Sirach 14

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Happy the man whose mouth brings him no grief, who is not stung by remorse for sin.	1 Blessed is the man that hath not slipped by a word out of his mouth, and is not pricked with the remorse of sin.
2 Happy the man whose conscience does not reproach him, who has not lost hope.	2 Happy is he that hath had no sadness of his mind, and who is not fallen from his hope.
3 Wealth ill becomes the mean man; and to the miser, of what use is gold?	3 Riches are not comely for a covetous man and a niggard, and what should an envious man do with gold?
4 What he denies himself he collects for others, and in his possessions a stranger will revel.	4 He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul, gathereth for others, and another will squander away his goods in rioting.
5 To whom will he be generous who is stingy with himself and does not enjoy what is his own?	5 He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? and he shall not take pleasure in his goods.
6 None is more stingy than he who is stingy with himself; he punishes his own miserliness.	6 There is none worse than he that envieth himself, and this is the reward of his wickedness:
7 If ever he is generous, it is by mistake; and in the end he displays his greed.	7 And if he do good, he doth it ignorantly, and unwillingly: and at the last he discovereth his wickedness.
8 In the miser's opinion his share is too small;	8 The eye of the envious is wicked: and he turneth away his face, and despiseth his own soul.
9 he refuses his neighbor and brings ruin on himself.	9 The eye of the covetous man is insatiable in his portion of iniquity: he will not be satisfied till he consume his own soul, drying it up.
10 The miser's eye is rapacious for bread, but on his own table he sets it stale.	10 An evil eye is towards evil things: and he shall not have his fill of bread, but shall be needy and pensive at his own table.
11 My son, use freely whatever you have and enjoy it as best you can;	11 My son, if thou have any thing, do good to thyself, and offer to God worthy offerings.
12 Remember that death does not tarry, nor have you been told the grave's appointed time.	12 Remember that death is not slow, and that the covenant of hell hath been shewn to thee: for the covenant of this world shall surely die.
13 Before you die, be good to your friend, and give him a share in what you possess.	13 Do good to thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability, stretching out thy hand give to the poor.
14 Deprive not yourself of present good things, let no choice portion escape you.	14 Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good gift overpass thee.
15 Will you not leave your riches to others, and your earnings to be divided by lot?	15 Shalt thou not leave to others to divide by lot thy sorrows and labours?
16 Give, take, and treat yourself well, for in the nether world there are no joys to seek.	16 Give and take, and justify thy soul.
17 All flesh grows old, like a garment; the age-old law is: All must die.	17 Before thy death work justice: for in hell there is no finding food.
18 As with the leaves that grow on a vigorous tree: one falls off and another sprouts-- So with the generations of flesh and blood: one dies and another is born.	18 All flesh shall fade as grass, and as the leaf that springeth out on a green tree.
19 All man's works will perish in decay, and his handiwork will follow after him.	19 Some grow, and some fall off: so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.
20 Happy the man who meditates on wisdom, and reflects on knowledge;	20 Every work that is corruptible shall fail in the end: and the worker thereof shall go with it.
21 Who ponders her ways in his heart, and understands her paths;	21 And every excellent work shall be justified: and the worker thereof shall be honoured therein.
22 Who pursues her like a scout, and lies in wait at her entry way;	22 Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom, and that shall meditate in his justice, and in his mind shall think of the all seeing eye of God.
23 Who peeps through her windows, and listens at her doors;	23 He that considereth her ways in his heart, and hath understanding in her secrets, who goeth after her as one that traceth, and stayeth in her ways:
24 Who encamps near her house, and fastens his tent pegs next to her walls;	24 He who looketh in at her windows, and hearkeneth at her door:
25 Who pitches his tent beside her, and lives as her welcome neighbor;	25 He that lodgeth near her house, and fastening a pin in her walls shall set up his tent nigh unto her, where good things shall rest in his lodging for ever.
26 Who builds his nest in her leafage, and lodges in her branches;	26 He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches:
27 Who takes shelter with her from the heat, and dwells in her home.	27 He shall be protected under her covering from the heat, and shall rest in her glory.