Ecclesiasticus, 19

1. A drunken workman will never grow rich, and one who makes light of small matters will gradually sink.

1. He who lives for ever created the whole universe;

2. Wine and women corrupt intelligent men, the customer of whores loses all sense of shame.

2. the Lord alone will be declared righteous.

3. Grubs and worms will have him as their legacy, and the man who knows no shame will lose his life.

3.

4. Being too ready to trust shows shallowness of mind, and sinning harms the sinner.

4. To none has he given power to proclaim his works; and who can search out his mighty deeds?

5. Taking pleasure in evil earns condemnation;

5. Who can measure his majestic power? And who can fully recount his mercies?

6. by hating gossip one avoids evil.

6. It is not possible to diminish or increase them, nor is it possible to trace the wonders of the Lord.

7. Never repeat what you are told and you will come to no harm;

7. When a man has finished, he is just beginning, and when he stops, he will be at a loss.

8. whether to friend or foe, do not talk about it, unless it would be sinful not to, do not reveal it;

8. What is man, and of what use is he? What is his good and what is his evil?

9. you would be heard out, then mistrusted, and in due course you would be hated.

9. The number of a man's days is great if he reaches a hundred years.

10. Have you heard something? Let it die with you. Courage! It will not burst you!

10. Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand so are a few years in the day of eternity.

11. A fool will suffer birthpangs over a piece of news, like a woman labouring with child.

11. Therefore the Lord is patient with them and pours out his mercy upon them.

12. Like an arrow stuck in the flesh of the thigh, so is a piece of news inside a fool.

12. He sees and recognizes that their end will be evil; therefore he grants them forgiveness in abundance.

13. Question your friend, he may have done nothing at all; and if he has done anything, he will not do it again.

13. The compassion of man is for his neighbor, but the compassion of the Lord is for all living beings. He rebukes and trains and teaches them, and turns them back, as a shepherd his flock.

14. Question your neighbour, he may have said nothing at all; and if he has said anything, he will not say it again.

14. He has compassion on those who accept his discipline and who are eager for his judgments.

15. Question your friend, for slander is very common, do not believe all you hear.

15. My son, do not mix reproach with your good deeds, nor cause grief by your words when you present a gift.

16. People sometimes make a slip, without meaning what they say; and which of us has never sinned by speech?

16. Does not the dew assuage the scorching heat? So a word is better than a gift.

17. Question your neighbour before you threaten him, and defer to the Law of the Most High.

17. Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift? Both are to be found in a gracious man.

18.

18. A fool is ungracious and abusive, and the gift of a grudging man makes the eyes dim.

19.

19. Before you speak, learn, and before you fall ill, take care of your health.

20. Wisdom consists entirely in fearing the Lord, and wisdom is entirely constituted by the fulfilling of the Law.

20. Before judgment, examine yourself, and in the hour of visitation you will find forgiveness.

21.

21. Before falling ill, humble yourself, and when you are on the point of sinning, turn back.

22. Being learned in evil, however, is not wisdom, there is no prudence in the advice of sinners.

22. Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly, and do not wait until death to be released from it.

23. There is a cleverness that is detestable; whoever has no wisdom is a fool.

23. Before making a vow, prepare yourself; and do not be like a man who tempts the Lord.

24. Better be short of sense and full of fear, than abound in shrewdness and violate the Law.

24. Think of his wrath on the day of death, and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his face.

25. There is a wickedness which is scrupulous but nonetheless dishonest, and there are those who misuse kindness to win their case.

25. In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger; in the days of wealth think of poverty and need.

26. There is the person who will walk bowed down with grief, when inwardly this is nothing but deceit:

26. From morning to evening conditions change, and all things move swiftly before the Lord.

27. he hides his face and pretends to be deaf, if he is not unmasked, he will take advantage of you.

27. A wise man is cautious in everything, and in days of sin he guards against wrongdoing.

28. There is the person who is prevented from sinning by lack of strength, yet he will do wrong when he gets the chance.

28. Every intelligent man knows wisdom, and he praises the one who finds her.

29. You can tell a person by his appearance, you can tell a thinker by the look on his face.

29. Those who understand sayings become skilled themselves, and pour forth apt proverbs.

30. The way a person dresses, the way he laughs, the way he walks, tell you what he is.

30. Do not follow your base desires, but restrain your appetites.

31.

31. If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base desire, it will make you the laughingstock of your enemies.

32.

32. Do not revel in great luxury, lest you become impoverished by its expense.

33.

33. Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money, when you have nothing in your purse.