Eclesiástico, 14

1. Feliz el hombre que no se ha deslizado con su boca, ni sufre tormento por la tristeza del pecado.

1. Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and whoever associates with a proud man will become like him.

2. Feliz aquel a quien su conciencia no reprocha, y que no queda corrido en su esperanza.

2. Do not lift a weight beyond your strength, nor associate with a man mightier and richer than you. How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle? The pot will strike against it, and will itself be broken.

3. Para el hombre mezquino no es buena la riqueza, para el envidioso, ¿de qué sirve el dinero?

3. A rich man does wrong, and he even adds reproaches; a poor man suffers wrong, and he must add apologies.

4. Quien amontona a expensas de sí mismo, para otros amontona, con sus bienes se regalarán otros.

4. A rich man will exploit you if you can be of use to him, but if you are in need he will forsake you.

5. El que es malo para sí, ¿para quién será bueno? No logrará contento en medio de sus tesoros.

5. If you own something, he will live with you; he will drain your resources and he will not care.

6. Nadie peor que el que se tortura a sí mismo, esa es la paga de su maldad.

6. When he needs you he will deceive you, he will smile at you and give you hope. He will speak to you kindly and say, "What do you need?"

7. Aun si llega a hacer el bien, lo hace por descuido, al final dejará ver su maldad.

7. He will shame you with his foods, until he has drained you two or three times; and finally he will deride you. Should he see you afterwards, he will forsake you, and shake his head at you.

8. Malo es el de ojo envidioso, que vuelve su rostro y desprecia a los demás.

8. Take care not to be led astray, and not to be humiliated in your feasting.

9. El ojo del avaro no se satisface con su suerte, la avaricia seca el alma.

9. When a powerful man invites you, be reserved; and he will invite you the more often.

10. El ojo malo se alampa por el pan, hambriento está en su propia mesa.

10. Do not push forward, lest you be repulsed; and do not remain at a distance, lest you be forgotten.

11. Hijo, trátate bien, conforme a lo que tengas, y presenta dignamente tus ofrendas al Señor.

11. Do not try to treat him as an equal, nor trust his abundance of words; for he will test you through much talk, and while he smiles he will be examining you.

12. Recuerda que la muerte no se tardará, y que el pacto del seol no se te ha revelado.

12. Cruel is he who does not keep words to himself; he will not hesitate to injure or to imprison.

13. Antes de morir, haz el bien a tu amigo, según tus medios dale con largueza.

13. Keep words to yourself and be very watchful, for you are walking about with your own downfall.

14. No te prives de pasarte un buen día, no se te escape la posesión de un deseo legítimo.

14.

15. ¿No dejarás a otro el fruto de tus trabajos y el de tus fatigas, para que a suertes se reparta?

15. Every creature loves its like, and every person his neighbor;

16. Da y recibe, y recrea tu alma, que en el seol no se puede esperar buena vida.

16. all living beings associate by species, and a man clings to one like himself.

17. Toda carne como un vestido envejece, pues ley eterna es: hay que morir.

17. What fellowship has a wolf with a lamb? No more has a sinner with a godly man.

18. Lo mismo que las hojas sobre árbol tupido, que unas caen y otras brotan, así la generación de carne y sangre: una muere y otra nace.

18. What peace is there between a hyena and a dog? And what peace between a rich man and a poor man?

19. Toda obra corruptible desaparece, y su autor se irá con ella.

19. Wild asses in the wilderness are the prey of lions; likewise the poor are pastures for the rich.

20. Feliz el hombre que se ejercita en la sabiduría, y que en su inteligencia reflexiona,

20. Humility is an abomination to a proud man; likewise a poor man is an abomination to a rich one.

21. que medita sus caminos en su corazón, y sus secretos considera.

21. When a rich man totters, he is steadied by friends, but when a humble man falls, he is even pushed away by friends.

22. Sale en su busca como el que sigue el rastro, y en sus caminos se pone al acecho.

22. If a rich man slips, his helpers are many; he speaks unseemly words, and they justify him. If a humble man slips, they even reproach him; he speaks sensibly, and receives no attention.

23. Se asoma a sus ventanas, y a sus puertas escucha.

23. When the rich man speaks all are silent, and they extol to the clouds what he says. When the poor man speaks they say, "Who is this fellow?" And should he stumble, they even push him down.

24. Acampa muy cerca de su casa, y clava la clavija en sus muros.

24. Riches are good if they are free from sin, and poverty is evil in the opinion of the ungodly.

25. Monta su tienda junto a ella, y se alberga en su albergue dichoso.

25. A man's heart changes his countenance, either for good or for evil.

26. Pone sus hijos a su abrigo, y bajo sus ramas se cobija.

26. The mark of a happy heart is a cheerful face, but to devise proverbs requires painful thinking.

27. Por ella es protegido del calor, y en su gloria se alberga.

27.