Sirach 27

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Many have sinned for the sake of profit, one who hopes to be rich must turn a blind eye.	1 For the sake of profit many sin, and the struggle for wealth blinds the eyes.
2 A peg wil stick in the joint between two stones, and sin wil wedge itself between sel ing and buying.	2 Like a peg driven between fitted stones, between buying and selling sin is wedged in.
3 Whoever does not firmly hold to the fear of the Lord, his house wil soon be overthrown.	3 Unless you earnestly hold fast to the fear of the LORD, suddenly your house will be thrown down.
4 In a shaken sieve the rubbish is left behind, so too the defects of a person appear in speech.	4 When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do a man's faults when he speaks.
5 The kiln tests the work of the potter, the test of a person is in conversation.	5 As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in his conversation is the test of a man.
6 The orchard where the tree grows is judged by its fruit, similarly words betray what a person feels.	6 The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does a man's speech disclose the bent of his mind.
7 Do not praise anyone who has not yet spoken, since this is where people are tested.	7 Praise no man before he speaks, for it is then that men are tested.
8 If you pursue virtue, you will attain it and put it on like a festal gown.	8 If you strive after justice you will attain it, and put it on like a splendid robe.
9 Birds consort with their kind, truth comes home to those who practise it.	9 Birds nest with their own kind, and fidelity comes to those who live by it.
10 The lion lies in wait for its prey, so does sin for those who do wrong.	10 As a lion crouches in wait for prey, so do sins for evildoers.
11 The conversation of the devout is wisdom at all times, but the fool is as changeable as the moon.	11 Ever wise are the discourses of the devout, but the godless man, like the moon, is inconstant.
12 When visiting stupid people, choose the right moment, but among the thoughtful take your time.	12 Limit the time you spend among fools, but frequent the company of thoughtful men.
13 The conversation of fools is disgusting, raucous their laughter in their sinful pleasures.	13 The conversation of the wicked is offensive, their laughter is wanton guilt.
14 The talk of hard-swearing people makes your hair stand on end, their brawling makes you stop yourears.	14 Their oath-filled talk makes the hair stand on end, their brawls make one stop one's ears.
15 A quarrel between the proud leads to bloodshed, and their insults are embarrassing to hear.	15 Wrangling among the haughty ends in bloodshed, their cursing is painful to hear.
16 A betrayer of secrets forfeits al trust and wil never find the kind of friend he wants.	16 He who betrays a secret cannot be trusted, he will never find an intimate friend.
17 Be fond of a friend and keep faith with him, but if you have betrayed his secrets, do not go after himany more;	17 Cherish your friend, keep faith with him; but if you betray his confidence, follow him not;
18 for, as one destroys a person by kil ing him, so you have kil ed your neighbour's friendship,	18 For as an enemy might kill a man, you have killed your neighbor's friendship.
19 and as you let a bird slip through your fingers, so you have let your friend go, and wil not catch him.	19 Like a bird released from the hand, you have let your friend go and cannot recapture him;
20 Do not go after him -- he is far away, he has fled like a gazel e from the snare.	20 Follow him not, for he is far away, he has fled like a gazelle from the trap.
21 For a wound can be bandaged and abuse forgiven, but for the betrayer of a secret there is no hope.	21 A wound can be bound up, and an insult forgiven, but he who betrays secrets does hopeless damage.
22 Someone with a sly wink is plotting mischief, no one can dissuade him from it.	22 He who has shifty eyes plots mischief and no one can ward him off;
23 Honey-tongued to your face, he is lost in admiration at your words; but behind your back he has otherthings to say, and turns your words into a stumbling-block.	23 In your presence he uses honeyed talk, and admires your every word, But later he changes his tone and twists your words to your ruin.
24 I have found many things to hate, but nothing as much as him, and the Lord hates him too.	24 There is nothing that I hate so much, and the LORD hates him as well.
25 Whoever throws a stone in the air, throws it on to his own head; a treacherous blow cuts both ways.	25 As a stone falls back on him who throws it up, so a blow struck in treachery injures more than one.
26 The man who digs a pit falls into it, whoever sets a snare wil be caught by it.	26 As he who digs a pit falls into it, and he who lays a snare is caught in it,
27 On anyone who does evil, evil wil recoil, without his knowing where it comes from.	27 Whoever does harm will be involved in it without knowing how it came upon him.
28 Sarcasm and abuse are the mark of the arrogant, but vengeance lies in wait like a lion for such a one.	28 Mockery and abuse will be the lot of the proud, and vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion.
29 The trap will close on all who rejoice in the downfal of the devout, and pain wil eat them up beforethey die.	29 The trap seizes those who rejoice in pitfalls, and pain will consume them before they die;
30 Resentment and anger, these are foul things too, and a sinner is a master at them both.	30 Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.