Ecclesiasticus, 7

1. Do no evil, so shall no harm come unto thee.

1. Do no evil and evil will not take hold of you.

2. Depart from the unjust, and iniquity shall turn away from thee.

2. Keep away from wrongdoing and it will leave you alone.

3. My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.

3. Son, do not sow in the furrows of injustice for fear of reaping its harvest sevenfold.

4. Seek not of the Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of honour.

4. Do not demand authority from the Lord nor from the king a place of honor.

5. justify not thyself before the Lord; and boast not of thy wisdom before the king.

5. Do not make yourself out to be a just man before the Lord nor a wise man in front of the king.

6. Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time thou fear the person of the mighty, an stumblingblock in the way of thy uprightness.

6. Do not seek a position of responsibility lest you not be powerful enough to root out injustice and, overawed by a powerful man, you lose your integrity.

7. Offend not against the multitude of a city, and then thou shalt not cast thyself down among the people.

7. Do not offend the city's assembly; do not grovel before the people.

8. Bind not one sin upon another; for in one thou shalt not be unpunished.

8. Do not commit the same sin twice; once is enough to bring punishment upon you.

9. Say not, God will look upon the multitude of my oblations, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept it.

9. Do not say, "When I sacrifice to God, the Most High will take into account the number of gifts and he will accept them."

10. Be not fainthearted when thou makest thy prayer, and neglect not to give alms.

10. Pray with a strong spirit and do not neglect to give alms.

11. Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one which humbleth and exalteth.

11. Do not despise a man when he is downcast, for there is one who casts down and who raises up.

12. Devise not a lie against thy brother; neither do the like to thy friend.

12. Do not lie about your brother; likewise, do not lie about your friend.

13. Use not to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.

13. Do not allow yourself any kind of lie for nothing good will come of it.

14. Use not many words in a multitude of elders, and make not much babbling when thou prayest.

14. Do not gossip in front of the council of the elders, nor keep on repeating your words in prayer.

15. Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the most High hath ordained.

15. Do not hate hard work nor the tilling of the land as instituted by the Most High.

16. Number not thyself among the multitude of sinners, but remember that wrath will not tarry long.

16. Do not join the company of sinners, remember that the wrath of God will not be delayed.

17. Humble thyself greatly: for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms.

17. Remain humble, because the godless are punished with fire and worms.

18. Change not a friend for any good by no means; neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir.

18. Do not exchange your friend for money, nor a real brother for the gold of Ophir.

19. Forego not a wise and good woman: for her grace is above gold.

19. Do not separate yourself from a wise and good woman, because a gracious wife is worth more than gold.

20. Whereas thy servant worketh truly, entreat him not evil. nor the hireling that bestoweth himself wholly for thee.

20. Do not maltreat the servant who works honestly, nor the laborer who works diligently.

21. Let thy soul love a good servant, and defraud him not of liberty.

21. Love the intelligent slave as yourself and do not deprive him of his freedom.

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

22. Have you any cattle? Take care of them. If they are profitable to you, keep them.

23. Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth.

23. Have you children? Educate them and teach them to obey from their childhood.

24. Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thyself cheerful toward them.

24. Have you any daughters? Guard their virginity and do not be indulgent towards them.

25. Marry thy daughter, and so shalt thou have performed a weighty matter: but give her to a man of understanding.

25. If you marry off your daughter you will have accomplished something of importance, but give her to an intelligent man.

26. Hast thou a wife after thy mind? forsake her not: but give not thyself over to a light woman.

26. Have you a wife who is according to your liking? Do not send her away. As for the one you dislike, do not trust her.

27. Honour thy father with thy whole heart, and forget not the sorrows of thy mother.

27. Honor your father with your whole heart and do not be forgetful of the sufferings of your mother.

28. Remember that thou wast begotten of them; and how canst thou recompense them the things that they have done for thee?

28. Remember that they gave you birth. How can you repay them for what they have done for you?

29. Fear the Lord with all thy soul, and reverence his priests.

29. Reverence the Lord with all your being and respect the priests.

30. Love him that made thee with all thy strength, and forsake not his ministers.

30. Love your Creator with all your strength and do not abandon his ministers.

31. Fear the Lord, and honor the priest; and give him his portion, as it is commanded thee; the firstfruits, and the trespass offering, and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things.

31. Fear the Lord and honor the priest. Give him the share which has been commanded: the first harvest, the sin-offering, the shoulders of the victims, the holy offerings and the first fruits of sacred things.

32. And stretch thine hand unto the poor, that thy blessing may be perfected.

32. Stretch out your hand to the poor and you will receive a blessing from the Lord.

33. A gift hath grace in the sight of every man living; and for the dead detain it not.

33. May your gifts benefit the living and do not forget the dead.

34. Fail not to be with them that weep, and mourn with them that mourn.

34. Do not turn away from those who weep, and grieve with those who are in sorrow.

35. Be not slow to visit the sick: fir that shall make thee to be beloved.

35. Do not neglect to visit the sick because it is for such acts that you will be loved.

36. Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss.

36. In all your actions remember your last end and you will never sin.