Sirach 11

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The wisdom of one who is humble will exalt his head, and will cause him to sit down in the midst of great men.	1 The wisdom of the humble shall exalt his head, and shall make him sit in the midst of great men.
2 You should not praise a man for his beauty, and you should not despise a man for his appearances.	2 Praise not a man for his beauty, neither despise a man for his look.
3 The bee is small among flying things, but its fruit holds the summit of sweetness.	3 The bee is small among flying things, but her fruit hath the chiefest sweetness.
4 You should not glory in clothing at any time, and you should not let yourself be extolled in the day of your honor. For the works of the Most High alone are wondrous; and glorious and hidden and unseen are his works.	4 Glory not in apparel at any time, and be not exalted in the day of thy honour: for the works of the Highest only are wonderful, and his works are glorious, and secret, end hidden.
5 Many tyrants have sat upon a throne, and one whom no one would admire has worn a diadem.	5 Many tyrants have sat on the throne, and he whom no man would think on, hath worn the crown.
6 Many powerful men have been powerfully cast down, and the illustrious have been handed over into the hands of others.	6 Many mighty men have been greatly brought down, and the glorious have been delivered into the hand of others.
7 Before you inquire, you should not place blame on anyone; and when you have inquired, reprove justly.	7 Before thou inquire, blame no man: and when thou hast inquired, reprove justly.
8 Before you listen, you should not respond a word; and you should not interrupt in the middle of a discourse.	8 Before thou hear, answer not a word: and interrupt not others in the midst of their discourse.
9 You should not contend in a matter which does not concern you, and you should not sit in judgment together with sinners.	9 Strive not in a matter which doth not concern thee, and sit not in judgment with sinners.
10 Son, you should not be involved in many matters. And if you become rich, you will not be free from transgression. For if you pursue, you will not apprehend; and if you run ahead, you will not escape.	10 My son, meddle not with many matters: and if thou be rich, thou shalt not be free from sin: for if thou pursue after thou shalt not overtake: and if thou run before thou shalt not escape.
11 There is an impious man who labors and hurries and grieves, but all the more will he be without abundance.	11 There is an ungodly man that laboureth, and maketh haste, and is in sorrow, and is so much the more in want.
12 There is a debilitated man in need of recovery, who is lacking in strength and abundant in poverty.	12 Again, there is an inactive man that wanteth help, is very weak in ability, and full of poverty:
13 Yet the eye of God has looked with favor upon him for his benefit, and he has lifted him up from his humiliation, and he has exalted his head. And many have wondered at him, and they have honored God.	13 Yet the eye of God hath looked upon him for good, and hath lifted him up from his low estate, and hath exalted his head: and many have wondered at him, and have glorified God.
14 Good things and misfortune, life and death, poverty and wealth, are from God.	14 Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God.
15 Wisdom, and discipline, and knowledge of the law are with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him.	15 Wisdom and discipline, and the knowledge of the law are with God. Love and the ways of good things are with him
16 Error and darkness have been created by sinners. And those who exult in evil, grow old in evil.	16 Error and darkness are created with sinners: and they that glory in evil things, grow old in evil.
17 The gift of God remains with the just man, and his advancement will have success unto eternity.	17 The gift of God abideth with the just, and his advancement shall have success for ever.
18 There is one who is enriched by spending sparingly, and this is the extent of his reward.	18 There is one that is enriched by living sparingly, and this is the portion of his reward.
19 About this, he says: “I have found rest for myself, and now I alone will eat from my goods.”	19 In that he saith: I have found me rest, and now I will eat of my goods alone:
20 But he does not know how much time will pass before death approaches, and then he must leave everything behind to others and die.	20 And he knoweth not what time shall pass, and that death approacheth, and that he must leave all to others, and shall die.
21 Stand fast in your covenant, and become familiar with it, and grow old in the work of your commandments.	21 Be steadfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and grow old in the work of thy commandments.
22 You should not spend time in the works of sinners. Instead, trust in God and remain in your own place.	22 Abide not in the works of sinners. But trust in God, and stay in thy place.
23 For it is easy, in the eyes of God, to make a pauper suddenly rich.	23 For it is easy in the eyes of God on a sudden to make the poor man rich.
24 The blessing of God hurries to reward the just man, and in a fleeting hour his advancement bears fruit.	24 The blessing of God maketh haste to reward the just, and in a swift hour his blessing beareth fruit.
25 You should not say: “What do I need?” or, “What good will there be for me in this?”	25 Say not: What need I, and what good shall I have by this?
26 You should not say: “I have enough for myself,” or, “What could be worse than this?”	26 Say not: I am sufficient for myself: and what shall I be made worse by this?
27 In a day of good things, you should not be forgetful of misfortunes. And in a day of misfortunes, you should not be forgetful of good things.	27 In the day of good things be not unmindful of evils: and in the day of evils be not unmindful of good things:
28 For it is easy, in the sight of God, on the day of one’s passing, to repay each one according to his ways.	28 For it is easy before God in the day of death to reward every one according to his ways.
29 The affliction of an hour causes one to forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the uncovering of his works.	29 The affliction of an hour maketh one forget great delights, and in the end of a man is the disclosing of his works.
30 You should not praise any man before death. For a man is known by his children.	30 Praise not any man before death, for a man is known by his children.
31 You should not bring every man into your house. For many are the snares of the deceitful.	31 Bring not every man into thy house: for many are the snares of the deceitful.
32 For as a stomach with a bad smell vomits, and as a partridge is led into a cage, and like a deer led into a snare, so also is the heart of the arrogant. And it is like a bystander watching his neighbor fall.	32 For as corrupted bowels send forth stinking breath, and as the partridge is brought into the cage, and as the roe into the snare: so also is the heart of the proud, and as a spy that looketh on the fall of his neighbour.
33 For it lies in ambush, and then turns good into evil, and it will place the blame on the elect.	33 For he lieth in wait and turneth good into evil, and on the elect he will lay a blot.
34 From one spark, a great fire grows; and from one deceitful man, much blood flows. But a very sinful man lies in ambush for blood.	34 Of one spark cometh a great fire, and of one deceitful man much blood: and a sinful man lieth in wait for blood.
35 Pay close attention to yourself before a harmful man, for he fabricates evils. Otherwise, he may lead over you a whispered reproach unceasingly.	35 Take heed to thyself of a mischievous man, for he worketh evils: lest he bring upon thee reproach for ever.
36 Receive a stranger to yourself, and he will overthrow you with a whirlwind, and he will alienate you from what is your very own.	36 Receive a stranger in, and he shall overthrow thee with a whirlwind, and shall turn thee out of thy own.