Ecclesiasticus 23

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Domine, pater et dominator vitæ meæ, ne derelinquas me in consilio eorum, nec sinas me cadere in illis.	1 LORD, Father and Master of my life, permit me not to fall by them!
2 Quis superponet in cogitatu meo flagella, et in corde meo doctrinam sapientiæ, ut ignorationibus eorum non parcant mihi, et non appareant delicta eorum,	2 Who will apply the lash to my thoughts, to my mind the rod of discipline, That my failings may not be spared, nor the sins of my heart overlooked;
3 et ne adincrescant ignorantiæ meæ, et multiplicentur delicta mea, et peccata mea abundent, et incidam in conspectu adversariorum meorum, et gaudeat super me inimicus meus ?	3 Lest my failings increase, and my sins be multiplied; Lest I succumb to my foes, and my enemy rejoice over me?
4 Domine, pater et Deus vitæ meæ, ne derelinquas me in cogitatu illorum.	4 LORD, Father and God of my life, abandon me not into their control!
5 Extollentiam oculorum meorum ne dederis mihi, et omne desiderium averte a me.	5 A brazen look allow me not; ward off passion from my heart,
6 Aufer a me ventris concupiscentias, et concubitus concupiscentiæ ne apprehendant me, et animæ irreverenti et infrunitæ ne tradas me.	6 Let not the lustful cravings of the flesh master me, surrender me not to shameless desires.
7 Doctrinam oris audite, filii : et qui custodierit illam non periet labiis, nec scandalizabitur in operibus nequissimis.	7 Give heed, my children, to the instruction that I pronounce, for he who keeps it will not be enslaved.
8 In vanitate sua apprehenditur peccator : et superbus et maledicus scandalizabitur in illis.	8 Through his lips is the sinner ensnared; the railer and the arrogant man fall thereby.
9 Jurationi non assuescat os tuum : multi enim casus in illa.	9 Let not your mouth form the habit of swearing, or becoming too familiar with the Holy Name.
10 Nominatio vero Dei non sit assidua in ore tuo, et nominibus sanctorum non admiscearis, quoniam non erit immunis ab eis.	10 Just as a slave that is constantly under scrutiny will not be without welts, So one who swears continually by the Holy Name will not remain free from sin.
11 Sicut enim servus interrogatus assidue a livore non minuitur, sic omnis jurans et nominans in toto a peccato non purgabitur.	11 A man who often swears heaps up obligations; the scourge will never be far from his house. If he swears in error, he incurs guilt; if he neglects his obligation, his sin is doubly great. If he swears without reason he cannot be found just, and all his house will suffer affliction.
12 Vir multum jurans implebitur iniquitate, et non discedet a domo illius plaga.	12 There are words which merit death; may they never be heard among Jacob's heirs. For all such words are foreign to the devout, who do not wallow in sin.
13 Et si frustraverit, delictum illius super ipsum erit : et si dissimulaverit, delinquit dupliciter :	13 Let not your mouth become used to coarse talk, for in it lies sinful matter.
14 et si in vacuum juraverit, non justificabitur : replebitur enim retributione domus illius.	14 Keep your father and mother in mind when you sit among the mighty, Lest in their presence you commit a blunder and disgrace your upbringing, By wishing you had never been born or cursing the day of your birth.
15 Est et alia loquela contraria morti : non inveniatur in hæreditate Jacob.	15 A man who has the habit of abusive language will never mature in character as long as he lives.
16 Etenim a misericordibus omnia hæc auferentur, et in delictis non volutabuntur.	16 Two types of men multiply sins, a third draws down wrath; For burning passion is a blazing fire, not to be quenched till it burns itself out: A man given to sins of the flesh, who never stops until the fire breaks forth;
17 Indisciplinatæ loquelæ non assuescat os tuum : est enim in illa verbum peccati.	17 The rake to whom all bread is sweet and who is never through till he dies;
18 Memento patris et matris tuæ : in medio enim magnatorum consistis :	18 And the man who dishonors his marriage bed and says to himself "Who can see me? Darkness surrounds me, walls hide me; no one sees me; why should I fear to sin?" Of the Most High he is not mindful,
19 ne forte obliviscatur te Deus in conspectu illorum, et assiduitate tua infatuatus, improperium patiaris, et maluisses non nasci, et diem nativitatis tuæ maledicas.	19 fearing only the eyes of men; He does not understand that the eyes of the LORD, ten thousand times brighter than the sun, Observe every step a man takes and peer into hidden corners.
20 Homo assuetus in verbis improperii in omnibus diebus suis non erudietur.	20 He who knows all things before they exist still knows them all after they are made.
21 Duo genera abundant in peccatis, et tertium adducit iram et perditionem.	21 Such a man will be punished in the streets of the city; when he least expects it, he will be apprehended.
22 Anima calida quasi ignis ardens, non extinguetur donec aliquid glutiat :	22 So also with the woman who is unfaithful to her husband and offers as heir her son by a stranger.
23 et homo nequam in ore carnis suæ non desinet donec incendat ignem.	23 First, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High; secondly, she has wronged her husband; Thirdly, in her wanton adultery she has borne children by another man.
24 Homini fornicario omnis panis dulcis : non fatigabitur transgrediens usque ad finem.	24 Such a woman will be dragged before the assembly, and her punishment will extend to her children;
25 Omnis homo qui transgreditur lectum suum, contemnens in animam suam, et dicens : Quis me videt ?	25 Her children will not take root; her branches will not bring forth fruit.
26 Tenebræ circumdant me, et parietes cooperiunt me, et nemo circumspicit me : quem vereor ? delictorum meorum non memorabitur Altissimus.	26 She will leave an accursed memory; her disgrace will never be blotted out.
27 Et non intelligit quoniam omnia videt oculus illius, quoniam expellit a se timorem Dei hujusmodi hominis timor, et oculi hominum timentes illum :	27 Thus all who dwell on the earth shall know, and all who inhabit the world shall understand, That nothing is better than the fear of the LORD, nothing more salutary than to obey his commandments.
28 et non cognovit quoniam oculi Domini multo plus lucidiores sunt super solem, circumspicientes omnes vias hominum, et profundum abyssi, et hominum corda, intuentes in absconditas partes.
29 Domino enim Deo antequam crearentur omnia sunt agnita : sic et post perfectum respicit omnia.
30 Hic in plateis civitatis vindicabitur, et quasi pullus equinus fugabitur, et ubi non speravit apprehendetur.
31 Et erit dedecus omnibus, eo quod non intellexerit timorem Domini.
32 Sic et mulier omnis relinquens virum suum, et statuens hæreditatem ex alieno matrimonio :
33 primo enim in lege Altissimi incredibilis fuit : secundo in virum suum deliquit : tertio in adulterio fornicata est, et ex alio viro filios statuit sibi.
34 Hæc in ecclesiam adducetur, et in filios ejus respicietur :
35 non tradent filii ejus radices, et rami ejus non dabunt fructum :
36 derelinquet in maledictum memoriam ejus, et dedecus illius non delebitur.
37 Et agnoscent qui derelicti sunt, quoniam nihil melius est quam timor Dei, et nihil dulcius quam respicere in mandatis Domini.
38 Gloria magna est sequi Dominum : longitudo enim dierum assumetur ab eo.