Liber Ecclesiasticus, 14
1. Beatus vir, qui non est lapsus verbo ex ore suo et non est stimulatus in tristitia delicti.
1. Whoever touches pitch will be defiled, and whoever associates with a proud man will become like him.
2. Felix, quem non condemnat anima sua, et non excidit a spe sua.
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. Viro tenaci sine ratione est substantia; et homini livido ad quid aurum?
3. A rich man does wrong, and he even adds reproaches; a poor man suffers wrong, and he must add apologies.
4. Qui denegat animo suo iniuste, aliis congregat, et in bonis illius alius luxuriabitur.
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. Qui sibi nequam est, cui alii bonus erit? Et non iucundabitur in bonis suis.
5. If you own something, he will live with you; he will drain your resources and he will not care.
6. Qui sibi invidet, nihil est illo nequius; et haec redditio est malitiae illius.
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. Et, si bene fecerit, ignoranter et non volens facit et in novissimo manifestat malitiam suam.
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. Nequam est oculus lividi et avertens faciem suam et despiciens animas.
8. Take care not to be led astray, and not to be humiliated in your feasting.
9. Insatiabilis oculus cupidi in parte non satiabitur, donec consumat arefaciens animam suam.
9. When a powerful man invites you, be reserved; and he will invite you the more often.
10. Oculus malus lividus irruit in panem et neglegens est mensae suae.
10. Do not push forward, lest you be repulsed; and do not remain at a distance, lest you be forgotten.
11. Fili, si habes, benefac tecum et Deo dignas oblationes offer.
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. Memor esto quoniam mors non tardat, et decretum inferorum quia non demonstratum est tibi; decretum enim huius mundi: morte morietur.
12. Cruel is he who does not keep words to himself; he will not hesitate to injure or to imprison.
13. Ante mortem benefac amico tuo et secundum vires tuas exporrigens da ei.
13. Keep words to yourself and be very watchful, for you are walking about with your own downfall.
14. Non defrauderis a bono diei, et particula desiderii boni non te praetereat.
14.
15. Nonne aliis relinques res dolore partas et labores tuos in divisione sortis?
15. Every creature loves its like, and every person his neighbor;
16. Da et accipe et oblecta animam tuam;
16. all living beings associate by species, and a man clings to one like himself.
17. ante obitum tuum operare iustitiam, quoniam non est apud inferos quaerere voluptates.
17. What fellowship has a wolf with a lamb? No more has a sinner with a godly man.
18. Omnis caro sicut vestimentum veterascet et sicut folium fructificans in arbore viridi: alia generantur, et alia deiciuntur;
18. What peace is there between a hyena and a dog? And what peace between a rich man and a poor man?
19. sic generatio carnis et sanguinis: alia finitur, et alia nascitur.
19. Wild asses in the wilderness are the prey of lions; likewise the poor are pastures for the rich.
20. Omne opus corruptibile in fine deficiet, et, qui illud operatur, ibit cum illo;
20. Humility is an abomination to a proud man; likewise a poor man is an abomination to a rich one.
21. et omne opus electum iustificabitur, et, qui operatur illud, honorabitur in illo.
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. Beatus vir, qui in sapientia morabitur et qui in iustitia sua meditabitur et in sensu cogitabit circumspectionem Dei;
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. qui excogitat vias illius in corde suo et in absconditis suis intellegens, vadens post illam quasi investigator et in viis illius consistens;
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. qui respicit per fenestras illius et in ianuis illius audiens;
24. Riches are good if they are free from sin, and poverty is evil in the opinion of the ungodly.
25. qui requiescit iuxta domum illius et in parietibus illius figens palum, statuet casulam suam ad manus illius et requiescet in deversorio bonorum per aevum.
25. A man's heart changes his countenance, either for good or for evil.
26. Statuet filios suos sub tegmine illius et sub ramis eius morabitur;
26. The mark of a happy heart is a cheerful face, but to devise proverbs requires painful thinking.
27. protegetur sub tegmine illius a fervore et in gloria eius requiescet.
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