation to nation because of injustice, arrogance and money.	8 A kingdom is transferred from one people to another because of injustices, and injuries, and contempt, and every kind of deceit.
9 What has dust and ashes to pride itself on? Even in life its entrails are repel ent.	9 But nothing is more wicked than a greedy man. Why should that which is earth and ashes be arrogant?
10 A long illness makes a fool of the doctor; a king today is a corpse tomorrow.	10 There is nothing more iniquitous than to love money. For such a one has sold even his own soul. For in his life, he casts aside his innermost being.
11 For in death the portion of al alike wil be insects, wild animals and worms.	11 All power is of short life. A prolonged sickness is of grave concern to a physician.
12 The first stage of pride is to desert the Lord and to turn one's heart away from one's Maker.	12 A physician causes a sickness to be shortened. So also, a king is here today, and tomorrow he will die.
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 when a man dies, he will inherit serpents, and wild beasts, and worms.
14 The Lord has turned mighty princes off their thrones and seated the humble there instead.	14 The beginning of the arrogance of man is apostasy from God.
15 The Lord has plucked up the proud by the roots, and planted the lowly in their place.	15 For his heart has withdrawn from the One who made him. For arrogance is the beginning of all sin. Whoever holds to it, will be filled with evil words, and it will overthrow him in the end.
16 The Lord has overthrown the lands of the nations and destroyed them to the very foundations of theearth.	16 Because of this, the Lord has dishonored the gatherings of the evil, and he has destroyed them, even unto the end.
17 Sometimes he has taken them away and destroyed them, and blotted out their memory from the earth.	17 God has destroyed the seats of arrogant leaders, and he has caused the meek to be seated in their place.
18 Pride was not created for human beings, nor furious rage for those born of woman.	18 The roots of arrogant nations, God has dried up, and the humble among these nations, he has planted.
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 The Lord has overthrown the lands of the Gentiles, and he has utterly destroyed them, even to their foundation.
20 A leader is honoured by his brothers, and those who fear the Lord are honoured by him.	20 He has dried up some of them, and he has utterly destroyed them, and he has caused their memory to depart from the earth.
21	21 God has abolished the memory of the arrogant, and he has left behind only the memory of those who are humble in mind.
22 The rich, the noble, the poor, let them pride themselves on fearing the Lord.	22 Arrogance was not created for men, nor was an angry temperament created for the gender of women.
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 Those who fear God among the offspring of men will be honored. But those among the offspring who ignore the commandments of the Lord will be dishonored.
24 Magnate, magistrate, potentate, all are to be honoured, but none is greater than the one who fears theLord.	24 In the midst of his brothers, a ruler has honor. And those who fear the Lord will have honor in his eyes.
25 A wise slave wil have free men waiting on him, and the enlightened wil not complain.	25 The fear of God is the glory of the wealthy, and of the honorable, and of the poor.
26 Do not try to be smart when you do your work, do not put on airs when you are in difficulties.	26 Do not choose to despise a just man who is poor, and do not choose to magnify a sinful man who is rich.
27 Better the hardworking who has plenty of everything, than the pretentious at a loss for a meal.	27 The great man, and the judge, and the powerful have honor. But no one is greater than he who fears God.
28 My child, be modest in your self-esteem, and value yourself at your proper worth.	28 Those who are free will serve an understanding servant. And a prudent and disciplined man will not murmur at correction. But an ignorant man will not be honored.
29 Who can justify one who inflicts injuries on himself, or respect one who is ful of self-contempt?	29 Do not choose to extol yourself in doing your work, and do not be unproductive during the time of distress.
30 The poor is honoured for wit, and the rich for wealth.	30 He who works, and so abounds in all things, is better than he who boasts, and so lacks bread.
31 Honoured in poverty, how much the more in wealth! Dishonoured in wealth, how much the more inpoverty!	31 Son, preserve your soul in meekness, and give it honor according to its merit.
	32 Who will justify one who sins in his soul? And who will honor one who dishonors his soul?
	33 The poor man is glorified by his discipline and fear. And there is a man who is honored because of his substance.
	34 But if someone is glorified in poverty, how much more in substance? And whoever is glorified in substance, let him fear poverty.