Ecclesiasticus, 14

1. Blessed is the man that hath not slipped with his mouth, and is not pricked with the multitude of sins.

1. Happy the one who has not sinned in speech or who feels no remorse for his faults.

2. Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the Lord.

2. Happy is he whose own conscience does not condemn him and who has not fallen from his ideals.

3. Riches are not comely for a niggard: and what should an envious man do with money?

3. Wealth does not befit the small-minded man; why would you give the greedy man riches?

4. He that gathereth by defrauding his own soul gathereth for others, that shall spend his goods riotously.

4. He who hoards, depriving himself, is hoarding for others: others will enjoy his goods.

5. He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good? he shall not take pleasure in his goods.

5. He who is mean to himself, with whom will he be good? He does not even enjoy his own riches.

6. There is none worse than he that envieth himself; and this is a recompence of his wickedness.

6. There is nothing worse than one who is mean to himself, this is how his evil repays him.

7. And if he doeth good, he doeth it unwillingly; and at the last he will declare his wickedness.

7. If he does good, he does it without realizing it but, in the end, his evil will be revealed.

8. The envious man hath a wicked eye; he turneth away his face, and despiseth men.

8. Evil is the greedy-eyed man who does not pay attention to persons and looks down on people.

9. A covetous man's eye is not satisfied with his portion; and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.

9. The ambitious man is not content with what he has, wicked injustice shrivels up the heart.

10. A wicked eye envieth [his] bread, and he is a niggard at his table.

10. The envious eye covets the food of others; there will be misery and famine at his table.

11. My son, according to thy ability do good to thyself, and give the Lord his due offering.

11. My son, use well whatever you have and give worthy offerings to the Lord.

12. Remember that death will not be long in coming, and that the covenant of the grave is not shewed unto thee.

12. Remember that death will not delay and your time has not yet been revealed to you.

13. Do good unto thy friend before thou die, and according to thy ability stretch out thy hand and give to him.

13. Be good to your friend before you die and be generous to him in any way you can.

14. Defraud not thyself of the good day, and let not the part of a good desire overpass thee.

14. Enjoy happiness and do not reject lawful pleasure when it comes your way.

15. Shalt thou not leave thy travails unto another? and thy labours to be divided by lot?

15. Will you not have to leave to another the fruit of your works? The fruit of your labor, will it not be shared out by lot?

16. Give, and take, and sanctify thy soul; for there is no seeking of dainties in the grave.

16. Give, take and treat yourself well, for in the netherworld there are no pleasures to seek.

17. All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death.

17. All living things grow old like clothing. This is the eternal law: "You will die."

18. As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall, and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born.

18. Like green leaves on a bushy tree: some sprout and others fall off, so are the generations of flesh and blood: one dies and another is born.

19. Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal.

19. All finite things pass away and their maker with them.

20. Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things in wisdom, and that reasoneth of holy things by his understanding. ing.

20. Happy the one who is intent on wisdom and who can reply to those who question him;

21. He that considereth her ways in his heart shall also have understanding in her secrets.

21. who makes his own the ways of wisdom and meditates on her secrets;

22. Go after her as one that traceth, and lie in wait in her ways.

22. who pursues her like a hunter, lies in wait by her paths,

23. He that prieth in at her windows shall also hearken at her doors.

23. peeps in at her windows and listens at her doors;

24. He that doth lodge near her house shall also fasten a pin in her walls.

24. he sets up camp near her house, fixing his stakes in her walls.

25. He shall pitch his tent nigh unto her, and shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.

25. He places his tent in the hands of wisdom; he stays in a happy lodging.

26. He shall set his children under her shelter, and shall lodge under her branches.

26. He places his sons beneath her protection and finds shelter beneath her branches.

27. By her he shall be covered from heat, and in her glory shall he dwell.

27. He is shaded by her from the heat and makes his camp in her glory.