Ecclesiasticus, 27

1. For the sake of profit many sin, and the struggle for wealth blinds the eyes.

1. Many have sinned for the sake of profit, one who hopes to be rich must turn a blind eye.

2. Like a peg driven between fitted stones, between buying and selling sin is wedged in.

2. A peg will stick in the joint between two stones, and sin will wedge itself between selling and buying.

3. Unless you earnestly hold fast to the fear of the LORD, suddenly your house will be thrown down.

3. Whoever does not firmly hold to the fear of the Lord, his house will soon be overthrown.

4. When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear; so do a man's faults when he speaks.

4. In a shaken sieve the rubbish is left behind, so too the defects of a person appear in speech.

5. As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace, so in his conversation is the test of a man.

5. The kiln tests the work of the potter, the test of a person is in conversation.

6. The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had; so too does a man's speech disclose the bent of his mind.

6. The orchard where the tree grows is judged by its fruit, similarly words betray what a person feels.

7. Praise no man before he speaks, for it is then that men are tested.

7. Do not praise anyone who has not yet spoken, since this is where people are tested.

8. If you strive after justice you will attain it, and put it on like a splendid robe.

8. If you pursue virtue, you will attain it and put it on like a festal gown.

9. Birds nest with their own kind, and fidelity comes to those who live by it.

9. Birds consort with their kind, truth comes home to those who practise it.

10. As a lion crouches in wait for prey, so do sins for evildoers.

10. The lion lies in wait for its prey, so does sin for those who do wrong.

11. Ever wise are the discourses of the devout, but the godless man, like the moon, is inconstant.

11. The conversation of the devout is wisdom at all times, but the fool is as changeable as the moon.

12. Limit the time you spend among fools, but frequent the company of thoughtful men.

12. When visiting stupid people, choose the right moment, but among the thoughtful take your time.

13. The conversation of the wicked is offensive, their laughter is wanton guilt.

13. The conversation of fools is disgusting, raucous their laughter in their sinful pleasures.

14. Their oath-filled talk makes the hair stand on end, their brawls make one stop one's ears.

14. The talk of hard-swearing people makes your hair stand on end, their brawling makes you stop your ears.

15. Wrangling among the haughty ends in bloodshed, their cursing is painful to hear.

15. A quarrel between the proud leads to bloodshed, and their insults are embarrassing to hear.

16. He who betrays a secret cannot be trusted, he will never find an intimate friend.

16. A betrayer of secrets forfeits all trust and will never find the kind of friend he wants.

17. Cherish your friend, keep faith with him; but if you betray his confidence, follow him not;

17. Be fond of a friend and keep faith with him, but if you have betrayed his secrets, do not go after him any more;

18. For as an enemy might kill a man, you have killed your neighbor's friendship.

18. for, as one destroys a person by killing him, so you have killed your neighbour's friendship,

19. Like a bird released from the hand, you have let your friend go and cannot recapture him;

19. and as you let a bird slip through your fingers, so you have let your friend go, and will not catch him.

20. Follow him not, for he is far away, he has fled like a gazelle from the trap.

20. Do not go after him -- he is far away, he has fled like a gazelle from the snare.

21. A wound can be bound up, and an insult forgiven, but he who betrays secrets does hopeless damage.

21. For a wound can be bandaged and abuse forgiven, but for the betrayer of a secret there is no hope.

22. He who has shifty eyes plots mischief and no one can ward him off;

22. Someone with a sly wink is plotting mischief, no one can dissuade him from it.

23. In your presence he uses honeyed talk, and admires your every word, But later he changes his tone and twists your words to your ruin.

23. Honey-tongued to your face, he is lost in admiration at your words; but behind your back he has other things to say, and turns your words into a stumbling-block.

24. There is nothing that I hate so much, and the LORD hates him as well.

24. I have found many things to hate, but nothing as much as him, and the Lord hates him too.

25. As a stone falls back on him who throws it up, so a blow struck in treachery injures more than one.

25. Whoever throws a stone in the air, throws it on to his own head; a treacherous blow cuts both ways.

26. As he who digs a pit falls into it, and he who lays a snare is caught in it,

26. The man who digs a pit falls into it, whoever sets a snare will be caught by it.

27. Whoever does harm will be involved in it without knowing how it came upon him.

27. On anyone who does evil, evil will recoil, without his knowing where it comes from.

28. Mockery and abuse will be the lot of the proud, and vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion.

28. Sarcasm and abuse are the mark of the arrogant, but vengeance lies in wait like a lion for such a one.

29. The trap seizes those who rejoice in pitfalls, and pain will consume them before they die;

29. The trap will close on all who rejoice in the downfall of the devout, and pain will eat them up before they die.

30. Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.

30. Resentment and anger, these are foul things too, and a sinner is a master at them both.