Sirach 7

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Do not choose to do evil, and evil will not take hold of you.	1 Do no evil, so shall no harm come unto thee.
2 Withdraw from the iniquitous, and evil will withdraw from you.	2 Depart from the unjust, and iniquity shall turn away from thee.
3 Son, do not sow evil in the furrows of injustice, and you will not reap them sevenfold.	3 My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.
4 Do not seek a role of leadership from the Lord, and do not seek a seat of honor from the king.	4 Seek not of the Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of honour.
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 justify not thyself before the Lord; and boast not of thy wisdom before the king.
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 Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time thou fear the person of the mighty, an stumblingblock in the way of thy uprightness.
7 You should not sin against the multitude of a city, nor should you cast yourself against the people.	7 Offend not against the multitude of a city, and then thou shalt not cast thyself down among the people.
8 And you should not bind two sins together. For even in one sin, you will not go unpunished.	8 Bind not one sin upon another; for in one thou shalt not be unpunished.
9 Do not be cowardly in your soul.	9 Say not, God will look upon the multitude of my oblations, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept it.
10 You should not be unwilling to beg, nor to give alms.	10 Be not fainthearted when thou makest thy prayer, and neglect not to give alms.
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 Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one which humbleth and exalteth.
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 Devise not a lie against thy brother; neither do the like to thy friend.
13 Do not love a lie against your brother, nor should you act the same toward your friend.	13 Use not to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.
14 Do not be willing to devise a lie of any kind. For the practice of lying is not good.	14 Use not many words in a multitude of elders, and make not much babbling when thou prayest.
15 Do not choose to be verbose among a multitude of elders, and you should not repeat the words of your prayers.	15 Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the most High hath ordained.
16 You should not hate laborious works, nor the rustic life created by the Most High.	16 Number not thyself among the multitude of sinners, but remember that wrath will not tarry long.
17 You should not consider yourself to be among the multitude of the undisciplined.	17 Humble thyself greatly: for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms.
18 Remember wrath. For it will not be delayed.	18 Change not a friend for any good by no means; neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir.
19 Humble your spirit greatly. For the retribution against the flesh of the impious is with fire and worms.	19 Forego not a wise and good woman: for her grace is above gold.
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 Whereas thy servant worketh truly, entreat him not evil. nor the hireling that bestoweth himself wholly for thee.
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 Let thy soul love a good servant, and defraud him not of liberty.
22 You should not harm the servant whose works are honest, nor the hired hand who entrusts his life to you.	22 Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee.
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 Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth.
24 Are cattle yours? Tend to them. And if they are useful, let them remain with you.	24 Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thyself cheerful toward them.
25 Are sons yours? Instruct them, and bow them down from their childhood.	25 Marry thy daughter, and so shalt thou have performed a weighty matter: but give her to a man of understanding.
26 Are daughters yours? Watch over their bodies. And you should not display a light-hearted attitude toward them.	26 Hast thou a wife after thy mind? forsake her not: but give not thyself over to a light woman.
27 Give your daughter in marriage, and give her to an understanding man, and you will be doing a great work.	27 Honour thy father with thy whole heart, and forget not the sorrows of thy mother.
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 Remember that thou wast begotten of them; and how canst thou recompense them the things that they have done for thee?
29 With your whole heart, honor your father. And you should not forget the complaints of your mother.	29 Fear the Lord with all thy soul, and reverence his priests.
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 Love him that made thee with all thy strength, and forsake not his ministers.
31 With all your soul, fear the Lord, and consider his priests to be holy.	31 Fear the Lord, and honor the priest; and give him his portion, as it is commanded thee; the firstfruits, and the trespass offering, and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things.
32 With all your strength, love him who made you, and you should not abandon his ministers.	32 And stretch thine hand unto the poor, that thy blessing may be perfected.
33 Honor God from your whole soul, and confer honor on the priests, and continue to purify yourself with your strength.	33 A gift hath grace in the sight of every man living; and for the dead detain it not.
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 Fail not to be with them that weep, and mourn with them that mourn.
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 Be not slow to visit the sick: fir that shall make thee to be beloved.
36 And reach out your hand to the poor, so that your atonement and your blessing may be perfected.	36 Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss.
37 A gift has grace in the sight of all the living, but you should not prohibit grace for the dead.
38 You should not fail to console those who are weeping, nor to walk with those who are mourning.
39 Do not let yourself be slow to visit the sick. For in this way, you will be confirmed in love.
40 In all your works, remember your very end, and so you will not sin, unto eternity.