Sirach 28

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins [in remembrance.]	1 The vengeful will suffer the LORD'S vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail.
2 Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest.	2 Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
3 One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek pardon from the Lord?	3 Should a man nourish anger against his fellows and expect healing from the LORD?
4 He sheweth no mercy to a man, which is like himself: and doth he ask forgiveness of his own sins?	4 Should a man refuse mercy to his fellows, yet seek pardon for his own sins?
5 If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sins?	5 If he who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?
6 Remember thy end, and let enmity cease; [remember] corruption and death, and abide in the commandments.	6 Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin!
7 Remember the commandments, and bear no malice to thy neighbour: [remember] the covenant of the Highest, and wink at ignorance.	7 Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; of the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults.
8 Abstain from strife, and thou shalt diminish thy sins: for a furious man will kindle strife,	8 Avoid strife and your sins will be fewer, for a quarrelsome man kindles disputes,
9 A sinful man disquieteth friends, and maketh debate among them that be at peace.	9 Commits the sin of disrupting friendship and sows discord among those at peace.
10 As the matter of the fire is, so it burneth: and as a man's strength is, so is his wrath; and according to his riches his anger riseth; and the stronger they are which contend, the more they will be inflamed.	10 The more wood, the greater the fire, the more underlying it, the fiercer the fight; The greater a man's strength, the sterner his anger, the greater his power, the greater his wrath.
11 An hasty contention kindleth a fire: and an hasty fighting sheddeth blood.	11 Pitch and resin make fires flare up, and insistent quarrels provoke bloodshed.
12 If thou blow the spark, it shall burn: if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: and both these come out of thy mouth.	12 If you blow upon a spark, it quickens into flame, if you spit on it, it dies out; yet both you do with your mouth!
13 Curse the whisperer and doubletongued: for such have destroyed many that were at peace.	13 Cursed be gossips and the double-tongued, for they destroy the peace of many.
14 A backbiting tongue hath disquieted many, and driven them from nation to nation: strong cities hath it pulled down, and overthrown the houses of great men.	14 A meddlesome tongue subverts many, and makes them refugees among the peoples; It destroys walled cities, and overthrows powerful dynasties.
15 A backbiting tongue hath cast out virtuous women, and deprived them of their labours.	15 A meddlesome tongue can drive virtuous women from their homes and rob them of the fruit of their toil;
16 Whoso hearkeneth unto it shall never find rest, and never dwell quietly.	16 Whoever heeds it has no rest, nor can he dwell in peace.
17 The stroke of the whip maketh marks in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones.	17 A blow from a whip raises a welt, but a blow from the tongue smashes bones;
18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.	18 Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not as many as by the tongue.
19 Well is he that is defended through the venom thereof; who hath not drawn the yoke thereof, nor hath been bound in her bands.	19 Happy he who is sheltered from it, and has not endured its wrath; Who has not borne its yoke nor been fettered with its chain;
20 For the yoke thereof is a yoke of iron, and the bands thereof are bands of brass.	20 For its yoke is a yoke of iron and its chains are chains of bronze!
21 The death thereof is an evil death, the grave were better than it.	21 Dire is the death it inflicts, besides which even the nether world is a gain;
22 It shall not have rule over them that fear God, neither shall they be burned with the flame thereof.	22 It will not take hold among the just nor scorch them in its flame,
23 Such as forsake the Lord shall fall into it; and it shall burn in them, and not be quenched; it shall be sent upon them as a lion, and devour them as a leopard.	23 But those who forsake the LORD will fall victims to it, as it burns among them unquenchably! It will hurl itself against them like a lion; like a panther, it will tear them to pieces.
24 Look that thou hedge thy possession about with thorns, and bind up thy silver and gold,	24 As you hedge round your vineyard with thorns, set barred doors over your mouth;
25 And weigh thy words in a balance, and make a door and bar for thy mouth.	25 As you seal up your silver and gold, so balance and weigh your words.
26 Beware thou slide not by it, lest thou fall before him that lieth in wait.	26 Take care not to slip by your tongue and fall victim to your foe waiting in ambush.