Sirach 19

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 A labouring man that A is given to drunkenness shall not be rich: and he that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little.	1 A drunken workman wil never grow rich, and one who makes light of small matters will gradual y sink.
2 Wine and women will make men of understanding to fall away: and he that cleaveth to harlots will become impudent.	2 Wine and women corrupt intel igent men, the customer of whores loses al sense of shame.
3 Moths and worms shall have him to heritage, and a bold man shall be taken away.	3 Grubs and worms wil have him as their legacy, and the man who knows no shame will lose his life.
4 He that is hasty to give credit is lightminded; and he that sinneth shall offend against his own soul.	4 Being too ready to trust shows shal owness of mind, and sinning harms the sinner.
5 Whoso taketh pleasure in wickedness shall be condemned: but he that resisteth pleasures crowneth his life.	5 Taking pleasure in evil earns condemnation;
6 He that can rule his tongue shall live without strife; and he that hateth babbling shall have less evil.	6 by hating gossip one avoids evil.
7 Rehearse not unto another that which is told unto thee, and thou shalt fare never the worse.	7 Never repeat what you are told and you wil come to no harm;
8 Whether it be to friend or foe, talk not of other men's lives; and if thou canst without offence, reveal them not.	8 whether to friend or foe, do not talk about it, unless it would be sinful not to, do not reveal it;
9 For he heard and observed thee, and when time cometh he will hate thee.	9 you would be heard out, then mistrusted, and in due course you would be hated.
10 If thou hast heard a word, let it die with thee; and be bold, it will not burst thee.	10 Have you heard something? Let it die with you. Courage! It wil not burst you!
11 A fool travaileth with a word, as a woman in labour of a child.	11 A fool wil suffer birthpangs over a piece of news, like a woman labouring with child.
12 As an arrow that sticketh in a man's thigh, so is a word within a fool's belly.	12 Like an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh, so is a piece of news inside a fool.
13 Admonish a friend, it may be he hath not done it: and if he have done it, that he do it no more.	13 Question your friend, he may have done nothing at al ; and if he has done anything, he wil not do itagain.
14 Admonish thy friend, it may be he hath not said it: and if he have, that he speak it not again.	14 Question your neighbour, he may have said nothing at al ; and if he has said anything, he wil not sayit again.
15 Admonish a friend: for many times it is a slander, and believe not every tale.	15 Question your friend, for slander is very common, do not believe al you hear.
16 There is one that slippeth in his speech, but not from his heart; and who is he that hath not offended with his tongue?	16 People sometimes make a slip, without meaning what they say; and which of us has never sinned byspeech?
17 Admonish thy neighbour before thou threaten him; and not being angry, give place to the law of the most High.	17 Question your neighbour before you threaten him, and defer to the Law of the Most High.
18 The fear of the Lord is the first step to be accepted [of him,] and wisdom obtaineth his love.	18
19 The knowledge of the commandments of the Lord is the doctrine of life: and they that do things that please him shall receive the fruit of the tree of immortality.	19
20 The fear of the Lord is all wisdom; and in all wisdom is the performance of the law, and the knowledge of his omnipotency.	20 Wisdom consists entirely in fearing the Lord, and wisdom is entirely constituted by the fulfil ing of theLaw.
21 If a servant say to his master, I will not do as it pleaseth thee; though afterward he do it, he angereth him that nourisheth him.	21
22 The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom, neither at any time the counsel of sinners prudence.	22 Being learned in evil, however, is not wisdom, there is no prudence in the advice of sinners.
23 There is a wickedness, and the same an abomination; and there is a fool wanting in wisdom.	23 There is a cleverness that is detestable; whoever has no wisdom is a fool.
24 He that hath small understanding, and feareth God, is better than one that hath much wisdom, and transgresseth the law of the most High.	24 Better be short of sense and ful of fear, than abound in shrewdness and violate the Law.
25 There is an exquisite subtilty, and the same is unjust; and there is one that turneth aside to make judgment appear; and there is a wise man that justifieth in judgment.	25 There is a wickedness which is scrupulous but nonetheless dishonest, and there are those whomisuse kindness to win their case.
26 There is a wicked man that hangeth down his head sadly; but inwardly he is full of deceit,	26 There is the person who wil walk bowed down with grief, when inwardly this is nothing but deceit:
27 Casting down his countenance, and making as if he heard not: where he is not known, he will do thee a mischief before thou be aware.	27 he hides his face and pretends to be deaf, if he is not unmasked, he wil take advantage of you.
28 And if for want of power he be hindered from sinning, yet when he findeth opportunity he will do evil.	28 There is the person who is prevented from sinning by lack of strength, yet he wil do wrong when hegets the chance.
29 A man may be known by his look, and one that hath understanding by his countenance, when thou meetest him.	29 You can tel a person by his appearance, you can tell a thinker by the look on his face.
30 A man's attire, and excessive laughter, and gait, shew what he is.	30 The way a person dresses, the way he laughs, the way he walks, tel you what he is.