Ecclesiasticus, 42

1. The following things you should not be ashamed of, and do not sin from fear of what others think:

1. Of these things be not thou ashamed, and accept no person to sin thereby:

2. of the Law of the Most High or of the covenant, of a verdict that acquits the godless,

2. Of the law of the most High, and his covenant; and of judgment to justify the ungodly;

3. of keeping accounts with a travelling companion, of settling property on your friends,

3. Of reckoning with thy partners and travellers; or of the gift of the heritage of friends;

4. of being accurate over scales and weights, of making small and large profits,

4. Of exactness of balance and weights; or of getting much or little;

5. of gaining from commercial transactions, of disciplining your children strictly, of lashing a wicked slave till you draw blood.

5. And of merchants' indifferent selling; of much correction of children; and to make the side of an evil servant to bleed.

6. With an interfering wife, it is as well to use your seal, and where there are many hands, lock things up.

6. Sure keeping is good, where an evil wife is; and shut up, where many hands are.

7. Whatever stores you issue, do it by number and weight, spendings and takings, put everything in writing.

7. Deliver all things in number and weight; and put all in writing that thou givest out, or receivest in.

8. Do not be ashamed to correct a stupid person or a fool, or an old dotard who bickers with young people. Then you will show yourself really educated and win the approval of everyone.

8. Be not ashamed to inform the unwise and foolish, and the extreme aged that contendeth with those that are young: thus shalt thou be truly learned, and approved of all men living.

9. Unknown to her, a daughter keeps her father awake, the worry she gives him drives away his sleep: in her youth, in case she never marries, married, in case she should be disliked,

9. The father waketh for the daughter, when no man knoweth; and the care for her taketh away sleep: when she is young, lest she pass away the flower of her age; and being married, lest she should be hated:

10. as a virgin, in case she should be defiled and found with child in her father's house, having a husband, in case she goes astray, married, in case she should be sterile!

10. In her virginity, lest she should be defiled and gotten with child in her father's house; and having an husband, lest she should misbehave herself; and when she is married, lest she should be barren.

11. Your daughter is headstrong? Keep a sharp look-out that she does not make you the laughing-stock of your enemies, the talk of the town, the object of common gossip, and put you to public shame.

11. Keep a sure watch over a shameless daughter, lest she make thee a laughingstock to thine enemies, and a byword in the city, and a reproach among the people, and make thee ashamed before the multitude.

12. Do not stare at any man for his good looks, do not sit down with women;

12. Behold not every body's beauty, and sit not in the midst of women.

13. for moth comes out of clothes, and woman's spite out of woman.

13. For from garments cometh a moth, and from women wickedness.

14. Better a man's spite than a woman's kindness: women give rise to shame and reproach.

14. Better is the churlishness of a man than a courteous woman, a woman, I say, which bringeth shame and reproach.

15. Next, I shall remind you of the works of the Lord, and tell of what I have seen. By the words of the Lord his works come into being and all creation obeys his will.

15. I will now remember the works of the Lord, and declare the things that I have seen: In the words of the Lord are his works.

16. The shining sun looks down on all things, and the work of the Lord is full of his glory.

16. The sun that giveth light looketh upon all things, and the work thereof is full of the glory of the Lord.

17. The Lord has not granted the Holy Ones the power to tell of all his marvels which the Almighty Lord has solidly constructed for the universe to stand firm in his glory.

17. The Lord hath not given power to the saints to declare all his marvellous works, which the Almighty Lord firmly settled, that whatsoever is might be established for his glory.

18. He has fathomed both the abyss and the human heart and seen into their devious ways; for the Most High knows all there is to know and sees the signs of the times.

18. He seeketh out the deep, and the heart, and considereth their crafty devices: for the Lord knoweth all that may be known, and he beholdeth the signs of the world.

19. He declares what is past and what will be, and reveals the trend of hidden things.

19. He declareth the things that are past, and for to come, and revealeth the steps of hidden things.

20. Not a thought escapes him, not a single word is hidden from him.

20. No thought escapeth him, neither any word is hidden from him.

21. He has embellished the magnificent works of his wisdom, he is from everlasting to everlasting, nothing can be added to him, nothing taken away, he needs no one's advice.

21. He hath garnished the excellent works of his wisdom, and he is from everlasting to everlasting: unto him may nothing be added, neither can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.

22. How lovely, all his works, how dazzling to the eye!

22. Oh how desirable are all his works! and that a man may see even to a spark.

23. They all live and last for ever, and, whatever the circumstances, all obey.

23. All these things live and remain for ever for all uses, and they are all obedient.

24. All things go in pairs, by opposites, he has not made anything imperfect:

24. All things are double one against another: and he hath made nothing imperfect.

25. one thing complements the excellence of another. Who could ever grow tired of gazing at his glory?

25. One thing establisheth the good or another: and who shall be filled with beholding his glory?