The Book of Jesus Sirach

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 7 -

Religious and moral duties.

Do no evils, and no evils shall lay hold of thee.

Depart from the unjust, and evils shall depart from thee.

My son, sow not evils in the furrows of injustice, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold.

Seek not of the Lord a pre-eminence, nor of the king the seat of honour.

Justify not thyself before God, for he knoweth the heart: and desire not to appear wise before the king.

Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to extirpate iniquities: lest thou fear the person of the powerful, and lay a stumblingblock for thy integrity.

Offend not against the multitude of a city, neither cast thyself in upon the people,

Nor bind sin to sin: for even in one thou shalt not be unpunished.

Be not fainthearted in thy mind:

Neglect not to pray, and to give alms.

Say not: God will have respect to the multitude of my gifts, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept my offerings.

Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one that humbleth and exalteth, God who seeth all.

Devise not a lie against thy brother: neither do the like against thy friend.

Be not willing to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good.

Be not full of words in a multitude of ancients, and repeat not the word in thy prayer.

Hate not laborious works, nor husbandry ordained by the most High.

Number not thyself among the multitude of the disorderly.

Remember wrath, for it will not tarry long.

Humble thy spirit very much: for the vengeance on the flesh of the ungodly is fire and worms.

Do not transgress against thy friend deferring money, nor despise thy dear brother for the sake of gold.

Depart not from a wise and good wife, whom thou best gotten in the fear of the Lord: for the grace of her modesty is above gold.

Hurt not the servant that worketh faithfully, nor the hired man that giveth thee his life.

Let a wise servant be dear to thee as thy own soul, defraud him not of liberty, nor leave him needy.

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

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

Hast thou daughters? have a care of their body, and shew not thy countenance gay towards them.

Marry thy daughter well, and then shalt do a great work, and give her to a wise man.

If thou hast a wife according to thy soul, cast her not off: and to her that is hateful, trust not thyself. With thy whole heart,

Honour thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother:

Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them: and make a return to them as they have done for thee.

With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests.

With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers.

Honour God with all thy soul, and give honour to the priests, and purify thyself with thy arms.

Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the firstfruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences purify thyself with a few.

Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things:

And stretch out thy hand to the poor, that thy expiation and thy blessing may be perfected.

A gift hath grace in the sight of all the living, and restrain not grace from the dead.

Be not wanting in comforting them that weep, and walk with them that mourn.

Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.

In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.

Religious and moral duties.

Do no evil, so no evil will overtake you.

Depart from wrong, and it will turn away from you.

My son, don’t sow upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and you won’t reap them sevenfold.

Don’t seek preeminence from the Lord, nor the seat of honor from the king.

Don’t justify yourself in the presence of the Lord, and don’t display your wisdom before the king.

Don’t seek to be a judge, lest you not be able to take away iniquities, lest perhaps you fear the person of a mighty man, and lay a stumbling block in the way of your uprightness.

Don’t sin against the multitude of the city. Don’t disgrace yourself in the crowd.

Don’t commit a sin twice, for even in one you will not be unpunished.

Don’t say, “He will look upon the multitude of my gifts. When I make an offering to the Most High God, he will accept it.”

Don’t be faint-hearted in your prayer. Don’t neglect to give alms.

Don’t laugh a man to scorn when he is in the bitterness of his soul, for there is one who humbles and exalts.

Don’t devise(a) a lie against your brother, or do the same to a friend.

Refuse to utter a lie, for that habit results in no good.

Don’t babble in the assembly of elders. Don’t repeat your words in your prayer.

Don’t hate hard labor or farm work, which the Most High has created.

Don’t number yourself among the multitude of sinners. Remember that wrath will not wait.

Humble your soul greatly, for the punishment of the ungodly man is fire and the worm.

Don’t exchange a friend for something, neither a true brother for the gold of Ophir.

Don’t deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, for her grace is worth more than gold.

Don’t abuse a servant who works faithfully, or a hireling who gives you his life.

Let your soul love a wise servant. Don’t defraud him of liberty.

Do you have cattle? Look after them. If they are profitable to you, let them stay by you.

Do you have children? Correct them, and make them obedient from their youth.

Do you have daughters? Take care of their bodies, and don’t be overly indulgent toward them.

Give your daughter in marriage, and you will have accomplished a great matter. Give her to a man of understanding.

Do you have a wife who pleases you? Don’t cast her out. (b) But don’t trust yourself to one who is hateful.

Honor your father with your whole heart, and don’t forget the birth pangs of your mother.

Remember that you were born of them. What will you repay them for the things that they have done for you?

Fear the Lord with all your soul; and revere his priests.

With all your strength love him who made you. Don’t forsake his ministers.

Fear the Lord and honor the priest. Give him his portion, even as it is commanded you: the first fruits, the trespass offering, the gift of the shoulders, the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of holy things.

Also stretch out your hand to the poor man, that your blessing may be complete.

A gift has grace in the sight of every living man. Don’t withhold grace for a dead man.

Don’t avoid those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn.

Don’t be slow to visit a sick man, for by such things you will gain love.

In all your words, remember eternity, and you will never sin.

Footnotes

(a)7:12 Gr. Don’t plow

(b)7:26 Many authorities omit this line