Liber Ecclesiasticus, 15
1. Qui timet Deum, faciet haec, et, qui continens est legis, apprehendet illam;
1. Blessed is the man who does not blunder with his lips and need not suffer grief for sin.
2. et obviabit illi quasi mater honorificata et quasi mulier a virginitate suscipiet illum.
2. Blessed is he whose heart does not condemn him, and who has not given up his hope.
3. Cibabit illum pane vitae et intellectus et aqua sapientiae salutaris potabit illum, et firmabitur in illa et non flectetur
3. Riches are not seemly for a stingy man; and of what use is property to an envious man?
4. et confidet in illam et non confundetur; et exaltabit illum prae proximis suis
4. Whoever accumulates by depriving himself, accumulates for others; and others will live in luxury on his goods.
5. et in medio ecclesiae aperiet os eius et adimplebit illum spiritu sapientiae et intellectus et stola gloriae vestiet illum;
5. If a man is mean to himself, to whom will he be generous? He will not enjoy his own riches.
6. iucunditatem et exsultationem thesaurizabit super illum et nomine aeterno hereditabit illum.
6. No one is meaner than the man who is grudging to himself, and this is the retribution for his baseness;
7. Homines stulti non apprehendent illam, et homines sensati obviabunt illi; homines peccatores non videbunt eam, longe enim abest a superbia et dolo.
7. even if he does good, he does it unintentionally, and betrays his baseness in the end.
8. Viri mendaces non erunt illius memores; et viri veraces invenientur in illa et successum habebunt usque ad inspectionem Dei.
8. Evil is the man with a grudging eye; he averts his face and disregards people.
9. Non est speciosa laus in ore peccatoris,
9. A greedy man's eye is not satisfied with a portion, and mean injustice withers the soul.
10. quoniam non a Deo tributa est ei; sapientiae enim Dei astabit laus, et in ore sapientis dicetur laus, et dominator illius docebit eam.
10. A stingy man's eye begrudges bread, and it is lacking at his table.
11. Ne dixeris: “A Deo peccatum meum” quae enim odit, ipse non facit.
11. My son, treat yourself well, according to your means, and present worthy offerings to the Lord.
12. Non dicas: “Ille in me impegit”; non enim necessarii sunt ei homines impii.
12. Remember that death will not delay, and the decree of Hades has not been shown to you.
13. Omne exsecramentum erroris odit Dominus, et non erit amabile timentibus eum.
13. Do good to a friend before you die, and reach out and give to him as much as you can.
14. Deus ab initio constituit hominem et reliquit illum in manu consilii sui et dedit eum in manum concupiscentiae suae.
14. Do not deprive yourself of a happy day; let not your share of desired good pass by you.
15. Adiecit mandata et praecepta sua et intellegentiam ad faciendum placitum eius.
15. Will you not leave the fruit of your labors to another, and what you acquired by toil to be divided by lot?
16. Si volueris mandata servare, conservabunt te; si confidis in illo, etiam tu vives.
16. Give, and take, and beguile yourself, because in Hades one cannot look for luxury.
17. Apposuit tibi aquam et ignem; ad quod volueris, porrige manum tuam.
17. All living beings become old like a garment, for the decree from of old is, "You must surely die!"
18. Ante hominem vita et mors, bonum et malum: quod placuerit ei, dabitur illi.
18. Like flourishing leaves on a spreading tree which sheds some and puts forth others, so are the generations of flesh and blood: one dies and another is born.
19. Quoniam multa sapientia Dei, et fortis in potentia videns omnes sine intermissione.
19. Every product decays and ceases to exist, and the man who made it will pass away with it.
20. Oculi Domini ad timentes eum, et ipse agnoscit omnem operam hominis.
20. Blessed is the man who meditates on wisdom and who reasons intelligently.
21. Nemini mandavit impie agere et nemini dedit spatium peccandi.
21. He who reflects in his mind on her ways will also ponder her secrets.
22. Non concupiscas multitudinem filiorum infidelium et iniquorum.
22. Pursue wisdom like a hunter, and lie in wait on her paths.
23.
23. He who peers through her windows will also listen at her doors;
24.
24. he who encamps near her house will also fasten his tent peg to her walls;
25.
25. he will pitch his tent near her, and will lodge in an excellent lodging place;
26.
26. he will place his children under her shelter, and will camp under her boughs;
27.
27. he will be sheltered by her from the heat, and will dwell in the midst of her glory.
