Ecclesiasticus, 13

1. He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith; and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him.

1. He who touches tar will be soiled; he who associates with an arrogant man will become like him.

2. Burden not thyself above thy power while thou livest; and have no fellowship with one that is mightier and richer than thyself: for how agree the kettle and the earthen pot together? for if the one be smitten against the other, it shall be broken.

2. Do not carry too heavy a load; do not make friends with someone stronger and richer than you. Why put the earthen pot near the iron one? One will bang the other and break it.

3. The rich man hath done wrong, and yet he threateneth withal: the poor is wronged, and he must intreat also.

3. The rich man does wrong and is unconcerned; the poor man is insulted and apologizes.

4. If thou be for his profit, he will use thee: but if thou have nothing, he will forsake thee.

4. The rich man uses you as long as you are useful to him; when you have nothing left he deserts you.

5. If thou have any thing, he will live with thee: yea, he will make thee bare, and will not be sorry for it.

5. He will stay with you as long as you have something; he will drain you without a second thought.

6. If he have need of thee, he will deceive thee, and smile upon thee, and put thee in hope; he will speak thee fair, and say, What wantest thou?

6. If he really needs you he will deceive you, smile at you and raise your hopes; he will speak smooth words and say, "What would you like?"

7. And he will shame thee by his meats, until he have drawn thee dry twice or thrice, and at the last he will laugh thee to scorn afterward, when he seeth thee, he will forsake thee, and shake his head at thee.

7. He will show his gratitude by entertaining you until he has taken all you possess, and he will make fun of you in the end. Afterwards, when he sees you, he will have nothing to do with you, shaking his head when he meets you.

8. Beware that thou be not deceived and brought down in thy jollity.

8. Take care not to be deceived and humiliated through stupidity.

9. If thou be invited of a mighty man, withdraw thyself, and so much the more will he invite thee.

9. When an influential person invites you, delay and he will call you all the more.

10. Press thou not upon him, lest thou be put back; stand not far off, lest thou be forgotten.

10. Do not go so far forward that you are pushed aside or so far back that you are overlooked.

11. Affect not to be made equal unto him in talk, and believe not his many words: for with much communication will he tempt thee, and smiling upon thee will get out thy secrets:

11. Do not try to talk to him as an equal or trust his many words. With all this verbiage he is only trying to test you and, under pretense of kindness, he is weighing you up.

12. But cruelly he will lay up thy words, and will not spare to do thee hurt, and to put thee in prison.

12. He will repeat your words without pity and will not spare you either blows or chains.

13. Observe, and take good heed, for thou walkest in peril of thy overthrowing: when thou hearest these things, awake in thy sleep.

13. Be wary and take great care because you are walking with your own stumbling block.

14. Love the Lord all thy life, and call upon him for thy salvation.

14.

15. Every beast loveth his like, and every man loveth his neighbor.

15. All that lives loves its own kind and each person, his own neighbor.

16. All flesh consorteth according to kind, and a man will cleave to his like.

16. Every animal relates to its own species and man to his own kind.

17. What fellowship hath the wolf with the lamb? so the sinner with the godly.

17. What has the wolf in common with the lamb? It is the same with the sinner and the virtuous man.

18. What agreement is there between the hyena and a dog? and what peace between the rich and the poor?

18. What kind of peace can exist between the hyena and the dog? What peace between the rich man and the poor man?

19. As the wild ass is the lion's prey in the wilderness: so the rich eat up the poor.

19. Wild donkeys are the prey of desert lions; so, also, are the poor the prey of the rich.

20. As the proud hate humility: so doth the rich abhor the poor.

20. The proud man hates humility; so, also, the poor man is detestable to the rich.

21. A rich man beginning to fall is held up of his friends: but a poor man being down is thrust away by his friends.

21. When the rich man stumbles, his friends support him, but when the poor man falls, his friends desert him.

22. When a rich man is fallen, he hath many helpers: he speaketh things not to be spoken, and yet men justify him: the poor man slipped, and yet they rebuked him too; he spake wisely, and could have no place.

22. When the rich man gets into trouble, there are many who come to his rescue; if he speaks nonsense, they congratulate him. When the poor man makes a mistake, they criticize him; if he speaks sensibly, they pay no attention.

23. When a rich man speaketh, every man holdeth his tongue, and, look, what he saith, they extol it to the clouds: but if the poor man speak, they say, What fellow is this? and if he stumble, they will help to overthrow him.

23. When the rich man speaks, all are silent and they praise his words to the skies. The poor man speaks and people ask, "Who is this?" And if he stumbles, they push him down.

24. Riches are good unto him that hath no sin, and poverty is evil in the mouth of the ungodly.

24. Wealth is good if there is no sin in it and poverty is evil when it is the reward for godlessness.

25. The heart of a man changeth his countenance, whether it be for good or evil: and a merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.

25. Man's heart is reflected in his face, for better or for worse.

26. A cheerful countenance is a token of a heart that is in prosperity; and the finding out of parables is a wearisome labour of the mind.

26. Does he show a happy face? All is going well to him. Has he found words of wisdom? He has reflected on suffering.