Liber Ecclesiasticus, 27

1. propter inopiam multi deliquerunt et qui quærit locupletari avertit oculum suum

1. Through poverty many have sinned: and he that seeketh to be enriched, turneth away his eye.

2. si in medio conpaginis lapidum palus figitur sic et inter medium venditionis et emptionis angustabitur peccatis

2. As a stake sticketh fast in the midst of the joining of stones, so also in the midst of selling and buying, sin shall stick fast.

3. conteretur delictum

3. Sin shall be destroyed with the sinner.

4. si non in timore Domini tenueris instanter cito subvertetur domus tua

4. Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown.

5. si in pertusura cribri remanebit stercus sic aporia hominis in cogitatu illius

5. As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts.

6. vasa figuli probat fornax et homines justos temptatio tribulationis

6. The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of affliction just men.

7. sicut rusticatio de ligno ostendit fructum illius sic verbum excogitatum hominis cordis

7. Be the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man.

8. ante sermonem non conlaudes virum hæc enim temptatio est hominum

8. Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.

9. si sequaris justitiam adprehendes illam et indues quasi poderem honoris et inhabitabis cum ea et proteget te in sempiternum et in die agnitionis invenies firmamentum

9. If thou followest justice, thou shalt obtain her: and shalt put her on as a long robe of honour, and thou shalt dwell with her: and she shall protect thee for ever, and in the day of acknowledgment thou shalt find a strong foundation.

10. volatilia ad sibi similia conveniunt et veritas ad eos qui operantur illam revertetur

10. Birds resort unto their like: so truth will return to them that practise her.

11. leo venationi insidiatur semper sic peccata operantibus iniquitates

11. The lion always lieth in wait for prey: so do sine for them that work iniquities.

12. homo sanctus in sapientia manet sicut sol nam stultus sicut luna inmutatur

12. A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon.

13. in medio insensatorum serva verbum tempori in medio autem cogitantium adsiduus esto

13. In the midst of the unwise keep in the word till its time: but be continually among men that think.

14. narratio peccantium odiosa et risus illorum delictis peccati

14. The discourse of sinners is hateful, and their laughter is at the pleasures of sin.

15. loquella multum jurans horripilationem capiti statuet et inreverentia ipsius obturatio aurium

15. The speech that sweareth much shall make the hair of the head stand upright: and its irreverence shall make one stop his ears.

16. effusio sanguinis in rixa superborum et maledictio illorum auditus gravis

16. Is the quarrels of the proud is the shedding of blood: and their cursing is a grievous hearing.

17. qui denudat arcana amici perdet fidem et non inveniet amicum ad animum suum

17. He that discloseth the secret of a friend loseth his credit, and shall never find a friend to his mind.

18. dilige proximum et coniungere fide cum illo

18. Love thy neighbour, and be joined to him with fidelity.

19. quod si denudaveris absconsa illius non persequeris post eum

19. But if thou discover his secrets, follow no more after him.

20. sicut enim homo qui perdit amicum suum sic qui perdit amicitiam proximi sui

20. For as a man that destroyeth his friend, so also is he that destroyeth the friendship of his neighbour.

21. et sicut qui dimittit avem de manu sua sic reliquisti proximum tuum et non eum capies

21. And as one that letteth a bird go out of his hand, so hast thou let thy neighbour go, and thou shalt not get him again.

22. non illum sequaris quoniam longe abest effugit enim quasi caprea de laqueo quoniam vulnerata est

22. Follow after him no more, for he is gone afar off, he is fled, as a roe escaped out of the snare: because his soul is wounded.

23. conligare et maledicti est concordatio

23. Thou canst no more bind him up. And of a curse there is reconciliation:

24. denudare autem amici mysteria desperatio est

24. But to disclose the secrets of a friend, leaveth no hope to an unhappy soul.

25. annuens oculo fabricat iniqua et nemo eum abiciet

25. He that winketh with the eye forgeth wicked things, and no man will cast him off:

26. in conspectu oculorum tuorum condulcabit os tuum et super sermones tuos admirabitur novissime autem pervertet os suum et in verbis tuis dabit scandalum

26. In the sight of thy eyes he will sweeten his mouth, and will admire thy words: but at the last he will writhe his mouth, and on thy words he will lay a stumblingblock.

27. multa audivi et non coæquavi ei et Dominus odiet illum

27. I have hated many things, but not like him, and the Lord will hate him.

28. qui in altum mittit lapidem super caput ejus cadet et plaga dolosi dividet vulnera

28. If one cast a stone on high, it will fall upon his own head: and the deceitful stroke will wound the deceitful.

29. et qui foveam fodit in illam decidet et qui statuit lapidem proximo offendet in eo et qui laqueum alio peribit in illo

29. He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that setteth a stone for his neighbour, shall stumble upon it: and he that layeth a snare for another, shall perish in it.

30. facienti nequissimum super ipsum devolvetur et non agnoscet unde adveniat illi

30. A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him.

31. inlusio et inproperium superborum et vindicta sicut leo insidiabitur illi

31. Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him.

32. laqueo peribunt qui oblectantur casu justorum dolor autem consumet illos antequam moriantur

32. They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die.

33. ira et furor utraque execrabilia et vir peccator continens erit illorum

33. Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.