Sirach 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Wisdom enables the poor to stand erect, and gives to the poor a place with the great.	1 The poor man's wisdom lifts his head high and sets him among princes.
2 Do not praise anyone for good looks, nor dislike anyone for mere appearance.	2 Praise not a man for his looks; despise not a man for his appearance.
3 Smal among winged creatures is the bee but her produce is the sweetest of the sweet.	3 Least is the bee among winged things, but she reaps the choicest of all harvests.
4 Do not grow proud when people honour you; for the works of the Lord are wonderful but hidden fromhuman beings.	4 Mock not the worn cloak and jibe at no man's bitter day: For strange are the works of the LORD, hidden from men his deeds.
5 Many monarchs have been made to sit on the ground, and the person nobody thought of has worn thecrown.	5 The oppressed often rise to a throne, and some that none would consider wear a crown.
6 Many influential people have been utterly disgraced, and prominent people have fal en into the power ofothers.	6 The exalted often fall into utter disgrace; the honored are given into enemy hands.
7 Do not find fault before making thorough enquiry; first reflect, then give a reprimand.	7 Before investigating, find no fault; examine first, then criticize.
8 Listen before you answer, and do not interrupt a speech before it is finished.	8 Before hearing, answer not, and interrupt no one in the middle of his speech.
9 Do not wrangle about something that does not concern you, do not interfere in the quarrels of sinners.	9 Dispute not about what is not your concern; in the strife of the arrogant take no part.
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, why increase your cares, since he who is avid for wealth will not be blameless? Even if you run after it, you will never overtake it; however you seek it, you will not find it.
11 Some people work very hard at top speed, only to find themselves fal ing further behind.	11 One may toil and struggle and drive, and fall short all the more.
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 Another goes his way a weakling and a failure, with little strength and great misery-- Yet the eyes of the LORD look favorably upon him; he raises him free of the vile dust,
13 and enables him to hold his head high, thus causing general astonishment.	13 Lifts up his head and exalts him to the amazement of the many.
14 Good and bad, life and death, poverty and wealth, al come from the Lord.	14 Good and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from the LORD.
15	15 Wisdom and understanding and knowledge of affairs, love and virtuous paths are from the LORD.
16	16 Error and darkness were formed with sinners from their birth, and evil grows old with evildoers.
17 To the devout the Lord's gift remains constant, and his favour will be there to lead them for ever.	17 The LORD'S gift remains with the just; his favor brings continued success.
18 Others grow rich by pinching and scraping, and here is the reward they receive for it:	18 A man may become rich through a miser's life, and this is his allotted 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 When he says: "I have found rest, now I will feast on my possessions," He does not know how long it will be till he dies and leaves them to others.
20 Stick to your job, work hard at it and grow old at your work.	20 My son, hold fast to your duty, busy yourself with it, grow old while doing your task.
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 Admire not how sinners live, but trust in the LORD and wait for his light; For it is easy with the LORD suddenly, in an instant, to make a poor man rich.
22 The blessing of the Lord is the reward of the devout, in a moment God brings his blessing to flower.	22 God's blessing is the lot of the just man, and in due time his hopes bear fruit.
23 Do not say, 'What are my needs, how much shal I have in the future?'	23 Say not: "What do I need? What further pleasure can be mine?"
24 And do not say, 'I am self-sufficient, what disaster can affect me now?'	24 Say not: "I am independent. What harm can come to me now?"
25 In prosperous times, disasters are forgotten and in times of disaster, no one remembers prosperity.	25 The day of prosperity makes one forget adversity; the day of adversity makes one forget prosperity.
26 Yet it is a trifle for the Lord on the day someone dies to repay him as his conduct deserves.	26 For it is easy with the LORD on the day of death to repay man according to his deeds.
27 A moment's adversity, and pleasures are forgotten; in a person's last hour his deeds wil standrevealed.	27 A moment's affliction brings forgetfulness of past delights; when a man dies, his life is revealed.
28 Cal no one fortunate before his death; it is by his end that someone wil be known.	28 Call no man happy before his death, for by how he ends, a man is known.
29 Do not bring everyone home with you, for many are the traps of the crafty.	29 Bring not every man into your house, for many are the snares of the crafty one;
30 Like a captive partridge in a cage, so is the heart of the proud: like a spy he watches for your downfal ,	30 Though he seem like a bird confined in a cage, yet like a spy he will pick out the weak spots.
31 ever on the look-out, turning good into bad and finding fault with what is praiseworthy.	31 The talebearer turns good into evil; with a spark he sets many coals afire.
32 A hearthful of glowing coals starts from a single spark, and the sinner lurks for the chance to spilblood.	32 The evil man lies in wait for blood, and plots against your choicest possessions.
33 Beware of a scoundrel and his evil contrivances, in case he puts a smear on you for ever.	33 Avoid a wicked man, for he breeds only evil, lest you incur a lasting stain.
34 Give a home to a stranger and he wil start trouble and estrange you from your own family.	34 Lodge a stranger with you, and he will subvert your course, and make a stranger of you to your own household.