Sirach 7

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Do no evil, and evil wil not befal you;	1 Do not choose to do evil, and evil will not take hold of you.
2 shun wrong, and it wil avoid you.	2 Withdraw from the iniquitous, and evil will withdraw from you.
3 My child, do not sow in the furrows of wickedness, for fear you have to reap them seven times over.	3 Son, do not sow evil in the furrows of injustice, and you will not reap them sevenfold.
4 Do not ask the Lord for the highest place, or the king for a seat of honour.	4 Do not seek a role of leadership from the Lord, and do not seek a seat of honor from the king.
5 Do not parade your uprightness before the Lord, or your wisdom before the king.	5 You should not justify yourself before God, for he is the Knower of hearts. And by no means should you wish to seem wise before the king.
6 Do not scheme to be appointed judge, for fear you should not be strong enough to stamp out injustice,for fear of being swayed by someone influential and so of risking the loss of your integrity.	6 Do not seek to become a judge, unless you have sufficient strength to shatter iniquities. Otherwise, you might fear the face of the powerful, and so establish a scandal within your integrity.
7 Do not wrong the general body of citizens and so lower yourself in popular esteem.	7 You should not sin against the multitude of a city, nor should you cast yourself against the people.
8 Do not be drawn to sin twice over, for you wil not go unpunished even once.	8 And you should not bind two sins together. For even in one sin, you will not go unpunished.
9 Do not say, 'God will be impressed by my numerous offerings; when I sacrifice to God Most High, he isbound to accept.'	9 Do not be cowardly in your soul.
10 Do not be hesitant in prayer; do not neglect to give alms.	10 You should not be unwilling to beg, nor to give alms.
11 Do not laugh at someone who is sad of heart, for he who brings low can lift up high.	11 You should not say: “God will look with favor on the multitude of my gifts, and when I make an offering to the most high God, he will accept my gift.”
12 Do not make up lies against your brother, nor against a friend either.	12 You should not ridicule a man in bitterness of soul. For there is One who humbles and who exalts: the all-seeing God.
13 Mind you tel no lies, for no good can come of it.	13 Do not love a lie against your brother, nor should you act the same toward your friend.
14 Do not talk too much at the gathering of elders, and do not repeat yourself at your prayers.	14 Do not be willing to devise a lie of any kind. For the practice of lying is not good.
15 Do not shirk tiring jobs or farm work, ordained by the Most High.	15 Do not choose to be verbose among a multitude of elders, and you should not repeat the words of your prayers.
16 Do not swell the ranks of sinners, remember that the retribution wil not delay.	16 You should not hate laborious works, nor the rustic life created by the Most High.
17 Be very humble, since the recompense for the godless is fire and worms.	17 You should not consider yourself to be among the multitude of the undisciplined.
18 Do not barter a friend away for the sake of profit, nor a true brother for the gold of Ophir.	18 Remember wrath. For it will not be delayed.
19 Do not turn against a wise and good wife; her gracious presence is worth more than gold.	19 Humble your spirit greatly. For the retribution against the flesh of the impious is with fire and worms.
20 Do not il -treat a slave who is an honest worker, or a wage-earner who is devoted to you.	20 Do not betray your friend for the sake of money, and you should not spurn your dearest brother for the sake of gold.
21 Love an intel igent slave with al your heart, and do not deny such a slave his freedom.	21 Do not choose to depart from a good and understanding wife, whom you have been allotted in the fear of the Lord. For the grace of her modesty is above gold.
22 Have you cattle? Look after them; if they are making you a profit, keep them.	22 You should not harm the servant whose works are honest, nor the hired hand who entrusts his life to you.
23 Have you children? Educate them, from childhood make them bow the neck.	23 Let an understanding servant be loved by you like your own soul. You should not cheat him out of freedom, nor abandon him to destitution.
24 Have you daughters? Take care of their bodies, but do not be over-indulgent.	24 Are cattle yours? Tend to them. And if they are useful, let them remain with you.
25 Marry a daughter off, and you have finished a great work; but give her to a man of sense.	25 Are sons yours? Instruct them, and bow them down from their childhood.
26 Have you a wife to your liking? Do not turn her out; but if you do not love her, never trust her.	26 Are daughters yours? Watch over their bodies. And you should not display a light-hearted attitude toward them.
27 With al your heart honour your father, never forget the birthpangs of your mother.	27 Give your daughter in marriage, and give her to an understanding man, and you will be doing a great work.
28 Remember that you owe your birth to them; how can you repay them for what they have done for you?	28 If a wife in accord with your soul is yours, you should not reject her. But do not entrust yourself to her who is hateful.
29 With al your soul, fear the Lord and revere his priests.	29 With your whole heart, honor your father. And you should not forget the complaints of your mother.
30 With al your might love him who made you, and do not abandon his ministers.	30 Remember that you would not have been born except through them. And so, give back to them as they also have done for you.
31 Fear the Lord and honour the priest and give him the portion enjoined on you: first-fruits, sacrifice ofreparation, shoulder-gift, sanctification sacrifice, first-fruits of the holy things.	31 With all your soul, fear the Lord, and consider his priests to be holy.
32 And also give generously to the poor, so that your blessing may lack nothing.	32 With all your strength, love him who made you, and you should not abandon his ministers.
33 Let your generosity extend to al the living, do not withhold it even from the dead.	33 Honor God from your whole soul, and confer honor on the priests, and continue to purify yourself with your strength.
34 Do not turn your back on those who weep, but share the grief of the grief-stricken.	34 Give them their portion, just as it has been commanded of you, from the first-fruits and from the purifications. And for your ignorant offenses, purify yourself with a smaller offering.
35 Do not shrink from visiting the sick; in this way you wil make yourself loved.	35 You should offer to the Lord the gift of your strength, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first-fruits of what is holy.
36 In everything you do, remember your end, and you wil never sin.	36 And reach out your hand to the poor, so that your atonement and your blessing may be perfected.
	37 A gift has grace in the sight of all the living, but you should not prohibit grace for the dead.
	38 You should not fail to console those who are weeping, nor to walk with those who are mourning.
	39 Do not let yourself be slow to visit the sick. For in this way, you will be confirmed in love.
	40 In all your works, remember your very end, and so you will not sin, unto eternity.