Sirach 11

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Wisdom enables the poor to stand erect, and gives to the poor a place with the great.	1 The wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make him sit in the midst of great men.
2 Do not praise anyone for good looks, nor dislike anyone for mere appearance.	2 Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for his look.
3 Smal among winged creatures is the bee but her produce is the sweetest of the sweet.	3 The bee is small among flying things, but her fruit hath the chiefest sweetness.
4 Do not grow proud when people honour you; for the works of the Lord are wonderful but hidden fromhuman beings.	4 Glory not in apparel at any time, and be not exalted in the day of thy honour: for the works of the Highest only are wonderful, and his works are glorious, and secret, end hidden.
5 Many monarchs have been made to sit on the ground, and the person nobody thought of has worn thecrown.	5 Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man would think on, hath worn the crown.
6 Many influential people have been utterly disgraced, and prominent people have fal en into the power ofothers.	6 Many mighty men have been greatly brought down, and the glorious have been delivered into the hand of others.
7 Do not find fault before making thorough enquiry; first reflect, then give a reprimand.	7 Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired, reprove justly.
8 Listen before you answer, and do not interrupt a speech before it is finished.	8 Before thou hear, answer not a word: and interrupt not others in the midst of their discourse.
9 Do not wrangle about something that does not concern you, do not interfere in the quarrels of sinners.	9 Strive not in a matter which doth not concern thee, and sit not in judgment with sinners.
10 My child, do not take on a great amount of business; if you multiply your interests, you are bound to suffer for it; hurry as fast as you can, yet you wil never arrive, nor wil you escape by running away.	10 My son, meddle not with many matters: and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue after thou shalt not overtake: and if thou run before thou shalt not escape.
11 Some people work very hard at top speed, only to find themselves fal ing further behind.	11 There is an ungodly man that laboureth, and maketh haste, and is in sorrow, and is so much the more in want.
12 Or there is the slow kind of person, needing help, poor in possessions and rich in poverty; and theLord turns a favourable eye on him, lifts him out of his wretched condition,	12 Again, there is an inactive man that wanteth help, is very weak in ability, and full of poverty:
13 and enables him to hold his head high, thus causing general astonishment.	13 Yet the eye of God hath looked upon him for good, and hath lifted him up from his low estate, and hath exalted his head: and many have wondered at him, and have glorified God.
14 Good and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, al come from the Lord.	14 Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God.
15	15 Wisdom and discipline, and the knowledge of the law are with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him
16	16 Error and darkness are created with sinners: and they that glory in evil things, grow old in evil.
17 To the devout the Lord's gift remains constant, and his favour will be there to lead them for ever.	17 The gift of God abideth with the just, and his advancement shall have success for ever.
18 Others grow rich by pinching and scraping, and here is the reward they receive for it:	18 There is one that is enriched by living sparingly, and this is the portion of his reward.
19 although they say, 'Now I can sit back and enjoy the benefit of what I have got,' they do not know howlong this wil last; they will have to leave their goods to others and die.	19 In that he saith: I have found me rest, and now I will eat of my goods alone:
20 Stick to your job, work hard at it and grow old at your work.	20 And he knoweth not what time shall pass, and that death approacheth, and that he must leave all to others, and shall die.
21 Do not admire the achievements of sinners, trust the Lord and mind your own business; since it is atrifle in the eyes of the Lord, in a moment, suddenly to make the poor rich.	21 Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and grow old in the work of thy commandments.
22 The blessing of the Lord is the reward of the devout, in a moment God brings his blessing to flower.	22 Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and stay in thy place.
23 Do not say, 'What are my needs, how much shal I have in the future?'	23 For it is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor man rich.
24 And do not say, 'I am self-sufficient, what disaster can affect me now?'	24 The blessing of God maketh haste to reward the just, and in a swift hour his blessing beareth fruit.
25 In prosperous times, disasters are forgotten and in times of disaster, no one remembers prosperity.	25 Say not: What need I, and what good shall I have by this?
26 Yet it is a trifle for the Lord on the day someone dies to repay him as his conduct deserves.	26 Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be made worse by this?
27 A moment's adversity, and pleasures are forgotten; in a person's last hour his deeds wil standrevealed.	27 In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils: and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things:
28 Cal no one fortunate before his death; it is by his end that someone wil be known.	28 For it is easy before God in the day of death to reward every one according to his ways.
29 Do not bring everyone home with you, for many are the traps of the crafty.	29 The affliction of an hour maketh one forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the disclosing of his works.
30 Like a captive partridge in a cage, so is the heart of the proud: like a spy he watches for your downfal ,	30 Praise not any man before death, for a man is known by his children.
31 ever on the look-out, turning good into bad and finding fault with what is praiseworthy.	31 Bring not every man into thy house: for many are the snares of the deceitful.
32 A hearthful of glowing coals starts from a single spark, and the sinner lurks for the chance to spilblood.	32 For as corrupted bowels send forth stinking breath, and as the partridge is brought into the cage, and as the roe into the snare: so also is the heart of the proud, and as a spy that looketh on the fall of his neighbour.
33 Beware of a scoundrel and his evil contrivances, in case he puts a smear on you for ever.	33 For he lieth in wait and turneth good into evil, and on the elect he will lay a blot.
34 Give a home to a stranger and he wil start trouble and estrange you from your own family.	34 Of one spark cometh a great fire, and of one deceitful man much blood: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.
	35 Take heed to thyself of a mischievous man, for he worketh evils: lest he bring upon thee reproach for ever.
	36 Receive a stranger in, and he shall overthrow thee with a whirlwind, and shall turn thee out of thy own.