Sirach 19

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	EL LIBRO DEL PUEBLO DE DIOS
1 An inebriated worker will not be wealthy. And whoever despises littleness will fall a little at a time.	1 Un obrero bebedor nunca se enriquecerá, y el que se descuida en lo pequeño, caerá poco a poco.
2 Wine and women cause wise men to fall away, and then they will complain against those who understand.	2 Vino y mujeres extravían a los inteligentes, y el que anda con prostitutas es más temerario aún:
3 And whoever joins himself to fornicators will become wicked. Decay and worms will inherit him, and he will be denounced as the greater example, and his soul will be deducted from the number.	3 la podredumbre y los gusanos se adueñarán de él, y el hombre temerario será extirpado.
4 Whoever is quick to believe has a trivial heart and will be diminished. And whoever offends against his own soul will have even less.	4 El que se confía demasiado pronto, es un espíritu frívolo, y el que peca, se perjudica a sí mismo.
5 Whoever rejoices in iniquity will be condemned. And whoever hates correction will have less in life. But whoever hates excessive talk extinguishes evil.	5 El que se complace en el mal será condenado,
6 Whoever sins against his own soul will be punished. And whoever rejoices in malice will be condemned.	6 y el que detesta la locuacidad se libra del mal.
7 You should not repeat a wicked and harsh word, and then you will not be diminished.	7 No repitas jamás lo que has oído, y no perderás nada.
8 Do not reveal your mind to friend or foe. And if there is a sin within you, do not disclose it.	8 No se lo digas a nadie, sea amigo o enemigo, y a no ser que incurras en pecado, no lo reveles:
9 For he will listen to you and watch you, and while pretending to defend your sin, he will despise you, and so he will be whenever he is with you.	9 te escucharían, pero se pondrían en guardia contra ti y, llegado el momento, te odiarían.
10 Have you heard a word against your neighbor? Let it die within you, trusting that it will not burst forth from you.	10 ¿Has oído algo? Que muera contigo; no tengas miedo, no te hará reventar.
11 Before the face of a word, a foolish man labors, like a woman groaning as she gives birth to a child.	11 El necio sufre cuando guarda un secreto, como la parturienta por su criatura.
12 Like an arrow fixed in the flesh of the thigh, so is a word in the heart of a foolish man.	12 Como una flecha clavada en el muslo es el secreto en el pecho del necio.
13 Correct a friend, though perhaps there was a misunderstanding, and he may say, “I did not do it.” Or, if he did do it, correct him, so that he may not do it again.	13 Aclara las cosas con tu amigo: a lo mejor no hizo nada, y si lo hizo, para que no lo vuelva a hacer.
14 Correct your neighbor, for perhaps he did not say it. But if he did say it, correct him, so that he may not say it again.	14 Aclara las cosas con tu prójimo: a lo mejor no dijo nada, y si lo dijo, para que no lo repita.
15 Correct your friend. For often a fault has been committed.	15 Aclara las cosas con tu amigo: con frecuencia se calumnia, y no debes fiarte de todo lo que se dice.
16 And do not believe every word. There is one who slips with his word, but not with his heart.	16 Se puede cometer un desliz sin querer, ¿y quién no ha pecado con su lengua?
17 For who is there who has not offended with his words? Correct your neighbor before you reprimand him.	17 Aclara las cosas con tu prójimo antes de amenazarlo, y luego da lugar a la Ley del Altísimo.
18 And make a place for the fear of the Most High. For all wisdom is fear of God, and it is wise to fear God, and in all wisdom is the orderly disposition of the law.	18 [Comienza por temer al Señor, y él te aceptará; si tienes sabiduría, él te amará.]
19 But the discipline of wickedness is not wisdom. And there is no prudence in the thoughts of sinners.	19 [El conocimiento de los mandamientos del Señor es una instrucción que da vida; los que hacen lo que le agrada recogerán los frutos del árbol de la inmortalidad.]
20 There is a wickedness, and in it there is abomination. And there is a foolish man who has been diminished in wisdom.	20 Toda sabiduría es temor del Señor y toda sabiduría entraña la práctica de la Ley.
21 Better is a man who has been diminished in wisdom because his mind is failing, but with the fear of God, than he who abounds in intelligence, but with transgression against the law of the Most High.	21 [El servidor que dice a su señor: «No haré lo que te agrada», incluso si después lo hace, irrita a aquel que lo alimenta.]
22 There is a certain cleverness, and it is unjust.	22 No es sabiduría saber hacer el mal y no hay prudencia en el consejo de los pecadores.
23 And there is one who utters a careful word, explaining away the truth. There is one who humbles himself wickedly, for his interior is filled with deceit.	23 Hay una astucia que resulta abominable, y el que carece de sabiduría es insensato.
24 And there is one who lowers himself excessively with a great debasement. And there is one who inclines his face downward, and pretends as if he did not see what has not been made known.	24 Es preferible el poco inteligente que teme al Señor, al muy inteligente que quebranta la Ley.
25 And if he is prevented from sinning by a lack of ability, and then finds an opportunity for evildoing, he will do evil.	25 Hay una astucia sutil, pero injusta, y hay quien usa de artimañas para hacer valer su derecho.
26 A man is recognized by his appearances. But when you meet an understanding man, he is recognized by his face.	26 Hay un malvado que va encorvado por la tristeza, pero su interior está lleno de falsedad:
27 The clothing of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and the walk of a man, give a report about him.	27 se cubre el rostro y aparenta no oír, pero si nadie lo ve, te saca ventaja.
28 There is a lying correction in the anger of a contemptuous man. And there is a judgment which does not prove to be good. But there is one who is silent, and the same is prudent.	28 Si le falta fuerza para pecar, cuando encuentre una ocasión, te perjudicará.
	29 Por la mirada se reconoce a un hombre, y por su aspecto, al hombre sabio.
	30 La vestimenta del hombre, su manera de reír y todo su porte revelan lo que él es.