Sirach 7

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Do no evils, and no evils shall lay hold of thee.	1 Do no evil, and evil will not overtake you;
2 Depart from the unjust, and evils shall depart from thee.	2 avoid wickedness, and it will turn aside from you.
3 My son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.	3 Sow not in the furrows of injustice, lest you harvest it sevenfold.
4 Seek not of the Lord a pre-eminence, nor of the king the seat of honour.	4 Seek not from the LORD authority, nor from the king a place of honor.
5 Justify not thyself before God, for he knoweth the heart: and desire not to appear wise before the king.	5 Parade not your justice before the Lord, and before the king flaunt not your wisdom.
6 Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to extirpate iniquities: lest thou fear the person of the powerful, and lay a stumblingblock for thy integrity.	6 Seek not to become a judge if you have not strength to root out crime, Or you will show favor to the ruler and mar your integrity.
7 Offend not against the multitude of a city, neither cast thyself in upon the people,	7 Be guilty of no evil before the city's populace, nor disgrace yourself before the assembly.
8 Nor bind sin to sin: for even in one thou shalt not be unpunished.	8 Do not plot to repeat a sin; not even for one will you go unpunished.
9 Be not fainthearted in thy mind:	9 Say not: "He will appreciate my many gifts; the Most High will accept my offerings."
10 Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.	10 Be not impatient in prayers, and neglect not the giving of alms.
11 Say not: God will have respect to the multitude of my gifts, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept my offerings.	11 Laugh not at an embittered man; be mindful of him who exalts and humbles.
12 Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one that humbleth and exalteth, God who seeth	12 Plot no mischief against your brother, nor against your friend and companion.
13 Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like against thy friend.	13 Delight not in telling lie after lie, for it never results in good.
14 Be not willing to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.	14 Thrust not yourself into the deliberations of princes, and repeat not the words of your prayer.
15 Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and repeat not the word in thy prayer.	15 Hate not laborious tasks, nor farming, which was ordained by the Most High.
16 Hate not laborious works, nor husbandry ordained by the most High.	16 Do not esteem yourself better than your fellows; remember, his wrath will not delay.
17 Number not thyself among the multitude of the disorderly.	17 More and more, humble your pride; what awaits man is worms.
18 Remember wrath, for it will not tarry long.	18 Barter not a friend for money, nor a dear brother for the gold of Ophir.
19 Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms.	19 Dismiss not a sensible wife; a gracious wife is more precious than corals.
20 Do not transgress against thy friend deferring money, nor despise thy dear brother for the sake of gold.	20 Mistreat not a servant who faithfully serves, nor a laborer who devotes himself to his task.
21 Depart not from a wise and good wife, whom thou best gotten in the fear of the Lord: for the grace of her modesty is above gold.	21 Let a wise servant be dear to you as your own self; refuse him not his freedom.
22 Hurt not the servant that worketh faithfully, nor the hired man that giveth thee his life.	22 If you have livestock, look after them; if they are dependable, keep them.
23 Let a wise servant be dear to thee as thy own soul, defraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy.	23 If you have sons, chastise them; bend their necks from childhood.
24 Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee.	24 If you have daughters, keep them chaste, and be not indulgent to them.
25 Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their childhood.	25 Giving your daughter in marriage ends a great task; but give her to a worthy man.
26 Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thy countenance gay towards them.	26 If you have a wife, let her not seem odious to you; but where there is ill-feeling, trust her not.
27 Marry thy daughter well, and then shalt do a great work, and give her to a wise man.	27 With your whole heart honor your father; your mother's birthpangs forget not.
28 If thou hast a wife according to thy soul, cast her not off: and to her that is hateful, trust not thyself. With thy whole heart,	28 Remember, of these parents you were born; what can you give them for all they gave you?
29 Honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother:	29 With all your soul, fear God, revere his priests.
30 Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them: and make a return to them as they have done for thee.	30 With all your strength, love your Creator, forsake not his ministers.
31 With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests.	31 Honor God and respect the priest; give him his portion as you have been commanded: First fruits and contributions, due sacrifices and holy offerings.
32 With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers.	32 To the poor man also extend your hand, that your blessing may be complete;
33 Honour God with all thy soul, and give honour to the priests, and purify thyself with thy arms.	33 Be generous to all the living, and withhold not your kindness from the dead.
34 Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the firstfruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences purify thyself with a few.	34 Avoid not those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn;
35 Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things:	35 Neglect not to visit the sick-- for these things you will be loved.
36 dummy verses inserted by amos	36 In whatever you do, remember your last days, and you will never sin.
37 A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and restrain not grace from the dead.
38 And stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation and thy blessing may be perfected.
40 Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with them that mourn.
41 Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.