Liber Ecclesiasticus, 7

1. noli facere mala et non te adprehendent

1. Do no evils, and no evils shall lay hold of thee.

2. discede ab iniquo et deficient mala abs te

2. Depart from the unjust, and evils shall depart from thee.

3. non semines mala in sulcis iniuriæ et non metes ea in septuplum

3. My son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.

4. noli quærere ab homine ducatum neque a rege cathedram honoris

4. Seek not of the Lord a pre-eminence, nor of the king the seat of honour.

5. non te justifices ante Deum quoniam agnitor cordis ipse est et penes regem noli velle videri sapiens

5. Justify not thyself before God, for he knoweth the heart: and desire not to appear wise before the king.

6. noli quærere fieri judex nisi si valeas virtute inrumpere iniquitates ne forte extimescas faciem potentis et ponas scandalum in agilitate tua

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.

7. non pecces in multitudinem civitatis nec te inmittas in populum

7. Offend not against the multitude of a city, neither cast thyself in upon the people,

8. neque alliges duplicia peccata nec enim in uno eris inmunis

8. Nor bind sin to sin: for even in one thou shalt not be unpunished.

9. noli esse pusillanimis in anima tua

9. Be not fainthearted in thy mind:

10. exorare et facere elemosynam non despicias

10. Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.

11. ne dicas in multitudine munerum meorum respiciet Deus et offerentem me Deo altissimo suscipiet munera mea

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.

12. non inrideas hominem in amaritudine animæ est enim qui humiliat et exaltat circumspector Deus

12. Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one that humbleth and exalteth, God who seeth

13. noli amare mendacium adversus fratrem tuum neque amico similiter facias

13. Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like against thy friend.

14. noli velle mentiri omne mendacium adsiduitas enim illius non bona

14. Be not willing to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.

15. noli verbosus esse in multitudine presbyterorum et non iteres verbum in tua oratione

15. Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and repeat not the word in thy prayer.

16. non oderis laboriosa opera et rusticationem ab Altissimo creatam

16. Hate not laborious works, nor husbandry ordained by the most High.

17. non te reputes in multitudine indisciplinatorum

17. Number not thyself among the multitude of the disorderly.

18. memento iræ quoniam non tardabit

18. Remember wrath, for it will not tarry long.

19. humilia valde spiritum tuum quoniam vindicta carnis impii ignis et vermes

19. Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms.

20. noli prævaricari in amicum pecunia differenti neque fratrem carissimum auro spreveris

20. Do not transgress against thy friend deferring money, nor despise thy dear brother for the sake of gold.

21. noli discedere a muliere sensata et bona quam sortitus es in timore Dei gratia enim verecundiæ illius super aurum

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.

22. non lædas servum operantem in veritate neque mercennarium dantem animam suam

22. Hurt not the servant that worketh faithfully, nor the hired man that giveth thee his life.

23. servus sensatus dilectus quasi anima tua non defraudes illum libertate neque inopem derelinquas illum

23. Let a wise servant be dear to thee as thy own soul, defraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy.

24. pecora tibi sunt adtende illis et si sunt utilia perseverent apud te

24. Hast thou cattle? have an eye to them: and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee.

25. filii tibi sunt erudi illos et curva illos a pueritia illorum

25. Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their childhood.

26. filiæ tibi sunt serva corpus illarum et non ostendas hilarem faciem tuam ad illas

26. Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thy countenance gay towards them.

27. trade filiam et grande opus feceris et homini sensato da illam

27. Marry thy daughter well, and then shalt do a great work, and give her to a wise man.

28. mulier si est tibi secundum animam tuam non proicias illam et odibili non credas te in toto corde

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,

29. honora patrem tuum et gemitus matris tuæ ne obliviscaris

29. Honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother:

30. memento quoniam nisi per illos non fuisses et retribue illis quomodo et illi tibi

30. Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them: and make a return to them as they have done for thee.

31. in tota anima tua time Deum et sacerdotes illius sanctifica

31. With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests.

32. in omni virtute dilige eum qui te fecit et ministros ejus non derelinquas

32. With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers.

33. honora Deum ex tota anima tua et honorifica sacerdotes et propurga te cum brachiis

33. Honour God with all thy soul, and give honour to the priests, and purify thyself with thy arms.

34. da illi partem sicut mandatum est tibi primitiarum et purgationis et de neglegentia purga te cum paucis

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.

35. datum brachiorum tuorum et sacrificium sanctificationis offers initia sanctorum

35. Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things:

36. et pauperi porrige manum tuam ut perficiatur propitiatio et benedictio tua

36.

37. gratia datus in conspectu omnis viventis et mortuo non prohibeas gratiam

37. A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and restrain not grace from the dead.

38. non desis plorantibus in conrogatione et cum lugentibus ambula

38. Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with them that mourn.

39. non te pigeat visitare infirmum ex his enim in dilectione firmaberis

39. Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.

40. in omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua et in æternum non peccabis

40. In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.