Sirach 21

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 My child, have you sinned? Do so no more, and ask forgiveness for your previous faults.	1 My son, if you have sinned, do so no more, and for your past sins pray to be forgiven.
2 Flee from sin as from a snake, if you approach it, it wil bite you; its teeth are lion's teeth, they takehuman life away.	2 Flee from sin as from a serpent. that will bite you if you go near it; Its teeth are lion's teeth, destroying the souls of men.
3 Al law-breaking is like a two-edged sword, the wounds it inflicts are beyond cure.	3 Every offense is a two-edged sword; when it cuts, there can be no healing.
4 Terror and violence make havoc of riches, similarly, desolation overtakes the houses of the proud.	4 Violence and arrogance wipe out wealth; so too a proud man's home is destroyed.
5 A plea from the mouth of the poor goes straight to the ear of God, whose judgement comes withoutdelay.	5 Prayer from a poor man's lips is heard at once, and justice is quickly granted him.
6 Whoever resents reproof walks in the sinner's footsteps; whoever fears the Lord is repentant of heart.	6 He who hates correction walks the sinner's path, but he who fears the LORD repents in his heart.
7 The glib speaker is known far and wide, but the wary detects every slip.	7 Widely known is the boastful speaker but the wise man knows his own faults.
8 To build your house with other people's money is like collecting stones for your own tomb.	8 He who builds his house with another's money is collecting stones for his funeral mound.
9 A meeting of the lawless is like a heap of tow: they wil end in a blazing fire.	9 A band of criminals is like a bundle of tow; they will end in a flaming fire.
10 The sinner's road is smoothly paved, but it ends at the pit of Sheol.	10 The path of sinners is smooth stones that end in the depths of the nether world.
11 Whoever keeps the Law wil master his instincts; the fear of the Lord is made perfect in wisdom.	11 He who keeps the law controls his impulses; he who is perfect in fear of the LORD has wisdom.
12 No one who lacks aptitude can be taught, but certain aptitudes give rise to bitterness.	12 He can never be taught who is not shrewd, but one form of shrewdness is thoroughly bitter.
13 The sage's knowledge is as rich as the abyss and his advice is like a living spring.	13 A wise man's knowledge wells up in a flood, and his counsel, like a living spring;
14 The heart of a fool is like a broken jar, it will not hold any knowledge.	14 A fool's mind is like a broken jar-- no knowledge at all can it hold.
15 If the educated hears a wise saying, he praises it and caps it with another; if a debauchee hears it, hedoes not like it and tosses it behind his back.	15 When an intelligent man hears words of wisdom, he approves them and adds to them; The wanton hears them with scorn and casts them behind his back.
16 The talk of a fool is like a load on a journey, but it is a pleasure to listen to the intelligent.	16 A fool's chatter is like a load on a journey, but there is charm to be found upon the lips of the wise.
17 The utterance of the shrewd wil be eagerly awaited in the assembly, what he says wil be givenserious consideration.	17 The views of a prudent man are sought in an assembly, and his words are considered with care.
18 The wisdom of a fool is like the wreckage of a house, the knowledge of a dolt is incoherent talk.	18 Like a house in ruins is wisdom to a fool; the stupid man knows it only as inscrutable words.
19 To the senseless fel ow instruction is like fetters on the feet, like manacles on the right hand.	19 Like fetters on the legs is learning to a fool, like a manacle on his right hand.
20 A fool laughs at the top of his voice, but the intel igent quietly smiles.	20 A fool raises his voice in laughter, but the prudent man at the most smiles gently.
21 To the shrewd instruction is like a golden ornament, like a bracelet on the right arm.	21 Like a chain of gold is learning to a wise man, like a bracelet on his right arm.
22 The step of a fool goes straight into a house, but a person of much experience makes a respectfulapproach;	22 The fool steps boldly into a house, while the well-bred man remains outside;
23 the stupid peeps inside through the door, a well-bred person waits outside.	23 A boor peeps through the doorway of a house, but a cultured man keeps his glance cast down.
24 Listening at doors is a sign of bad upbringing, the perceptive would be ashamed to do so.	24 It is rude for one to listen at a door; a cultured man would be overwhelmed by the disgrace of it.
25 The lips of gossips repeat the words of others, the words of the wise are careful y weighed.	25 The lips of the impious talk of what is not their concern, but the words of the prudent are carefully weighed.
26 The heart of fools is in their mouth, but the mouth of the wise is in their heart.	26 Fools' thoughts are in their mouths, wise men's words are in their hearts.
27 When the godless curses Satan, he is cursing himself.	27 When a godless man curses his adversary he really curses himself.
28 The scandal-monger sul ies himself and earns the hatred of the neighbourhood.	28 A slanderer besmirches himself, and is hated by his neighbors.