Sirach 9

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	NEW JERUSALEM
1 You should not be jealous of the wife of your bosom, lest she reveal, because of you, the malice of a wicked lesson.	1 Do not be jealous of the wife you love, do not teach her lessons in how to harm you.
2 You should not give authority over your soul to a woman, lest she obtain your strength, and then you would be confounded.	2 Do not put yourself in a woman's hands or she may come to dominate you completely.
3 You should not look with favor on a woman with many desires, lest perhaps you may fall into her traps.	3 Do not keep company with a prostitute, in case you get entangled in her snares.
4 You should not be continually in need of entertainment, nor should you be persuaded by it, lest perhaps you may perish by its effectiveness.	4 Do not dal y with a singing girl, in case you get caught by her wiles.
5 You should not stare at a virgin, lest perhaps you may be scandalized by her beauty.	5 Do not stare at a pretty girl, in case you and she incur the same punishment.
6 You should not give your soul, in any way, to fornicators, lest you destroy yourself and your inheritance.	6 Do not give your heart to whores, or you wil ruin your inheritance.
7 Do not choose to look around in the streets of the city, nor should you wander along its thoroughfares.	7 Keep your eyes to yourself in the streets of a town, do not prowl about its unfrequented quarters.
8 Avert your face from an ornate woman, for you should not gaze upon strange beauty.	8 Turn your eyes away from a handsome woman, do not stare at a beauty belonging to someone else.Because of a woman's beauty, many have been undone; this makes passion flare up like a fire.
9 Many have perished because of the beauty of a woman; and by this, desire is kindled like a fire.	9 Never sit down with a married woman, or sit at table with her drinking wine, in case you let your heartsuccumb to her and you lose al self-control and slide to disaster.
10 Every woman who is a fornicator will be trampled down, like the filth in the street.	10 Do not desert an old friend; the new one wil not be his match. New friend, new wine; when it grows old,you drink it with pleasure.
11 Many, by admiring the beauty of the wife of another, have become reprobate. For familiarity with her flares up like a fire.	11 Do not envy the sinner his success; you do not know how that wil end.
12 You should not sit down at all with another man’s wife, nor recline with her on a couch.	12 Do not take pleasure in what pleases the godless; remember they wil not go unpunished here below.
13 And you should not argue with her over wine, lest perhaps your heart may turn toward her, and by your emotion, you would be toppled into perdition.	13 Keep your distance from the man who has the power to put to death, and you wil not be haunted by thefear of dying. If you do approach him, make no false move, or he may take your life. Realise that you aretreading among trip-lines, that you are strolling on the battlements.
14 You should not abandon a old friend. For a new one will not be similar to him.	14 Cultivate your neighbours to the best of your ability, and consult with the wise.
15 A new friend is like new wine. It will grow old, and then you will enjoy drinking it.	15 For conversation seek the intelligent, let al your discussions bear on the law of the Most High.
16 You should not envy the glory and wealth of a sinner. For you do not know what may be his undoing in the future.	16 Have the upright for your table companions, and let your pride be in fearing the Lord.
17 The injury of the unjust should not please you, knowing that, until they are in hell, the impious will not please.	17 Work from skilled hands will earn its praise, but a leader of the people must be skilful in words.
18 Keep yourself far from a man having the power to kill, and then you will not have the fear of death suspended over you.	18 A chatterbox is a terror to his town, a loose talker is detested.
19 But if you do approach him, do nothing to offend, lest perhaps he may take away your life.
20 Know that this is a communion with death. For you would be entering the midst of snares, and walking upon the arms of the grieving.
21 According to your ability, be cautious of your neighbor, and treat him as the wise and prudent would.
22 Let just men be your companions, and let your glory be in the fear of God.
23 And let the thought of God be in your mind, and let all your discourse be on the precepts of the Most High.
24 Works will be praised for the hands of the artists, and a leader of the people will be praised for the wisdom of his words, yet truly, the word of the elders will be praised for its understanding.
25 A man full of words is a dread to his city, but one who speaks rashly will be hated for his word.