Sirach 7

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	VULGATA
1 Do not choose to do evil, and evil will not take hold of you.	1 Noli facere mala, et non te apprehendent :
2 Withdraw from the iniquitous, and evil will withdraw from you.	2 discede ab iniquo, et deficient mala abs te.
3 Son, do not sow evil in the furrows of injustice, and you will not reap them sevenfold.	3 Fili, non semines mala in sulcis injustitiæ, et non metes ea in septuplum.
4 Do not seek a role of leadership from the Lord, and do not seek a seat of honor from the king.	4 Noli quærere a Domino ducatum, neque a rege cathedram honoris.
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.	5 Non te justifices ante Deum, quoniam agnitor cordis ipse est : et penes regem noli velle videri sapiens.
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.	6 Noli quærere fieri judex, nisi valeas virtute irrumpere iniquitates : ne forte extimescas faciem potentis, et ponas scandalum in æquitate tua.
7 You should not sin against the multitude of a city, nor should you cast yourself against the people.	7 Non pecces in multitudinem civitatis, nec te immittas in populum :
8 And you should not bind two sins together. For even in one sin, you will not go unpunished.	8 neque alliges duplicia peccata, nec enim in uno eris immunis.
9 Do not be cowardly in your soul.	9 Noli esse pusillanimis in animo tuo :
10 You should not be unwilling to beg, nor to give alms.	10 exorare et facere eleemosynam ne despicias.
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.”	11 Ne dicas : In multitudine munerum meorum respiciet Deus, et offerente me Deo altissimo, munera mea suscipiet.
12 You should not ridicule a man in bitterness of soul. For there is One who humbles and who exalts: the all-seeing God.	12 Non irrideas hominem in amaritudine animæ : est enim qui humiliat et exaltat circumspector Deus.
13 Do not love a lie against your brother, nor should you act the same toward your friend.	13 Noli amare mendacium adversus fratrem tuum, neque in amicum similiter facias.
14 Do not be willing to devise a lie of any kind. For the practice of lying is not good.	14 Noli velle mentiri omne mendacium : assiduitas enim illius non est bona.
15 Do not choose to be verbose among a multitude of elders, and you should not repeat the words of your prayers.	15 Noli verbosus esse in multitudine presbyterorum, et non iteres verbum in oratione tua.
16 You should not hate laborious works, nor the rustic life created by the Most High.	16 Non oderis laboriosa opera, et rusticationem creatam ab Altissimo.
17 You should not consider yourself to be among the multitude of the undisciplined.	17 Non te reputes in multitudine indisciplinatorum.
18 Remember wrath. For it will not be delayed.	18 Memento iræ, quoniam non tardabit.
19 Humble your spirit greatly. For the retribution against the flesh of the impious is with fire and worms.	19 Humilia valde spiritum tuum, quoniam vindicta carnis impii ignis et vermis.
20 Do not betray your friend for the sake of money, and you should not spurn your dearest brother for the sake of gold.	20 Noli prævaricari in amicum pecuniam differentem, neque fratrem carissimum auro spreveris.
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.	21 Noli discedere a muliere sensata et bona, quam sortitus es in timore Domini : gratia enim verecundiæ illius super aurum.
22 You should not harm the servant whose works are honest, nor the hired hand who entrusts his life to you.	22 Non lædas servum in veritate operantem, neque mercenarium dantem animam suam.
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.	23 Servus sensatus sit tibi dilectus quasi anima tua : non defraudes illum libertate, neque inopem derelinquas illum.
24 Are cattle yours? Tend to them. And if they are useful, let them remain with you.	24 Pecora tibi sunt, attende illis : et si sunt utilia, perseverent apud te.
25 Are sons yours? Instruct them, and bow them down from their childhood.	25 Filii tibi sunt ? erudi illos, et curva illos a pueritia illorum.
26 Are daughters yours? Watch over their bodies. And you should not display a light-hearted attitude toward them.	26 Filiæ tibi sunt ? serva corpus illarum, et non ostendas hilarem faciem tuam ad illas.
27 Give your daughter in marriage, and give her to an understanding man, and you will be doing a great work.	27 Trade filiam, et grande opus feceris : et homini sensato da illam.
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.	28 Mulier si est tibi secundum animam tuam, non projicias illam : et odibili non credas te. In toto corde tuo
29 With your whole heart, honor your father. And you should not forget the complaints of your mother.	29 honora patrem tuum, et gemitus matris tuæ ne obliviscaris :
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.	30 memento quoniam nisi per illos natus non fuisses : et retribue illis, quomodo et illi tibi.
31 With all your soul, fear the Lord, and consider his priests to be holy.	31 In tota anima tua time Dominum, et sacerdotes illius sanctifica.
32 With all your strength, love him who made you, and you should not abandon his ministers.	32 In omni virtute tua dilige eum qui te fecit, et ministros ejus ne derelinquas.
33 Honor God from your whole soul, and confer honor on the priests, and continue to purify yourself with your strength.	33 Honora Deum ex tota anima tua, et honorifica sacerdotes, et propurga te cum brachiis.
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.	34 Da illis partem, sicut mandatum est tibi, primitiarum et purgationis, et de negligentia tua purga te cum paucis.
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.	35 Datum brachiorum tuorum, et sacrificium sanctificationis offeres Domino, et initia sanctorum.
36 And reach out your hand to the poor, so that your atonement and your blessing may be perfected.	36 Et pauperi porrige manum tuam, ut perficiatur propitiatio et benedictio tua.
37 A gift has grace in the sight of all the living, but you should not prohibit grace for the dead.	37 Gratia dati in conspectu omnis viventis, et mortuo non prohibeas gratiam.
38 You should not fail to console those who are weeping, nor to walk with those who are mourning.	38 Non desis plorantibus in consolatione, et cum lugentibus ambula.
39 Do not let yourself be slow to visit the sick. For in this way, you will be confirmed in love.	39 Non te pigeat visitare infirmum : ex his enim in dilectione firmaberis.
40 In all your works, remember your very end, and so you will not sin, unto eternity.	40 In omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua, et in æternum non peccabis.